I have a bruise. It is evidence of my toe coming into contact with something hard and unmovable. The bruise is sensitive and tender. It makes me think twice about where I put my foot. I am a little bit shier about moving forward and walking in the unknown.
If I am honest, my soul is bruised too. The world has crashed into my heart and left scars, wounding me and making me shy about moving forward with confidence. Some of the bruises are there because I ran headlong into places I didn’t need to go. Some are the result of tripping and falling over the world’s expectations and measures of what it means to be good enough. Some crashes I can see coming. Others take me by surprise and leave their mark. With each bruise, I walk with a little bit more fear. It is a paralyzing cycle.
Jesus doesn’t want me caught in this cycle of fear that wounds and bruises my soul. He promises to heal us, wrapping our bruised, wounded hearts in His tender mercy. He gives us the tools we need to walk through the world and face the crashes, bumps, struggles, and surprises with grace and peace. The armor of God that Paul encourages Christians to wear as they walk in the world is designed to protect us from the wounds which the world wants to inflict on our hearts. This armor is not theoretical or abstract. These are the practical tools that Christ gives us in order to equip us to face the world’s hard places.
My Jesus Resolution today is to trust Jesus with my wounds. We all have bruises, scars, and hurts. It takes trust and surrender to let God in and allow Him to touch the tender spots in my heart. I tend to believe that it is up to me to protect myself from getting hurt. Jesus not only has the power to heal what is broken and bruised, but to empower me to walk with faith and confidence through my day.
Casandra Martin 
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