…he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” — Genesis 3:15b (NIV)

Recently I did something for the first time in over five years ~ I jogged. This may not sound like much for many of you, but trust me when I say this was BIG for me. Because in June of 2018 I fell and crushed my heel (you can read about it here).

Unless you have personal experience with this type of injury, you may not realize how debilitating it can be. The severity of my injury caused me to believe I would never jog or run again. In all fairness, to some people my jog may look more like a very fast walk. But I rejoice in the victory all the same.

I’ve lived in the aftermath of this injury for years, but only recently realized the Bible actually mentions a heel injury. And it’s nestled in a very important and familiar passage. 

In Genesis 3 we see the story of Adam and Eve unfold. Created by God and living in the Garden of Eden, they had only one commandment to obey. They could eat from any tree except the one in the middle of the garden (Genesis 3:2-3). Satan, disguised as a serpent, deceived Eve and incited her to eat from that tree. After she ate, she gave some of the fruit to Adam to eat (Genesis 3:4-7). 

God explained the consequences of their disobedience (Genesis 3:8-19). In His words to the serpent, we see the mention of a heel injury:

And I will put enmity
     between you [the serpent] and the woman,
     and between your offspring and hers;
he [offspring of woman] will crush your head,
     and you [serpent] will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 NIV emphasis mine)

In this verse we see two prophecies about Jesus. First, Jesus, as the son of the woman, will crush Satan’s head. Second, Satan will strike Jesus’ heel. At the crucifixion we see Satan strike Jesus. But by defeating both sin and death on the cross, Jesus crushed Satan’s head.

The enmity between Satan and the offspring of the woman continues to this day. And as her offspring, we feel his attacks. The very worst Satan can do to us is what he did to Jesus ~ strike our heel. Here are some things I’ve learned from my experience with a crushed heel:

The pain is intense. Physical pain accompanied me from the point of the initial accident to every step of the recovery process. But the emotional pain took its toll as well. I had moments of doubting I’d ever walk again, which led me into a deeper depression than I’d ever known (you can read about it here). And on the heels of those doubts, spiritual pain manifested as I began to question the goodness of God or His love for me. 

The recovery is long. After my accident, I could not put weight on my foot for twelve weeks. My knee scooter became my best friend. Then began the slow, agonizing process of learning to walk again (you can read about it here). I began with a walker, graduated to a cane, and eventually began walking ~ but with a limp. It took several months to lose the limp, and years before I could jog. 

 The effects are life-changing. I’ve made remarkable progress, but I still have limitations. Standing for any length of time is still hard. Stairs (especially those without bannisters) challenge me. At the end of active days, my heel swells and becomes stiff. Doctors have warned me I may get arthritis in my heel which will necessitate another surgery. 

There’s no denying it. Heel injuries are hard. Heel strikes happen everywhere and to everyone. I don’t know what form your heel strike may take. It could be something personal like an injury, illness, or loss of relationship. Or it could be the pain we feel from something more global, like injustice or human suffering. But here’s the good news:

Heel injuries are not fatal. On the cross, Jesus suffered the ultimate consequence for us. Because of what I experienced, I will never sugarcoat the effects of heel strikes. But it encourages me to know they are survivable.

Because of Jesus, we may be knocked down, but never knocked out.

Lord, You warned us that we will have trouble in this world. But we know You have overcome the world. Help us take heart when we feel Satan strike our heels, for we are confident that, because of Your grace, we will be victorious. In Jesus’ name, Amen.