Time Heals All Wounds

Time Heals All Wounds? The Truth About Healing

You’ve likely heard it said, maybe in a moment of deep pain: “Time heals all wounds.”

It’s a comforting thought, but if you’ve experienced heartbreak, betrayal, or loss, you know that time alone doesn’t automatically heal. Days turn into months, and months into years, yet some wounds still ache as if they happened yesterday.

So, if time alone isn’t enough, what actually brings healing? How do we move forward rather than just waiting and hoping the pain fades?

The Challenge: Why Time Alone Isn’t the Healer

Time is not a healer—what we do with that time is what matters.

Unaddressed wounds don’t simply disappear. Trauma, betrayal, and grief, if ignored, can actually deepen, hardening into bitterness, anxiety, or emotional numbness. We see this in the Psalms, where David repeatedly cries out to God rather than pretending time alone will make things better: “I'm tired of all this—so tired. My bed has been floating forty days and nights on the flood of my tears” (Psalm 6:6, MSG).

God doesn’t expect us to just “wait it out.” Instead, He invites us into a process of healing—one that requires truth, grace, and support.

A New Approach: Healing Is an Active Process

Instead of passively waiting for time to take away our pain, here’s what we can do to engage in true healing:

1. Acknowledge the Hurt

Healing starts with honesty. Suppressing pain or pretending we’re fine only prolongs suffering. Jesus Himself acknowledged suffering—both in others and in His own experience on the cross.

If you’re struggling, take time to name what hurts. Write it down, pray about it, or talk with someone you trust. Healing begins when we stop hiding from the wound.

2. Invite God Into the Process

God isn’t distant from our pain. He sees it, cares about it, and wants to walk through it with us. He says, “I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it” (Matthew 11:29, MSG).

Prayer, journaling, and spending time in God’s presence can help us process our emotions rather than letting them fester.

3. Seek Wise Counsel

We aren’t meant to heal alone. God places people in our lives—counsellors, mentors, trusted friends—to help us process and move forward. Proverbs 15:22 reminds us, “Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed” (MSG).

If you’re carrying deep wounds, consider seeking support through faith-based counselling. Talking through your experiences with a compassionate listener can bring clarity, release, and renewal.

4. Take Small Steps Toward Healing

Healing isn’t instant—it’s a journey. Each small step counts. Whether it’s setting healthy boundaries, allowing yourself to grieve, practicing forgiveness, or simply learning to rest, every intentional step moves you forward.

Think about one small, practical step you can take today. Maybe it’s reaching out to someone for help, writing down your emotions, or surrendering a painful memory to God.

5. Trust That God Redeems All Things

Though time alone doesn’t heal, God’s grace working through time does. He is in the business of redemption—turning ashes into beauty, sorrow into joy, and brokenness into purpose.

Isaiah 61:3 reminds us of this promise: “To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion, give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes, messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit” (MSG).

God’s healing is real, and it is available to you. Not just with the passing of time, but with His presence in every step forward.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

If you’re struggling with wounds that time hasn’t healed, you don’t have to carry them alone. Our online counselling services provide a safe, faith-based space to process pain, find clarity, and move forward with hope.

Healing isn’t about waiting for time to pass—it’s about walking with God through it. And step by step, you will find peace again.

If this resonates with you, reach out for online counselling support today. You are not alone in this journey.