Time Doesn’t Heal—The Holy Spirit Does

When bitterness lingers, time won’t heal it—only the Holy Spirit can.

“Time heals all wounds.”

Nope.

It doesn’t.

That’s one of those half-truths we cling to because it feels comforting. We say it at funerals, during heartbreak, or when life hits hard—hoping that if we just wait long enough, the ache will fade. But the truth is, time doesn’t heal. It only covers. And what’s covered isn’t healed—it’s buried.

I believed that lie for most of my life. I thought if I ignored the hurt long enough, eventually I’d wake up one day and it wouldn’t hurt anymore. But pain doesn’t dissolve with time. It festers without forgiveness. It hardens without grace. And it poisons without the healing power of the Holy Spirit.

Only the Holy Spirit can touch the places in us that time can’t reach. He’s the One who exposes bitterness, softens pride, and mends what was shattered. Forgiveness isn’t pretending it didn’t hurt—it’s choosing to let the Spirit release you from the weight of it.

I’ve watched what happens when bitterness takes root. It doesn’t just harm the one who’s hurt—it spreads. It corrodes families, friendships, faith. I’ve seen it destroy someone I love. And the tragic part is, they thought holding onto it gave them power. But it only made the wound deeper and the heart colder.

Bitterness is a slow death.Forgiveness is resurrection.

Healing doesn’t come with distance—it comes with surrender. And that’s what the Holy Spirit offers: not the passing of time, but the renewing of the soul.

So if you’re waiting for time to heal you, stop waiting and start inviting. Invite the Spirit into the wound. Let Him do what time never could.