As a war soldier, my belief in God gave me the faith needed to believe that whatever trauma I experienced, the lord was there to help guide and protect me. A traumatic experience is something beyond our normal ability to handle. It can be a death, an accident, physical abuse, neglect or something else. Medical research shows that traumatic experiences can literally rewire the brain and traumatic events can affect core beliefs if you allow them.
However, we don’t have to allow traumatic experiences to destroy our happiness. There are ways to cope and heal. Many people struggle with the effects of trauma on a daily basis. Their battleground is in their mind. For some, the result is tension and stress. For others, trauma creates wounds that linger for years, or even decades.
The Bible acknowledges that there is an inner conflict in each one of us. The apostle Paul described his own personal struggle with his thoughts and emotions when he said, “When I wish to do good, evil is always present.” Our minds can play tricks on us, making us believe that we will never be able to move forward. We get stuck in a negative thought spiral, unable to change harmful thinking patterns.
No one promised us that life would be easy, and changing our behavior and way of thinking is challenging. It can be difficult to move on from trauma, but with time, support and effort, healing is possible. If we allow God to direct us, he will be the change agent that we need for a better life.
The Psalmist assures that God will protect us and said, “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 the arrow that flies by day nor the pestilence that walk in the darkness, nor the destruction that lays waste at noonday.”
Author Dr. Matthew Stanford wrote that there are five key truths that the Bible teaches us about trauma and suffering. He said, “God is present and in control of our suffering. In times of great suffering and pain, we often feel the farthest from God.” However, God is always with us and is there to help guide us through our experiences while remaining fully in control of all things. God is in control of our circumstances, and he wants to transform us into the very thing that he has created us for which is caring for each other with kindness and love. So Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Dr. Walter Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
