Healing the Wounded Soul

Have you ever had that family member or that friend who has had more than their fair share of trials and heartache?  The one who you are amazed at everyday as they greet you with a smile and always has a listening ear when you need to vent a little?  Or is it you that I am describing?  Have you ever had to go through heartache and grief?  Have you ever wondered if there was a way to root out the pain in your soul?

Well, lets look at the scriptures.  There was a man named Jacob who was a prophet of The Book of Mormon.  He had a lot of struggles in his life.  First off, he was born in the wilderness (1 Nephi 18:7).  Not the most convenient place on earth to begin your life.  Then his family needed to cross the ocean, and while they were in the middle of their trip some of his older brothers decided they were going to harrass the other family members so much that it ended up bringing their parents "even upon their sickbeds. . . even they were near to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave."(v. 17-18)  Thankfully all was amended on the voyage and the brothers had humbled themselves enough that they all arrived at the promised land (v. 23).  Later, Jacob's father told him; "Thou art my first-born in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness.  And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of they brethren." (2 Nephi 2:1)  Jacob did not have the best time growing up.

Despise all of this tribulation and trouble that he had to go through, Jacob never wavered in his faith.  His faith was strong enough that he was able to see his Redeemer, just as Isaiah and his older brother Nephi had seen him. (2 Nephi 11:2-3)  So having all this opposition, there has to be a secret that he had where he could be healed.

After Nephi had died it rested upon Jacob to be the Prophet.  He had a very hard task ahead of him because he had to put some things in order.  He felt bad that he had to bring up these sins that the people had committed because there were those in the audience who had not done the wrong, but were still affected severely because of actions others had taken. (Jacob 2:1-9)  But he offers some advice to those who have been wounded by the actions of others and have come to listen to the Prophet speak:  "And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul."  (v. 8)

 No matter what has happened in the past, it is in the scriptures that we can find the healing balm.  They will tell us what we need to do (2 Nephi 32:3) and they will invite the spirit of God into our lives.  They point us to Christ who is the master healer.  They lead us to him so we can be healed through his atoning blood.  "For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.  And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."  (2 Nephi 25:25-26)


May we always look unto Christ no matter how good or bad our situation seems!