My daughter consistently teaches me that perspective is everything when it comes to relationships. Watching her navigate the ins and outs of adolescence, I see a mirror for my own misunderstandings —what I hear is not always what was intended. She finds it easy to understand the heart behind the words coming from friends she trusts. Even the most benign of statements from someone who has wounded her, however, can often become an arrow to her heart.

Isaiah 61 speaks of Jesus’ work as our Messiah. Aware of our inability to handle our sin in our own power, we heartily claim that our forgiveness comes through His blood. When it comes to the hurts we carry, though, we sometimes forget that the same wounds that paid the price for our sin are more than sufficient to heal our broken hearts. Matthew 5:4 tells us, “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

The powers of darkness love nothing more than to keep us in a place of pain and contention. We guard the places where we’ve been wounded and strike if anyone ventures too closely. Pain adding upon pain, our caution quickly turns to suspicion. The slightest comment becomes laden with import. Misunderstandings become rife with disagreement, and offense soon ensues.

True discernment calls us to view all things from the cross, the place of reconciliation with God, ourselves, and others. Because of Christ’s pain, we can exchange our heartache for His healing (Isaiah 61:1).

Whether our hurt comes from true or supposed betrayal, the reality of wholeness isn’t just something for eternity. The same blood that remains sufficient to cover our darkest sin can also heal our deepest hurt (Psalm 109:22,26).

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Judges 13:1-25