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| Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay |
God can redeem the bad with good.
We often try to soothe and comfort the pain in
others by emphasizing the positive without acknowledging the pain.
It is unreasonable to think if we have enough faith, we will
never experience pain or anguish. The same with spewing some platitudes and
expecting the sufferer to suddenly be healed.
I’ve recovered from much of the pain my ex inflicted, except
for one. Fear of being too exposed. It’s a form of PTSD. I’ve been conditioned
to avoid pain, by hiding, staying quiet, becoming invisible.
It’s a subconscious reaction. I prefer to sit in the back,
never in the open. I’m uncomfortable standing in front of a crowd. In a
restaurant, unless I’m with others I trust, I want the back booth and sit
facing the door. I don’t like large or small spaces. The former is too exposed,
the latter is claustrophobic, and I can’t breathe. Every room I enter, I note
the exits and form escape routes.
The usual cliches did nothing to eliminate my distress. My faith kept me from
despair and gave me the strength to seek help. Professional counseling and the
support of family and friends, along with God’s compassion and encouragement,
got me through those dark times and help me handle the occasional flash backs.
Because of my experiences, I steer away from trying to point
out all the positives about their situation. There will be time for that, but
not at first. They need understanding and compassion, acknowledgement and validation of their pain. I do remind them they’ll
never be alone in their suffering. That truth has become clichéd, but it’s true.
God will be with them in some way, through the kind gesture of a friend, prayers from strangers, a comforting scripture passage, maybe even a miracle — like the
repentance of the wrongdoer. But if not, God will help them find healing. I don’t
just believe this. I’ve lived it.
Thank you, Lord, for loving me, encouraging me, and understanding
my struggle. I pray for those in similar circumstances. Give them Your strength.
Encourage them to seek help. Comfort them. Amen.
This makes total sense. As for the door/exit thing, I do that when I'm around a certain type of person, but usually I'm okay. Thank you for sharing your experience.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and commenting, Priscilla. God Bless you!
DeleteI have had several people tell me, I'm not using my Faith bc I'm still mourning my husband. Grief comes in all shapes and sizes. I will always mourn for Charlie, my faith has nothing to do with it. God is guiding my through each day. Some days are a struggle and others I make it through without incident.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. Just because you hurt and grieve does not mean you lack faith. I went through that too. One woman actually told me I wasn't the only one to lose a spouse and I should just get over it. They certainly don't understand the pain is real. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. He wept in Gethsemane. He had more faith than we'll ever have, and he certainly felt pain. Keep breathing, take one step at a time. God bless and keep you, always.
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