The Healing Word
The Word of God is not a word to apply in our daily lives at some later date; it is a word to heal us through, and in, our listening here and now. The questions therefore are: How does God come to me as I listen to the word? Where do I discern the healing hand of God touching me through the word?
How are my sadness, my grief, and my mourning being transformed at this very moment? Do I sense the fire of God’s love purifying my heart and giving me new life? These questions lead me to the sacrament of the word, the sacred place of God’s real presence.
—Henri J M Nouwen,
With Burning Hearts
Henri Nouwen reminds us that God’s Word is not something to study now and apply later—it’s something that heals us as we listen, right now. In a Christian treatment setting, where hearts are heavy with grief, sadness, or shame, this is incredibly good news. The Word of God meets us in the present moment—not as advice, but as presence. The questions become deeply personal: How is God coming to me as I listen? Where is His healing touch reaching into my sorrow, even now? This is what Nouwen calls the sacrament of the word—a sacred encounter where God’s presence becomes real, active, and transforming. As you sit with Scripture during your healing journey, don’t rush to understand or fix. Just listen. Ask: Is my grief softening? Is my shame being met with mercy? Is there a quiet spark of hope where despair once lived? These are signs of God’s hand, gently at work. Trust that His Word is not only speaking to you—it is healing you, even now. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics