Suddenly- The Story Behind the Song

God is a healer. He ministers hope and restoration not only to our bodies but to our souls.

The Backstory

This is a song that speaks of how Jesus healed someone. That person endured a prolonged period of emotional, psychological, sexual and spiritual abuse. I was that someone. My experience included manipulation, control and blackmail. It had driven me to a place of unbelievable shame and fear. Self-hatred, deep insecurity, confusion and a profound anger hid beneath the mask of my forced introversion. The abuser was not someone from my immediate family but was close, enabling him to have consistent access to me.

Later, after circumstances took my abuser far away from me, I continued to slide downhill. Emotional pain, bitterness, insecurity and anger combined with a self-destructive lifestyle. This included black-outs from regular alcohol sessions. These things marked my existence.

Taken By Surprise

Jesus completely took me by surprise. I had a week-long encounter with him that changed my life forever. I had been skeptical of God and all things related to faith. Then, He unexpectedly invaded my life with His love. God broke through all my defenses, questions, doubts, and guilt.

Jesus not only saved me but took me on a journey of healing – the healing of my wounded soul. It included him showing me that I had to forgive my abuser. I needed to allow God to repair, restore and remake the many broken and damaged parts of my life.

This was not an overnight process. It has taken years. One of the things I discovered was that I had to forgive my abuser many times.

The healing process included supernatural encounters with the Holy Spirit and counselling. I had to replace the lies I had believed with God’s truth. Embracing my identity in Christ, prayers and encouragement from my wife and close friends were also key.

A New Identity

In this journey, he has planted in me a real sense of identity. I am no longer ashamed of who I am and what I’ve been through. He’s given me inner security. I no longer have to pretend to be who I am not. God’s given me confidence, not in my own self and ability but in who I am in him. That has removed the fear of people from my life in a significant way.

And the pain has truly gone. I can talk about what happened and I don’t feel it any more.

Am I fully healed today? I can honestly say that there is always room for more.

But my story is evidence of God’s ability to heal someone. He can transform us, no matter how broken, tragic or hopeless our past. A great level of transformation and wholeness is possible this side of eternity.

Psalms 147:3 says that God “heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.” In Isaiah 61:1-3, Isaiah speaks prophetically about Jesus binding the broken-hearted. He sets captives free. Jesus gives beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning.

This has and continues to be my story. It is the story of many others too and can be your story as well.