When I was a little girl, my brother fell off his bike and broke his elbow. I remember being SO jealous of his cool, lime green cast that all of his friends signed. He kept the cast after he had it taken off, and I used to sneak into his room all the time to wear it and pretend I had a broken arm.
Fast forward twenty-some years, and I finally got a cast of my own – but not for the normal reason. Earlier this semester we had a casting lab, which showed us all of the different ways to cast and splint people with fractures. This was one of my favorite days of school by far, and it was great to get to work with my hands and learn a technique that I will utilize throughout my career.
The main purpose of applying a splint or cast to a fracture is to immobilize the bones. They need to stay in alignment with each other so that they can heal correctly, which can take a few weeks. During this time, the broken bone goes through a complex remodeling process in which the damaged bone is broken down and replaced by new bone cells, allowing the bone fragments to heal together.
In our world of instant gratification, it’s difficult for many people to understand that we have to be patient and give our bones time to heal. Even more so, we find it almost impossible to allow our souls time to heal. When we find ourselves hurting, we try to ignore the pain and “heal” overnight. We act like we are unbreakable, unstoppable, and perfectly invincible, because otherwise we would appear weak. However, our very own physiology tells us that time is key to healing, not only to endure a complex remodeling of our hearts and minds, but to truly come out new and refreshed.
Where, then, does this remodeling come from? As we open ourselves to Him, the Lord guides our hearts through its own complex healing process. In Romans 5.3-4, Paul says, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” God does not promise believers an easy life, nor does He promise that we will a life without suffering. In contrast, 1 Peter talks all about the suffering that we as believers should expect. For if we did not suffer, how could we be transformed to the hope we have in Christ?
So then, amidst your sufferings, “cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you (Psalm 55.2).” Allow him to immobilize you in his peace while he shapes your heart and heals your soul.
And in all things, remember the promise Christ gave in John 16.33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Faith, Fashion, & Forceps 