Emotional healing is very important in our Christian life.

Christ paid the price for us to be healed totally -- spiritually, physically, and emotionally (see Isaiah 53:4-6). It's necessary we get healed in these areas so that we could be able to live our lives freely in Christ to the glory of the Father.

There are times, however, when something hinders our emotional healing. Something stops us from receiving our healing for our many heart issues.

In this article we're going to take a look at some stumbling blocks that hinder our emotional healing, and then we'll talk about how we can do away with them in order to be healed.

Stumbling blocks to healing

1) Pride

Pride, defined by Webster's 1828 dictionary as "an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority," effectively blocks the path to emotional healing. And why is that?

It's because pride will never admit that it is hurt, at fault, needs help, and desires healing.

Proud people will never see their wounds the right way. They will think of themselves highly and try to hide their weaknesses. They think they are strong when, in fact, they are weak and vulnerable to hurts too.

When we try to mask our hurts and wounds with an image of strength and steadfastness, we exhibit pride. This prevents healing from coming to us Proverbs 26:12 tells us of proud people,

"Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

We've got to humble ourselves. If we want God to heal us, we need to humble ourselves before Him. Psalm 138:6 tells us,

"Though the Lord is on high, yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar."

2) Unforgiveness

Unforgiveness will always result in bitterness. The longer we take before forgiving an offender, the more chances we will develop bitterness in our hearts.

And when bitterness takes root, we become poisonous -- we will pass our hurt and offense to others.

Friends, we've got to forgive our offenders. If we want to be free from the prison of bitterness and grudges, we've got to use the key called forgiveness to open the doors and freely go out.

We must pursue peace and forgive others, "lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled" (see Hebrews 12:14-15).

3) Refusing to admit sin

Did you know that when sin is hidden, it festers? When we refuse to confess and repent of our sin, we actually refuse forgiveness and healing. Psalm 66:18 tells us,

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.

1 John 1:8-10 also tells us,

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."

Our emotional healing depends on how we allow God to heal us. It's really simple: if we cherish our sin (unforgiveness and bitterness are sins, too), we refuse God's forgiveness.

We need to confess our sins, including our anger, bitterness, disappointments, and other hidden hurts inside of us. When we do, especially to God and a mature Christian, we can receive the healing that we need:

"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16)