Help for recovering from traumatic suffering

Traumatic suffering usually causes a kind of tunnel vision that magnifies the trauma and keeps from revealing the path to recovery. But there is a way through the peace of God from the God of peace. He has gone through this traumatic path before you, so he can lead the way for you.

These thoughts and verses were compiled over a lifetime of living, studying, and ministering through many happy, sad, and traumatic circumstances. But they will be useless if you just scan them for 5 minutes and forget them. Print them out. Read the context. Meditate on them. Let them wash over you.

The Prince of Peace offers the peace of God for your traumatic suffering

When Hagar suffered traumatic circumstances, the angel of the Lord told her God sees, God hears, and God helps.

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi [well of the Living One who sees me] it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. (Genesis 16:13-14 NIV)

God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” (Genesis 21:17-18 NIV)

Jesus Christ promised peace during traumatic storms. Remember when he quieted the waters. He can calm the traumatic storms in your life.

He awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:39-40 WEB)

Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. (John 14:27 WEB)

I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 WEB)

Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering works perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:1-5 WEB)

Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, take pleasure in Him]; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours]. (Philippians 4:4-7 AMP)

The God of peace may not change your traumatic circumstance, but he can help you bear it

When Elijah was overcome by fear and fled for his life for 40 days into the wilderness to die, God followed him and spoke with him. (1 Kings 19). God touched him in a personal way and gave him the strength to continue his mission.  God also revealed some of his plans to encourage him. He can do the same thing for you. What will be your anointing? Who will be your Jehu? Who will be your Elisha?

The LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram. You shall also anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. And it shall come about that the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:15-18 NAS)

…let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think… (Romans 12:2 NLT)

Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. (Ephesians 4:23 NLT)

Jesus Christ has experienced the same traumatic circumstances as everyone. He has been hungry, tired, lonely, homeless, sad, discouraged, depressed, bereaved, betrayed, mistreated, imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and suffered the agony of being unfairly crucified for crimes he didn’t commit. And then he suffered for our sins in sheol. But he has been victorious over death; therefore, he knows how to comfort you in your trial.

Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession. For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need. (Hebrews 5:14-16 WEB)

No temptation [and calamity, affliction, or trauma] has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful [and worthy of trust, which can be relied on], who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13 WEB)

God’s plans for your life are better than our own plans, so get up and go back to work

Why should you trust me? I am an old man who has been married more than half my life. My wife and I have children and grandchildren. We have been through several traumatic circumstances ourselves. And we have over a hundred years of combined experience counseling hundreds of others through many kinds of trauma. But if you hear me and forget what I say, you have lost nothing.

Why should you trust God? Seriously!? Sometimes I wish God would roll back the clouds and lean down and thump people on the head. If you hear God and forget him, you will have lost everything.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace [shalom, which conveys harmony, security, prosperity, blessing, and joy], and not of evil [ra’, bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, and misery], to give you a future [acharith, a happy close of life, suggesting sometimes the idea of a posterity, promised to the righteous] and a hope [tiqvah, expectation of deliverance]. (Jeremiah 29:11 JPS Tanakh 1917)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer. Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7 WEB)

You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ (Acts 20:35b WEB)

Throughout the years, we have seen that everyone processes grief differently. There is no schedule. There is no “right.” There is no “wrong.” But eventually, everyone must get up and dust themselves off and get back in the saddle. God has a purpose for you. God has a future for you. And the sooner you get back to exercising your gifts and working with God, the sooner you will find a renewed hope.

Now [trustworthy] faith is the substance [guaranteed confidence and absolute assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence [and proof of reality] of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)