In my younger days, I had my share of sports injuries, the most severe being destroying my right knee at the age of fifteen. Future gymnastic prospects ended there, as I had ruptured the ACL, MCL, and torn the meniscus. At the time, knee reconstruction was reserved for professional athletes, so the knee was never repaired. The orthopedist prescribed a full leg cast and crutches for the next six or seven months. As you can imagine, by the time the cast was removed, the muscles in the entire leg were atrophied, and the knee joint was frozen in a straight position. I had to continue using crutches for several weeks after getting the cast removed, and the physical therapy prescribed consisted of me sitting in our tub at home, filled with warm water, attempting to push the flexion a little more each day. I remember crying from the severe pain, but somehow, I managed to push through that pain to bring the knee back to good functionality.
Over the years, the knee deteriorated significantly, due to joint instability. Beginning in my late thirties, I’d end up requiring physical therapy every few years to target and strengthen the muscles, which would help increase stability and make walking and daily activities better. Once physical therapy would end, the muscles would begin to weaken, and the joint would become unstable again.
This week, I couldn’t help but see a correlation between stability and strengthening exercises for that knee joint and the importance of being in fellowship with God’s people and continuously seek intimacy with the Father. Perhaps we were injured spiritually, suffered emotional abuse at the hands of friends or relatives, grew weary from emotional pain, struggled with or succumbed to temptation or addiction, etc. Because we serve a God who is well acquainted with suffering, we are in excellent hands when we submit ourselves to His gentle, loving, “physical therapy,” which nurtures and strengthens us to the very core of our being. Leaning upon our Christian brothers and sisters is equally important for finding strength for “weakened muscles.” When the “symptoms” arise, we are reminded of those old injuries, our weaknesses, and our failings. As fallible now-and-not-yet beings, we are handicapped at times, and need ongoing therapy by the Great Physician and His beautiful church.
For me, some of the exercises of “physical therapy” consist of seeking support and fellowship from God’s people, as well as countering the lies of the enemy by turning my mind and heart over to God’s truth, reading my Bible, and singing old Scripture songs in worship to God. During the hardest times, when even singing seems too difficult, listening to worship music helps deliver God’s restorative healing to my heart.
There are so many fantastic declarative, scriptural worship songs, written by people like you and I, Kingdom People, who have struggled through depression, disappointment, failure, addiction, abuse, etc. This song, for example, came on the radio the other day and helped put things into perspective, reminding me once again that the name of Jesus is my stability, my hope, my joy, my truth. May the powerful, declarative words of this song be an exercise of transforming physical therapy for your heart, too. Put it on repeat, if necessary.
I Speak Jesus, by Charity Gayle
