Jesus and Trauma

What a loving Father! He doesn’t leave us stranded to handle our anxieties alone. He is right there WITH us paying attention to every detail and he CAN be trusted with our deepest trauma!

Do you know someone who is just M-I-S-ER-E-B-E-L (yes, I know it’s spelled incorrectly! I pronounced it in patois, ha!) I mean, just rude and NASTY?!? Or do you know someone who struggles with being real with themselves and others? Welll, both of my hands are raised because…I was BOFFUM (both of them, excuse my Ebonics, lol). One might ask, “Chelece, why were you like that?!” Here’s my honest answer – I allowed my trauma to shape my interactions with myself and other people.

What is trauma? Trauma is an emotional response to a distressing event such as: any form of abuse, an accident, natural disaster, etc.

When we deal with others through the lens of our trauma it can affect our interpersonal relationships. Think about it, how many people have you ended relationships with because you believed they “weren’t good enough” for you… OR you believe you weren’t good enough for them?

Eeeeek, does that sound like you … again?!?!? No worries, I’m here with you I promise.

Now here’s the thing, there’s a lot of emphasis on the power of traumatic experiences which I agree with… but let’s switch it up a bit. Let’s emphasize the power of Jesus over our trauma. I know you’re probably reading this and asking, “Chelece, how is that even possible?”

Let’s look at 1 Peter 5:7(KJV): “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” “Casting” in this passage means to throw with force, (“like a football player throws down the ball after crossing into the end zone...that’s football, right?! Not much of a sports fan, but you get the point!”). “Care” means anxiety, the “eth” in careth means it’s continuous. Okay, so let’s break this down … THROW WITH FORCE ALL YOUR ANXIETY UPON HIM (THE LORD) FOR HE CONTINUOUSLY CARES FOR YOU.

What a loving Father! He doesn’t leave us stranded to handle our anxieties alone. He is right there WITH us paying attention to every detail and he CAN be trusted with our deepest trauma!

What kind of GOD is this? The kind of God who sits with us in the midst of our pain. The kind of God who gives us strength to heal past our experiences. The kind of God who can turn a traumatic memory into a testimony to set others free. The kind of God who provides for our mental and emotional needs. The kind of God who doesn’t demand performance over relationship. The kind of God who wants us to spend time with him. The kind of God who gives us answers to our questions. The kind of God who comforts us in our time of need. The kind of God who sits HIGH and looks low. The kind of God who covers us from the hand of death. The kind of God who keeps us when we don’t want to be kept. The kind of God who bottles up our tears in heaven and hears our cry. The kind of God who restores, the kind of God who redeems, the kind of God who delivers and sets us free!

Hey family, you have the power through Christ Jesus to defeat your trauma. Don’t let your trauma defeat you.

Talk to you soon,

C-A. Brown