You are More…
Have you ever been diagnosed with something? I am not merely talking about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I am simply asking about any diagnosis from the common cold, COVID, male-pattern baldness… any type of diagnosis? Sure! All of us have been told we have something.
How did it impact you? Did you claim it as an identity for yourself? We are big in this day and age on labels, and identity, and perhaps this should be concerning? We take on labels, and wear those labels as an identifier, a marker of who we are, and maybe this is a reason for our confused identity, our mislabeled mentalities, and our inabilities to walk free of those claims on us?
The identity or label of PTSD, or as some are advocating for the terminology of Post Traumatic Stress Injury, which may take away from the stigmatization of the injury to the person and may help the impacted individual find recovery and hope in a manner they may not if they walk in the label of the Disorder part of the PTSD - often the identity which is found in such labels is harmful to people, “I have PTSD” is often equated to “I am PTSD” or “I am a result of the trauma, and this is my new identity” and this can be misleading at best, and harmful on many levels.
2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that we are a new creation in Christ, and that the old has gone away, and that we are new… Walk in this label!!
This writer does not confuse the actual impact of the trauma, and seek to minimize or push that impact to the side - however, this author does seek to set a record on the right frequency of “who are we"?” and seeks to describe a better and complete identity in Christ, through our relationship with Him - we can discern who we are, rather than what has happened to us.
Does this make sense? Are you tracking and picking up what I am putting down?
We will have many traumatic events happen to us over our lifetime. Some people will have more, whereas others will have fewer traumatic incidents, yet the fact remains - we will all experience some trauma. As a parent, I would spare my children from such events, and sadly I cannot always protect them from certain events, but what I can do is inform them of who they really are so they are not walking in a false identity of victim, or trauma - but rather that they recognize they are children of the Living God who died for them, and rose for them and is interceding for them, and one day will call them heavenward to be with Him eternally.
Once they realize who they really are, they are equipped to walk with clear vision and purpose when the hard stuff hits. How about you?
You see - this is not our home, we will tread many miles here, with pain, with joy, sadness, grief, humility, happiness, anger, loss… but we are not finally destined to stay here forever. We have a home in heaven, if we are seeking that place through Jesus, and Jesus alone (John 14:6).
Have you made a decision to walk with Jesus? Do you even know what that means? As we call on Him in faith, believing that what He did on the cross of Calvary approximately 1994 years ago, as He was executed for each person who would by faith believe in Him for eternal life - He promises we will live forever where there is no more pain, death, tears… (see Revelation 21). Have you made that call in your life? Once we breathe our final breath here on this side of heaven, the decision is made, we have no further opportunity to cry out to God to save us, that happens before we die.
If you have made this decision, then keep seeking the Lord, praising Him, living for Him. Trust in what He is doing. Even in the suffering and struggles you now face in whatever diagnosis you have been given. He is with you, and has already called you His own, so the labels this world give are not your true self.
You are a child of God. Trauma happens, grief and suffering accompany, and yet we can say with bold confidence that we are more than those labels - we are a son or daughter of God because that is what He says.
Trust this. You are more.
This is not my video. You have been given new life, you are more, than past mistakes, regrets, and pain. Trust the truth, even in the pain.