The Healing Path Study Guide: How the Hurts in Your Past Can Lead You to a More Abundant Life

DON'T WASTE YOUR PAIN. None of us escapes the heartache and disappointments of life. To live is to hurt, and we all have the wounds to prove it. Regardless of how we've been hurt, we all face a common question: What should we do with our pain? Should we stoically ignore it? Should we just "get over it?" Should we let it "make us stronger?" Should we optimistically hope that everything will work out in the end? If we fail to respond appropriately to the wounds that life and relationships inflict, our pain will be wasted; it will numb us or destroy us. But suffering doesn't have to mangle our hearts and rob us of the joy of life. It can, instead, lead us to life-if we know the path to healing.
Healing is not the resolution of our past; it is the use of our past to draw us into deeper relationship with God and his purposes for our lives. We don't have to be held captive by the hurts of our past. We can move from feelings of powerlessness, betrayal, and ambivalence into faith, hope and love. The Healing Path takes us beyond self-discovery to God-discovery, giving us the tools to excavate the riches that lay beneath the surface of our pain. If you're ready to use the experiences of the past and present to shape a future characterized by love, service, and joy, now is the time to step out onto The Healing Path.

DAN B. ALLENDER, Ph.D., is a professor of counseling at Western Seminary-Seattle. He taught in the Biblical Counseling Department of Grace Theological Seminary for seven years, then was a professor in the Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling program at Colorado Christian University, Denver. Dr. Allender is the author of The Wounded Heart, and has co-authored two books with Dr. Larry Crabb: Encouragement-The Key to Caring and Hope for the Hurting. With Dr. Tremper Longman he has co-authored four books: Bold Love, Cry of the Soul, Intimate Allies, and Bold Purpose.