Dwelling in the secret place
There are many therapeutic interventions that help those who suffer with PTSD. There are traditional and conventional ways by which people go about treatment, and then there is the supernatural manner by which God can enter into our suffering and intrusive thoughts to provide a peace and hope that no medical approach can grasp or come near.
I have PTSD, I have invasive thoughts and have struggled with these things for a time now, and yet the only comfort I have received is knowing that my temporary and light afflictions are working an eternal and weighty glory (see 2 Corinthians 4:17) as I seek the Giver and the Healer - not the healing. Do I want the angry emotions to go away, the intrusive nature of the traumatic past to disappear? I absolutely do, and yet I have to recognize that through these things, I can bring a glory to the Lord that I might not be able to do if He would remove them. I don’t know if that makes sense?
God is the giver of all good things, sometimes His thoughts are not my thoughts, well - okay, His thoughts are probably never my thoughts, and His ways are certainly not my ways (see Isaiah 55:8-9). God knows what is needed in our lives to draw us close to Him, He also knows that this is a broken world as a result of the sin of the first Adam, and Eve. Yet the Second Adam - Jesus Christ has come to do away with eternal death and bring us into right relationship with Him.
I don’t like having flashbacks, intrusive thoughts and the like, yet these things can cause me to cling tight to the cross of Christ. When I look at my circumstances apart from His finished work on the cross, I become afraid and desperate.
When Peter began to walk on the water toward Jesus, he observed the wind being very boisterous, and he became afraid - then he began to sink. I encourage you to look at and consider the account in Matthew 14:22-31, and think about this:
Peter was human, he was fragile, he was a disciple of the Lord, he was susceptible to hurt and hunger and so-forth. He trusted the Lord and still faltered. Jesus told Peter to “Come” and that is all He said. Essentially Jesus said, trust Me, don’t trust what you see, the things around you, Look at Me and I will get you home.
Peter, looked around at the waves, the impact of the wind in the midst of the contrary waters, and as he did this, he took his eyes off Jesus - the commander of the wind and waves.
Peter began to sink. It is when we grasp the truth here that we can confidently say - we have all taken our eyes off Jesus, perhaps some of you have never laid eyes on Jesus at all? When we look to the things around us, the trauma, the pain, and the residual influences of such things, we understand that taking our eyes of Jesus is dangerous. He alone is able to walk us safely through the storm. No matter what. Just don’t take your eyes off Him.
Although we all may experience many symptoms of past trauma, let’s allow the trauma to transform our thoughts as we subject them (our thoughts) to the Headship of Christ. He died on the cross for our sin and shame, and He also invites and commands us to cast all our anxieties or cares upon Him, because He cares for us. I will take you to that passage of Scripture here, now.
1 Peter 5:6-7 gives a proper order for a proper understanding of how we are to give those cares and anxious thoughts to the Lord:
Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God - step one is to humble ourselves in the sight and presence of the Almighty and sovereign God of the universes. If we are not humble, then our hearts are not in proper positioning before Him, and we need to get that right first - it is in and through the Person of Jesus that we have a right standing.
God will exalt us in due time - we (I) all want to be lifted up, lifted out of unpleasant situations and we want it right away. However - the LORD of all creation sees differently and knows what we need, and also what we want. He will take care of the need, in His timing and in His manner. I think that I don’t need to suffer, and yet that may be precisely what I need in order to draw closer and closer to the One who can bring freedom and healing. He never promised an easy life, in fact He said in this world you will have tribulations (John 16:33). He also said we could be of good cheer or courage since He has overcome the world (John 16:33).
God will lift us up in His timing, and then we can cast our cares on Him - because He cares for us. I know that He cares for me, and in this understanding, I can trust Him, I can submit to Him, I can humble myself before Him, and know without a doubt and without hesitation - that He will be faithful and lift me up in due time, His time, His season, and for His glory and my good.
He is amazing and extravagant. I trust this about Him, and know that when I have intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, nightmares or whatever - that I can submit to His authority and plan.
What about you? What or whom do you cling to for hope and healing? Is it Jesus? If not why? He has never let me down - people let us down, but Jesus never will. He wants that relationship with you for eternity if you will submit your entire life to Him. Romans 10:13 reminds us that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
We will all have suffering in this life, yet this life is not all there is. This life is fleeting, eternity is forever, and we all will spend it either in heaven or hell. What do you think? Are the light and momentary afflictions you are now enduring worth going through - knowing that you have an eternity in heaven if you call on the name of Jesus? If you are outside of that relationship, let me share this with you - hell is real, and eternal. The Bible says if you don’t have the Son (Jesus the Son of God and God) then you also don’t have the Father (God the Father). If you don’t have Jesus who is the only Way (John 14:6) then you have a fearful expectation of hell, where those intrusive thoughts will be the least of the concerns, torment will be day and night without hope for help. It is now my friends where the Redeemer is awaiting you to turn to Him in faith and trust. What is stopping you?
In Christ we have a secret place where our hope is secure, He is our strong tower and to all who turn and run to Him - they will be safe.
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely, He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday” (Psalm 91:1-6, NKJV).
He invites you even now to come lay down those heavy burdens of PTSD and other trauma-centered issues and take your rest in the arms of the Savior.
Here if you need me.