I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. - Psalm 34:4
Pick up any newspaper or turn to any news channel and you’ll probably find some mention of the ongoing suffering of people who are exposed to some form of trauma in their lives. You may even know someone who is suffering. Whether it is our noble and patriotic soldiers coming home from war or victims of violent crime, these suffering souls need reassurance, intestinal fortitude, and peace in their lives. They survived a trauma which has thrown a deep dark shadow over their lives, and they still need help from those around them and those charged with their healing. Though there is help and counseling for these victims of trauma, more often than not, they need more. They need the help that springs eternal: the assurance of God Almighty. “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” - 2 Timothy 1:7.
God has promised that those of us who trust in Him will not trust in vain. It takes truth, commitment, and faith in Him, without which we are boats without rudders, and the first strong wind we encounter will send us into a hazardous port. Alcoholism and drug addiction greedily await hungry souls looking for relief, looking for a place to rest their weary hearts. But God has a better plan. “For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.”- Psalm 91:3-6.
How does a soul that has experienced the saving grace of God then react to the pressure and insecurity of PTSD? They fall back on the hope He has surely provided for them. They hope in God, not in man, as man has too often been the source of their trauma. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” - Lamentations 3:21-24.
God’s position is apparent, as it has been since the dawn of time. It has never and will never change. That is why the suffering can rely on the truth of His promises. Those who ignore Him and avoid Him have carved out a grave of their own making, but the ones who listen to God find relief and security in His Words. “For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” - Proverbs 1:32-33.
We know what God has given us; how He will deliver us; what hope will provide for us; and where our security lies. But how can one access our great and loving God’s strength in the face of trauma? We are called to pray. Our prayers and supplications to God must start from a baseline of reasonable faith. And from there, the flower of God’s peace will bloom for us. “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7.
The road to peace from the trauma of PTSD is not an easy journey. It is often wrought with setbacks, stumbles, and falls, but God is here for them and for their families, especially in their times of need. God never abandons the faithful, never! “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” - Psalm 34:18-19.
Let us surrender all our pains and insecurities to God Almighty, as ultimately, He is the source of our renewal of mind, body, and soul. He is the source of our healing.“O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” - Psalm 30:2.
We must seek the Lord and He will both answer us and deliver us from all our fears, doubts, and worries. He has promised to do so.
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