Friday Fight 235: Breaking the Cycle - Barriers to Healing

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF235.

How many of us pray and ask God for healing? We all do, especially in times when pain is obvious. But the truth is, we all carry wounds from past or present experiences that require healing we may not even realize we need. Whether it’s conflict in relationships, disappointment in ministry, betrayal, burnout, or spiritual confusion, our hearts often break in places that go unnoticed. How do we break out of these cycles of pain and allow God to heal us?

Breaking the Cycle: Barriers to Healing

Oftentimes in painful situations, our response is to retreat, isolate, or shift into survival mode. While that might feel safer, it can also cause us to question our value, identity, or even God’s plan. A version of “self-care” emerges, but beneath it might be hidden resentment or quiet despair. In the name of protecting ourselves, we sometimes choose things that hinder our spiritual growth and avoid facing deeper wounds. Rather than withdrawing, let’s unpack some truths about what God offers in these difficult seasons and what we might be missing.

When we are struggling, our instinct is to protect ourselves, but God’s heart is to heal us. Sometimes we pray for coping skills when what we really need is wholeness. There are wounds that we don’t see, and unfortunately, we get stuck in managing the pain with prayers for patience, coping, or resolution, but we never fully release it to the One who makes all things new and can actually give us restoration. We need to be careful not to allow false comfort over true healing.

So how do we move forward when we’re still trying to make sense of the pain that left us stranded? At some point, healing must begin, but how? In Jeremiah 30:17, God speaks to Israel in a time of great suffering: “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord.” While this was a specific promise to His people in exile, it reveals something unchanging about God’s character: He is a healer and restorer. The sovereign power for complete healing still lies with Christ alone. Our healing begins when we shift our focus, choosing to surrender our pain to Him. So, the next time conflict arises, take the time you need, but then intentionally lift your eyes beyond the pain and toward the Healer.

Could it be that our healing is delayed because of spiritual barriers we haven’t yet identified? There are barriers to healing, things that prevent us from being completely healed. Some examples include generational sin, unforgiveness, resentment, or opening doors to spiritual oppression, which may not always be immediately apparent. Instead, these barriers operate quietly in the background of our lives. If left unaddressed, they create cycles of partial growth. We look like we’re healing, but we never fully walk in freedom.

Satan uses conflict and pain to deceive, divide, and isolate us. He distorts even the good things, like resting or self-care, turning them into prolonged spiritual inactivity and distance from God’s Word. Pray this week and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any spiritual barriers that may be operating unknowingly in our lives, those hiding in the background. Invite Him to uncover hidden wounds that quietly plant seeds of bitterness, resentment, or hatred. Spend time journaling and write down any areas of your life that feel survivable but not whole.

It could be that our survival was mistaken for recovery. God wants to heal us wholly, but He will not force His way in; we must surrender both the obvious pain and the hurt we learned to live with. Give your hurt to God and let Him make you whole.

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In His Grace,

Pastor Shannon

River Church