TRAUMA UNDER THE TOENAIL
Contributed by Marion Smith

The suitcase was extremely heavy, and as I pulled it off the conveyer belt at the airport, I dropped it on my big toe. Ouch! Boy, did that hurt! The discoloration and swelling only lasted a short while, and all seemed to be just fine. I paid no attention to it for a month or so, but one day I noticed it was extremely sore. I touched the nail, and unattractive stuff oozed from beneath it.

"This is not good," I thought, and made an appointment with the podiatrist. He informed me there was trauma under the nail, and oral plus topical medication would be the necessary treatment. He cut back the loosened nail, and sure enough, the nail bed was a mess. I didn't realize how damaged it was because my hard, well-lacquered nail was hiding the infection.

Our emotional life can receive a trauma just as my toe did. The dictionary defines trauma as an emotional shock that creates substantial damage to the psychological development of the individual. The problem we face may seem to be corrected within a short period of time, and subconsciously we begin to put on our "hard coat" of emotional armor, allowing the wound to fester underneath. One day it will be so sore it will demand our attention and we then must go to a professional (such as I did with the foot doctor) to ask for help. How much better it would be to go to the one who knows us inside and out - hard veneer or not- and ask Him to prescribe a course of action for curing our ailment before it gets to this stage.

For every emotion, physical or psychological ordeal we receive, God is available to give us the cure. Two of the ways He speaks to us are through His Word, the Bible, and through Godly council (friends or professionals who believe in Him). Sometimes, God heals our traumas instantaneously, but more often, after we receive His advice, we must apply His principles and rules to our situation before experiencing healing.

We must remember to go to God with our hurts. He is the great physician, and He wants us to be emotionally, physically and spiritually healthy.

2 Kings 20:5 I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears: indeed, I will heal you.