Word Rehab

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees (Job 4:4, NIV)

The verdict was in: one snapped ligament, two torn ligaments, and one major fracture. My husband’s day on the ski slopes with our son’s Boy Scout troop had ended in disaster. Without the use of his knee, he would not be walking for some time. 

Our busy schedule came to a sudden stop and I refocused all my attention on helping him do the most basic tasks. When he slept, I worked on my manuscript, its deadline looming just ahead.

After surgery and months working diligently with a team of doctors, nurses, and physical therapists, he slowly regained strength and function in his leg. 

Now, he cycles over 40 miles almost daily, the injury little more than an unpleasant memory with a nice scar to keep him humble. With the right rehab, healing and new strength are possible even after the most debilitating accidents.

Job 4:4 compares our souls to stumbling, faltering knees. Two Hebrew words are used to describe the soul in need of support and strength. Kāra’ means to bow down, sink down, cower or writhe in pain. Kāšalis defined as to totter, stumble, stagger, fall, be overthrown; to faint, become weak, or figuratively to be brought to ruin. Both words describe a debilitated soul, unable to heal without intervention and support (Old Testament Lexical Aid, AMG Publishers).

Gods very words, His promises, and proclamations found in the Bible, are rehabilitation for broken souls. They imbue the weak with strength and support the faint. God’s words place a gentle hand on the one writhing in pain and bring relief. His promises walk among the ruins of our lives and rebuild what has been destroyed.

We writers are in the business of sharing God’s words with others. With the right combination of skill and patience, we can help others find the support and strength they need to heal. Metaphorically speaking, we could be called God’s therapists, offering rehabilitation to broken souls.

I like that idea.

Lord, use my writing to bring Your words to others, helping them find the support and strength they need to heal. Amen.

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Audrey Frank is an author, speaker, and storyteller. The stories she shares are brave and true. They give voice to those whose words are silenced by shame, the hard things in life that don’t make sense, and the losses that leave us wondering if we will survive. Audrey and her family have spent over twenty years living and working among different cultures and world views, and she has found that God’s story of redemption spans every geography and culture. He is the God of Instead, giving honor instead of shame, gladness instead of mourning, hope instead of despair. Although she has three different degrees in communication and intercultural studies, Audrey’s greatest credential is that she is known and loved by the One who made her.

Her upcoming book, Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World, is an outpouring of Audrey’s heart to introduce others to the God of Instead. Shame is not unique to the developing world, the plight of the women behind veils, young girls trafficked across borders; shame is lurking in hearts everywhere. Through powerful stories from women around the world, Covered Glory illuminates the power of the Gospel to remove shame, giving honor instead. Available for pre-order now at https://www.amazon.com/author/audreycfrank

You can also find Audrey at www.audreyfrank.com, as well as on Twitter and Facebook