A Distress

One afternoon my sister fell down the cemented steps, gashing her head. Blood was everywhere and she needed stitches. Her reaction was with wailing, screaming tears and frantic gestures. We were little kids. I remember that she had to be rushed to the hospital, I didn’t go. When she came back she was more subdued and seemed ok.

We never talked about it after; only once or twice till this day we discussed it. Boo-boo’s were a way of life back then, and Mom and Dad discouraged some big display. Without consulting sis presently, it seemed she just moved on and maintained normal. The event didn’t damage sis internally, I don’t think, though she interpreted it fearfully in her soul for a few weeks I’m sure. According to my memory, she moved away from it in a week or two. I am certain that whatever body-soreness that was felt certainly lingered much longer in the physical, but this pain was eventually ignored for the sake of having fun; put-up-with for every kids’ purpose; loving life.

Disconnection quickly reconnected in this little girl who was desiring and loving wholeness. She was not aware of her fallen sin-nature yet, but perhaps questions entered. “Why?” “Was I being punished by God?”

Innate shame will bring a hesitation if allowed; maybe reflection hints at self-examination, maybe fear can try its best at gaining access. These didn’t stick in this case, but two or three cases down the road can trip the introspective switch. Then the damage begins.

With this little story, a “minor scuffle,” in comparison, J. Herman in “Trauma and Recovery says “the first principle of recovery is exhibited; the re-empowerment of the survivor.” The victim “must be the author and arbiter of her own recovery. Others may offer advice, support, assistance, affection, and care, but not cure.”  Vital to healing is the reappearance of decision making authority in the wounded one, in order to reestablish hope. Free volition is re-empowerment.

The Bible says a lot about the will or volition so called; and we can look at it from three sides – First, the unregenerate version, next, the saved version (active or passive) , and last, the “working out of one’s own salvation” for God’s “working in both to will and do of His good pleasure” sort, in Philippians 2:10.

From the beginning, the unredeemed (degenerate) variety of will over-exaggerates its function with a distorted observation of its power. This rogue-will runs at its own directive and acknowledges no other authority. Even if it wills to obey another, it still runs its own show, and opts out as it pleases. Regretfully, this version of willpower falls easily to an invisible kingdom of foul and fallen angels. They own the right to capture any self-willed person’s will. In these kinds, the capturing by the devil is unconscious, but their will is invisibly being guided by the whims of hell’s government.

Next, we have a will which has been released from the “prince of the power of the air” of Ephesians 2:2 by a changed mind at salvation. The dark ruler had energized this “child of disobedience” up until he obeyed and believed. This saint now has a liberty in The Holy Spirit with a positional freedom of will from the former bondage.

Lastly, we have a person operating with his will under the authority of God, who “worketh in him to will and do of His good pleasure.” This man is cooperating with God’s will in the dynamic of proving God’s will by willfully surrendering to it. He is essentially like Abraham, who left his home at God’s bidding with his volitional choice, however, “not knowing whither he went,” in Heb 11:8. This person has discovered the use of their will in the service of God’s will. He does it by faith.

So, the secular (unregenerate), version of recovery from trauma is merely one toward a worldly norm not possible to return a person to real trust, independence, initiative, competence, identity or intimacy. This return to natural “norm” may still be vital to any kind of rebound as a precursor to sane decision making. Next, some of these above mentioned goals of recovery my happen in whole or part to anybody, but vulnerability remains; the ground underneath is still shaky. The faculties may come back, but the foundation for “mental health” had always been a deceptive one.

A true recovery must have a renewed foundation, a solid one, an eternal one. A man or woman needs a new life, one born again from above. With this life is safety, advocacy, identity, love. With this life is One who holds our soul in life and loves us everlastingly.

The best empowerment is with the one who knows and exercises all that he or she has been given in their saving experience, and uses their will to affirm it in faith daily. This emancipation of experience is maintained in the empowering of the freed will inside the kingdom of God’s dear Son with daily renewing.

Finally, 2 Timothy 2:25-26 says “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” Friends lets go all the way to true healing and empowerment, reconnecting ourselves first and then others to themselves and still others perhaps for the first time in their life. Connect them to God, the Savior Christ and The Holy Spirit. This will give them abundant life.

To close, my sister recovered quickly per a flair for living. She now lives in a more enthused flair because of Christ. If we stay in the vision, the joy, the desire, and the love of God’s will, we will also recover quickly at failures and obstacles. We will suffer at events and hurts, but we will get back up, because we love Him and He loves us. Love ya