The Wound Cycle

In my high school Health class we've been talking about some of the reasons why we make unhealthy choices. There's definitely a variety. One of the topics we discussed this week was the Wound Cycle. It reveals how some of the unhealed cracks to our hearts can ignite reactionary beliefs and subsequent behaviors in an attempt to protect ourselves. Certainly, wisdom from tough experiences is a good thing, but in an unhealthy way and left unchecked, the festering wound can initiate a cycle that continues with reinforcements to old wounds and inflictions of new ones. We essentially become victims of our own choices.

Wound inficted...Changed belief (or reinforced wrong belief)...Choices...Actions...REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT...

Interestingly, I've found that this cycle applies to a lot of situations. The wounds don't always have to be what we would often deem "serious"...along the lines of abuse. And the behaviors from them don't always have to be "extreme"...like self-deprecating sexual behavior. We can see the Wound Cycle show up in our reactions to offense or rejection, revealing themselves in permitted selfishness, bitterness, withdrawal... It goes on and on and on...

This is why God's invitations to healing are such a blessing! He doesn't intend for us to survive our pasts as victims!! He makes a way for healing to happen so we can LIVE and THRIVE. Certainly, healing hurts. :( But, the wholeness is worth it...the restoration, the completion, the fellowship..

So...when a Wound Cycle reveals itself, maybe it's an opportunity for blessing... We are all definitely worth it!