Keion Henderson - How to Heal

In Psalms 34 and 18, one impactful verse is highlighted as a source of encouragement during challenging times: «The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.» This verse reflects the idea that God draws close to those who are hurting and downtrodden, providing solace and salvation. It underscores the concept that in times of brokenness and vulnerability, God’s presence is felt more intensely, emphasizing the significance of turning to a higher power for comfort and strength.

Pastor Keion explains that everyone has their moments of weakness and struggles, even individuals who appear strong and powerful. The summary of the sermon then delves into the deeper exploration of trauma and its effects. Drawing from the example of King David, the speaker addresses the impact of childhood experiences on adult behavior, stressing the need to acknowledge and heal from past wounds. The sermon emphasizes breaking the cycle of generational trauma, embracing vulnerability, and seeking healing. Additionally, the sermon discusses the importance of responding to trouble with a proactive approach: expecting challenges, embracing them as opportunities for growth, and striving to exceed them through positive, unanticipated actions. This approach is contrasted with habitual reactions rooted in trauma, and the need to break free from self-imposed limitations is highlighted.

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For those who need a subject, I just want to talk about how to heal. You should take notes on this one. I don’t know; I don’t intend to raise my voice unless you all push me. I don’t intend to do any of that. I’m going to lecture, okay? Is that all right? Can we lecture today? Now, I know I’m going to offend some people with this first sentence, but I’m used to it, so listen. I am not a Sci-Fi seeker. I don’t know anything about Marvel. See, I’m already offending people! I don’t even know what DC means in DC Comics. I really don’t. I don’t know if that stands for Washington, DC Comics. I don’t know! I couldn’t name four Avengers. Don 't judge me; you couldn’t recite four Bible scriptures! So why judge me? I know what I know, and you know what you know-judgmental Christians. Well, I tell you, I don’t know anything about it. I don’t have an appetite for it. I don’t think I’ve ever owned a comic book. I don’t know them, but obviously, someone does because they made a lot of money-billions of dollars-on these franchises. So, I don’t know if Iron Man is an Avenger, or if the Incredible Hulk is related to Superman. I really don’t know how all of that works.

But one thing I know about all of them is they all have a weakness. Some are more powerful than others, but I do know, through experience, that all of them have some sort of weakness. I know that Iron Man is vulnerable to sonic waves; I do know that much. I know that if He-Man uses too much strength, then he goes back to being human. I know that if the Black Panther doesn’t have the heart-shaped herb, he is a mere mortal. Everybody knows that Superman’s weakness is Kryptonite. No matter how strong you are, everybody has a weakness. Each one of you does. I know you don’t want us to know it, and that’s what we do: we hide our weaknesses so we don’t expose vulnerability. But everybody in here has something that will break you down completely. I don’t care how strong you pretend to be. Listen, you have a place where your powers don’t work.

Oh, let me say this too! The Holy Spirit just gave me this: Not only do you have a place where your powers don’t work, but you will eventually meet someone that your powers don’t work on. Thank you! Everybody in here. Now, if you were to ask someone next to you, «What is your weakness?» they would probably struggle to tell you. It’s not that they don’t know; it’s that they don’t want to reveal it. Ask them what their strength is, and they have a list: " I can do this, I can do that.» But what can’t you do? Everybody, everybody say, «Everybody has a place where their powers don’t work,» and typically, your biggest opponent in life is you. Like I said, I don’t know much about it, but I know the hardest I’ve ever seen Wolverine fight was when he was fighting himself. Because what do you do when the thing you fight has the same weapons that you have? And what do you do when you come up against something within you, and to fix it, you have to harm yourself?

So whenever there is something that needs to be fixed in us, and we realize how much pain it will take to get over that trauma, we back off from fixing ourselves and try to fix everybody around us so we can stay the same and judge everybody else for not changing. Touch your neighbor and say, «It’s tight, but it’s right.» It’s going to be rough in here today; it’s going to be rough! The same is true of the subject of our text. David was a strong fellow. He was so strong that he killed a bear bare-handed-no pun intended. He killed a lion with his own hands, took a slingshot, hit a giant in the center of the forehead, cut his head off, and brought it back to his mama, dropped it on her doorstep, and said, «You should have kept him at home!» He defeated more armies and more people than you could shake a stick at.

And yet, with all the strength and power that David possessed, I would submit to you that although he was strong militarily, financially, and in reputation, he was possibly one of the weakest men we’ve ever met in the Bible. And it is not because of where he was born, but because of who he was born to. Among all the strongest men of the Bible, David was probably one of the most traumatized men you’ve ever not met. And it did not start in high school, where we pretend our trauma starts. It did not start in our first marriage, where we pretend our trauma starts. It did not happen after you got fired from a job.