Healing Our Inner Child - David Mitts

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. (1Co 13:11)

There is something so precious about the birth of a child.  We see in the child, the miracle of life, the newness of potential and the joys of caring for such a tender and vulnerable expression of God’s creation of man. Each child is a new creation, unique and special.  The DNA of the mother’s family combines in a once in lifetime creation with the DNA of the father’s family and a unique expression of the Father’s love is brought forth into this world.

Listen to "Healing Our Inner Child"

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! (Psa 139:13-17)

Not only is the child unique, he or she is create as an expression of the thoughts of God.  God’s thoughts are not like human thoughts. God’s thoughts form into God’s Word.  His Word is not just the written Word of God, our Bible, but also is the basis for the organization of all reality which reaches the zenith of its glory through the creation of each individual.  Turn with me to Isaiah 55, verses 6-12.

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (Isa 55:6-12)

Rain and snow are essential to the life of all living things. There is nothing more devastating than a drought.  All life withers and dies without the heavenly supply of water.  In the metaphor God parallels snow and rain to His Words which are His thoughts expressed. His Word expressed as His thoughts about our lives expresses itself as rain and snow does.  He waters us with His Word which is His thoughts expressed.  When we realize that He has already planned our days, then we realize that by His Word, His expressed thoughts we are watered towards our destiny!  If we cut off the source of His Word, we operate in unbelief then we are like the withered plants of the earth, dying and unfruitful.  Thus, He is both the author and finisher, or perfecter of our faith.

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2)

Not only does He author, write the plan but He also perfects it in a dynamic living way.  Since we are free moral agents in the purpose of our lives, God allows us to be prodigals, to not listen and to suffer drought conditions.  BUT because He is loving and merciful, He stands with arms open wide always for us to return to Him and reestablish the rain and snow of His thoughts and His Word spoken to us giving us wisdom and guidance and power to fulfill the call of God in our lives.

So, now I want to turn to the intention of today’s message of empowerment, healing our inner child.  I know that sounds kind of flaky and touchy feely but it still is a truth.  The Apostle Paul tells us of the childish thinking that has to be put off to put on the thinking of God that will water our destiny.

In childhood, we are sensitive and very vulnerable.  We get traumatized easily and make ungodly, meaning trauma centered conclusions and decisions about life.  These serve as what the Bible calls strongholds and reasonings that are in a defensive war with the destiny that God has for us.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. (2Co 10:3-6)

While the Apostle Paul uses a military analogy for the intensity of the fight, the actual process is very gentle.  God’s agent of change is His Voice.  His Voice is not violent but gentle and intimate.  He earns our trust by His gentleness not His power.  He could bring us into submission through force but instead He woos us and romances us through love.

He stands at door or our heart and like a gentleman, knocks.

'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Rev 3:20)

God’s corrections and instructions are over a candlelit table of the most delicious fare.  He isn’t calling us out and humiliating us in front of people. Instead it is intimacy and trust that is the foundation for His healing of our wounded inner child.

There is no rush with God.  He knows that there is a built in drought that will call us back for the life giving rain.  He always woos but never pushes.  This is hard for us to grasp in our time based urgent lifestyle.  We fear death and aging, He is eternal and fills us with the life of eternity, the abundant life. 

In a moment of time, He can and does redeem years of wasted efforts on our part. What an awesome and might God we serve!

Activation: Let’s press in for one child-like thought that we need to allow Him to replace with an adult thought.  This is called putting off and putting on.

But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Eph 4:20-24)

What old self thought does God want to replace? Let’s ask Him.

OK. Now what new self thought does He want to replace it with?

This week like a garment let’s each day see the new thought in our minds and hearts.

You think: It's what I do that counts
He Says: It's what I say that counts

Trust my word = my thoughts