Present in His presence.

On July 13, 2021, I offered a definition for PTSD called, Present Triumph Spirit Directed. This was part 1 of the blog PTSD Not What You Think. I would like to offer further clarification into this characterization and make a distinction between a clinical realm, and a spiritual domain.

In Ephesians 6:12 these words are spoken; “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (NKJV).

What is meant by this? The Greek rendering for wrestle means conflict or a fight, and the spiritual hosts refers to the realm of spirit, the invisible sphere in which the Holy Spirit imparts faith, or reveals Christ. In essence, our battle is a spiritual battlefield, not only an earthly struggle. We see things here, such as trauma and other crises, in this physical body and yet these difficulties are most-often met with a clinical approach to the trauma. Rarely is a spiritual consideration offered for hope.

If we recognize how we are created and formed by the invisible God, the Maker of heaven and earth, all things that are seen and unseen, we must understand that He formed us before we were yet made (See Psalm 139). We can be in the present, in His presence, and leave the past.

I am not discounting the alteration to the brain after trauma, there are three areas potentially impacted from the amygdala, hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex. I wanted to clarify this, but also offer the hope from the Lord for a healing.

According to a study, “PTSD is characterized by specific symptoms, including intrusive thoughts, hyperarousal, flashbacks, nightmares, and sleep disturbances, changes in memory and concentration, and startle responses.”[1] The authors continue, “Stress results in acute and chronic changes in neurochemical systems and specific brain regions, which result in long term changes in brain “circuits,” involved in the stress response.”[2]

Clinical research has shown the change in the brain resulting from stress responses to the trauma. This is understood. However, the understanding must become broader to represent the full spectrum of impact to the person, from the influence to the brain activity, the neurochemistry, the emotions, the physical, and most importantly, as I argue, the impact to the spiritual self.

As I continue to make a case for the whole-person approach, listen to these words, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 [NKJV]). From this closing, Paul offers a blessing to the Thessalonians, and a hope for today’s audience as well. We are not a body with a spirit, we are a spirit with a body, as my dear friend Dana used to remind people. PTSD and other trauma-related injuries must be viewed in the present, with the whole person in mind, and with the determination to help bring healing into the wounded soul as well as the mental-health aspects.

Can we walk in the Present? Can we have Triumph? These are two-critical areas which must be considered.

PRESENT:

Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda says this, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift…that’s why they call it the present” (Kung Fu Panda, 2008). Interesting thought? We cannot live in the tragedy of the past – did the past happen? Was the event that caused trauma-influenced crisis painful? The answer to those questions is, “YES,” and “YES.”

Part of PTSD in the clinical understanding, and in the reality of the disturbances is the fear of safety. The individual struggles with intrusive thoughts of the past event, which may be especially true and valid for the combat veteran, the law enforcement officer, the correctional officer (and equally true for Physicians, Pastors, and other individuals out there). Those intrusive thoughts bring the individual back into the past, back into the unsafe situation, and the brain struggles to let the person know that they are safe, they are in the present, they are not in the dangerous position they were in before.

The first part of the new definition for PTSD is PRESENT.

1.      I am safe in the PRESENT.

a.      I am in the here and now. I am safe. The past can come back into the present, but it is not the present.

There are therapeutic measures which touch on this truth with the individual. One of the biggest considerations is being in the PRESENT, and also to be present with the individual if you are a caregiver, a friend, a co-worker, or someone who cares.

Part of the model for this can be found in “Seeking Spiritual Support” model. Harris et al. (2008) identified two distinct religious responses to trauma, and one will be offered here for further understanding, “One type of response, called “Seeking Spiritual Support” was associated with higher levels of posttraumatic growth. Seeking spiritual support was characterized by the effective religious coping strategies noted above, as well as engaging in prayer to stay calm, to accept the situation, and to ask for help with coping tasks.”[3]

What Harris et al. describe in the strategies as noted above are findings from Pargament et al. are found in these words, “These effective religious coping practices include viewing the Deity as benevolent, collaborating with the Deity in problem solving, seeking spiritual support, providing spiritual support to others, attempting to stay true to one’s faith, seeking new spiritual direction, practicing forgiveness, and trying to develop a stronger relationship with the Divine.”[4]

For the purposes of this discussion, the truth behind the expression of ‘Deity’ can only be found in the One true and living God. The triune God found in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is within this framework where healing can be experienced.

As part of being present, it is essential to lean into the ever-present God. Part of His nature and character is His omni-presence. This word omni is Latin and means “all.” God is all, or always present. Since we have an all-the-time present God, we can walk in the present with Him in all our needs and He walks with us.

How do we learn to be PRESENT?

1.      Mindfulness of who He is.

2.      Mindful of where we are (grounding work).

3.      Prayer to the One who hears.

4.      Having others help carry the burdens,

5.      Awareness of the surroundings.

6.      Staying true to the faith:

a.      Knowing who He is, Knowing He is faithful, Knowing He is a healer and comforter.

b.      Stay true to Him, stay close to Him, Stay tuned in with Him.

These areas will be further explored in more depth in the next few blogs. Please continue the healing journey. If you have thoughts or questions, leave a comment.

Be blessed in the journey.

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Thank you always,

Blessings to you

Kevan

[1] Dialogues in Clinical  Neuroscience. 2006 Dec; 8(4): 445–461. Accessed July 20, 2021. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2006.8.4/jbremner.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Grant H. Brenner, Daniel H. Bush, and Joshua Moses, Creating Spiritual and Psychological Resilience, Integrating Care in Disaster Relief Work (New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, 2010), 85

[4] Ibid., 85.