BALM OF GILEAD

“Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?” (Jeremiah 8:22)

When I was a young adventurous boy, I did all manner of things a young cheeky boy would do. Trust me, I was ( ensure you read it, as is, in the past tense) I was such a nuisance, hadi kuna mahali hata I used to sing to my sister the song, “Go tell it to the Mountain, over the Hills and everywhere” after doing notorious things. So one time, anyone less than 35 years may not know what COMESA means, but it was a Common Market for different Countries within Africa that was once hosted in Kenya, and so, my friend and Mother went to it, sent from her workplace, and came with something that looked like an enlarged Elastoplast. So mimi na ujuaji, nilikuwa najikuna kwa mguu, don’t know what had bitten me. Anyway, I put the balm on my leg. Whueeh! Sema kungojeka mguu from that enlarged Elastoplast. Hmmm……..

My wound became so bad, septic, it even had golden scales. True. God cures everything. I even had to share a nurse with my Late Father, Sir Karanja. The nurse (Ms. Gaciri) would check on my Dad, (Rest His soul in eternal peace), and then clean my wound twice or thrice weekly. Then, as a young boy, I did not know if I would ever experience full healing, but I did. I only have a scar to remind me of God’s faithfulness.

Today, I come to you who has been holding a wound and you really don’t feel like letting go. It could be grief from a loved one. It could be a past hurtful relationship that you have never let go of. Actually, in some instances, the person you are hurt about might even be dead as you read this, but you hold so much enmity or hurt that letting go has become so hard for you.

Allow me to introduce you to the Balm of Gilead. Jeremiah asked this question: Is there no balm in Gilead? during a season when God’s people were wounded, broken, and far from where they were supposed to be. The prophet was not speaking about a simple cut or a physical sickness. He was speaking about wounds of the heart, wounds of the soul, wounds that had accumulated through disappointment, rebellion, loss, grief, betrayal, and hopelessness. He was asking why healing seemed absent when God Himself was present among His people.

The region of Gilead was famous for producing a healing ointment, a balm that people sought because of its medicinal value. Yet Jeremiah’s question points us beyond a physical remedy and directs our attention to God Himself, the One who heals what medicine cannot reach.

Human hands can dress a wound, but only God can heal a broken spirit. A doctor may help the body recover, but only God can restore a shattered heart.

David understood this when he wrote, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). Notice that Scripture does not say God is close only to the strong, the successful, or those who have everything together. He draws near to those whose hearts have been broken. He walks toward the hurting. He sits beside the grieving. He comforts the wounded.

Perhaps your wound was caused by a relationship that ended unexpectedly. Perhaps it was caused by words spoken years ago that still echo in your mind. Perhaps it was a betrayal by someone you trusted. Perhaps it was the loss of a parent, a spouse, a child, or a dear friend. Perhaps it was a dream that never came to pass. Perhaps it was a prayer that seemed unanswered.

Whatever the source of your wound, the Balm of Gilead is still available today.

The prophet Isaiah spoke prophetically about Jesus and said, “Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering” (Isaiah 53:4). Our Lord is not unfamiliar with pain. He understands rejection because He was rejected. He understands betrayal because He was betrayed. He understands grief because He wept at the tomb of Lazarus. He understands suffering because He carried the Cross. The very wounds that pierced His hands and feet became the evidence of the healing He purchased for us.

This is why Peter later writes, “By His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). The healing power of Christ extends beyond our physical bodies. It reaches into our emotions, our memories, our fears, our regrets, and our deepest scars. The cross was not only God’s answer to sin; it was God’s answer to our brokenness.

Yet many of us continue carrying wounds long after God has offered healing. We revisit old hurts. We replay painful conversations. We rehearse offenses committed against us. We become caretakers of pain rather than recipients of grace. We water bitterness and wonder why peace does not grow. We feed resentment and wonder why joy does not return.

The writer of Hebrews warns us, “See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15). Bitterness never remains contained. It spreads. It affects our worship, our relationships, our outlook, and even our ability to recognize God’s blessings.

Leo, wacheni tu, nifunguke: What began as a wound eventually becomes a prison if left untreated.

That is why Jesus extends a personal invitation in Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.“

Notice that He does not say, “Fix yourself first.” He does not say, “Heal yourself first.” He simply says, “Come.” Bring the burden. Bring the wound. Bring the disappointment. Bring the questions. Bring the tears. Bring the anger. Bring the grief. Bring everything to Him.

Sometimes healing happens in a moment. Sometimes healing happens over months or years. Just as my wound required regular cleaning and care before it completely healed, many of our spiritual wounds require repeated surrender before God. Every prayer becomes another cleansing. Every act of forgiveness becomes another step toward freedom. Every moment spent in God’s presence becomes part of the healing process.

The Lord Himself declares, “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds” (Jeremiah 30:17). Notice that He does not merely promise relief. He promises restoration. God is not in the business of simply helping us survive. He desires to restore what was broken, rebuild what was damaged, and renew what was lost.

Today, when I look at the scar on my leg, I do not remember the pain as much as I remember God’s faithfulness. The scar has become a testimony. It reminds me that what looked impossible was not impossible for God. It reminds me that healing came. It reminds me that God was present through every dressing of the wound, every visit from the nurse, every concern from my family, and every moment when I wondered whether things would ever get better.

Perhaps you carry scars too. Let them remind you not of your pain, but of God’s faithfulness. Let them remind you that the same God who healed yesterday still heals today. The same God who restored David, comforted Jeremiah, strengthened Job, and raised Christ from the dead is still at work in your life.

There is still a Balm in Gilead. There is still a Great Physician. There is still healing for wounded hearts. There is still hope for the discouraged. There is still grace for the guilty. There is still comfort for the grieving. There is still freedom for those bound by bitterness. And there is still power in the name of Jesus Christ to make all things new.

Therefore, do not leave, this page today carrying what God is asking you to surrender. Bring your wound to Him. Bring your burden to Him. Bring your grief to Him. Bring your hurt to Him. For the Balm of Gilead is not merely a place, not merely an ointment, but a Savior whose healing touch reaches where no one else can reach and restores what no one else can restore.

The Balm of Gilead, is outstreched towards you! Receive your Healing!!