Life can present us with challenges and decisions that are not easy to make on our own. We may pray about the situation and read God’s Word for guidance, but still feel confused and uncertain about the direction we are to take.

You will ask the question, “How long am I going to have to live with this pain?” How long before EVERYTHING doesn’t upset me?’

These are good questions, and there are, thankfully, answers. Here are some thoughts that may be helpful to you.

Trauma, which is any significant problem we are not equipped to handle, creates a ripple effect in our lives. Because these are not ‘every day problems,’ we don’t know how to handle them. They are sucker punches to the gut that leave us woozy, frightened, confused and struggling to catch our breath. It is very important to admit the power of trauma and to recognize those ‘triggers’ that remind of us of the horrific event or situation that still troubles us.

GIVE yourself time to cope with those triggers. Everyone must be patient as we process the trauma. We are attempting to ‘eat an elephant’ and this will not happen in one sitting. We wrestle with the nightmares, the flashbacks, the hyper-vigilance in fear of a recurring situation. We struggle to regain our footing and each ‘triggering event’ sets us temporarily back.

BE READY for these situations and a roller coaster of feelings as you start healing.

YOU NEED quality time to process the triggering event. Allow yourself the freedom and permission to feel the feelings you’re having, the grief you are experiencing and the deep, deep hurt and pain.

RECOGNIZE your feelings and give them a lot of ‘air time.’ Journal about them, pray through them, being honest about them. Tell yourself that you are ‘normal’ and that triggering events happen to everyone in one form or another.

INVITE God into your triggered feelings. Scripture assures us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

REMIND yourself that God will bring you through this, in his time, and there will be benefits to your suffering.

THANK GOD that you can grow and become a stronger person as a result of the trauma you are experiencing. This experience does not need to break you!

In these times it can be extremely helpful to seek the counsel of other wise and godly people.

Seeking wise counsel is a sign of maturity and humility. “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels,” (Proverbs 1:5).

~ Mary Lindow ^©

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” THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
Global Prayer Rooms

Mary Lindow has a passion for encouraging others in all generations and careers or vocations to live and express excellence through personal integrity, healthy accountability, and wise management of talents and skills. She is a sought after keynote inspirational and humorous speaker and teacher throughout the United States internationally in Ministers conferences, International Spiritual leaders Conferences, and in National and International training seminars for various organizations.