Mindful of where we are, because of who He is.
What is meant by this expression of being mindful of where we are?
Posttraumatic stress disorder has been classified as a mental health condition through the DSM-5 and other diagnostic assessments and tools within the clinical realm. Although this author disputes this assessment on some levels, and seeks an understanding of the spiritual aspect of healing into the whole person, it is important to recognize the trauma, the responses, and the symptoms in order to effectively employ a healing methodology to the whole person.
People are living in the past, where the traumatic episode or continuous trauma happened, but they are reliving it as if it were the first time, at that moment when the traumatic episode happened, and every moment after, where they re-experience the memories in such an intrusive manner. It is a devastating and painful intruder, but hope, encouragement, and healing are possible.
Listen to these words found in Isaiah, “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19 [NKJV]).
The context of these verses is in God expressing to Isaiah to forget the things in or of the past, and look to the future God is preparing. God will make a way where there appears to be no way – God can do abundantly beyond what we think or even ask. God can make a river in the desert; He can make you whole from your trauma. He can use you in bringing hope to others.
Question for you, “Do you believe this?” Is God able to make a way in your life, through your traumatic experiences and exposure? We need to be mindful of where we are in our journey, which is immersed in a deep understanding of who He is, and how He is more than able to help us take firm roots in His love and grace, we can be firmly grounded in this truth.
Jeremiah says this, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8 [NKJV]).
We must understand this truth, how God wants us to trust Him, not the past, how He says in the Bible that the man who trusts in the Lord is like a tree planted (grounded, and firmly rooted) by the waters (nourished from the presence of the Living God), and has roots spread out, not fearing, not anxious. How truly wonderful this sounds!
If we walk in the past:
1. We are not mindful of where we are in the present.
2. We are not aware of who the Lord is in our midst as our healer and comforter.
3. We are not able to fully trust in Him as we relive the past, but we must be mindful of where we are, and of who He is.
Who is He?
· He is our hope
· He is our healer
· He is our help
· He is our comfort
· He is our shield
· He is our God
· He is our everything
“Set your minds on things above, not on things of the earth” (Colossians 3:2 [NKJV]). We must learn to live in the present as we also look ahead to the future. If we continue living in the past, we cannot see the hope of the future, we find ourselves in the past trauma and hurt.
I desperately understand how this sounds not only difficult, but impossible. You are right, it is impossible. What is impossible for man is not impossible for God, what I cannot heal, God can restore and redeem, what I can’t understand, God shows His understanding, what I cannot make sense of – He says trust me and not the world.
Healing is possible my friends, be mindful of where you are in Christ, in the presence, in the hope of glory coming. PTSD can have a voice in healing and hope, not merely pain and trauma.
Helen Keller is quoted as saying, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”
Listen to these words, “Since illness is a result of the fall, not simply of the natural constitution of things, it cannot be combated solely by natural means.” [1] The world would suggest pharmaceutical measures, which have there place, yet we (again) must understand and remember where we are, and learn to be grounded in the deep roots of the present and escape the past which Jesus died on the cross to set you free from.
Luoma, RN, MDIV, continues his discussions, “Being of spiritual origin, it must be combated in the same way that the rest of the effects of the fall are combated: by spiritual means, and specifically by Christ’s work of atonement. Intended to counter the effects of the fall, his death covers not only guilt for sin but sickness as well. Healing of the body is therefore part of our great redemption right.”[2]
Wow, a lot to take in right? Remember to be present, remember to be mindful of where you are, because of who He is. You are living in the present and triumph is available to you through the presence of the Lord.
As we learn to live in the present, refocusing our attentions in the now, mindful of where we are, and who He is, let me offer this in closing:
“Perhaps most important in ameliorating VT (vicarious trauma) responses, especially despair and hopelessness, is the development of a spiritual life. Given the posited central role of spirituality, or meaning systems, to trauma, of courses, it is essential to attend to the development of whatever is self-nourishing.”[3]
Although the disagreement is obvious with the thought of attending to whatever is self-nourishing, which is selfish and not conducive to true healing, it is agreed upon how a spiritual approach must take place to help heal trauma.
The evidence-based text on complex trauma provides three pages toward the considerations of healing trauma to the practice or thought of a spiritual role. The authors there do not provide the only Truth found in Jesus as the hope for healing, yet they offer traditional religions, or other spiritualisms for contemplation.
In closing on this blog, read it again, pray on the truth within it, leave a comment, find peace and restoration in Jesus. If you are not sure of who He is, ask and be in prayer since He is not hiding Himself, but wants you to find Him and rest in the present because of what He already did in the past on the cross. He came to set you free.
We will look into self-care as a mechanism for healing as we move forward.
I trust today you were blessed, as you think about being mindful of where we are, because of who He is. We are in the present triumph through Jesus. Let me know how I can help and be in prayer for you today.
[1] Luoma, James, Biblical Practices of Healing, A Resource for Chaplains and Health Care Providers (USA, Tate Publishing, 2013). 17.
[2] Ibid, citing from A. B. Simpson, 17.
[3] Courtois, Christine, A., and Ford, Julian, D., Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders, An Evidence-Based Guide (New York, The Guilford Press, 2009). 214.