Trauma - Pt 2

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. (Psalm 103:8-9 ESV).

Yesterday I wrote that we would look at five specific principles that describe the gifts God gives to the traumatized. We must be honest about the evil that exists in our world. Then we can be honest with how we can speak of Christ without overpromising with well-wishes that may not come true in this life. Then we are able to understand trauma without excusing someone entirely for awful patterns of sinful and destructive behavior. It is only then that we can faithfully and lovingly speak theological truth about trauma. So, the first of these gifts is that God remembers evil. God remembers the evil that caused our traumas. He will not forget the life of our lost loved one, the transgression of our abuser, the brutal pain of violence, the shock and awe of loss, the aching regret over wounds for which we’re responsible. One day, he will bring all of it into the light with crystal clarity and perfect justice. Genuine trauma is done a disservice when the wound is hidden. Satan wants you to hide and deceive. God wants you to come to him with every honest, painful detail. Trauma is mitigated first of all by calling that which is evil “evil,” and that which is devastating “trauma.” Its effects are only able to be survived and minimized when the whole tragedy has first come into view. The past will not be whitewashed for the sake of protecting the privileged. The men or women, the kings, the powerful, the institutional leaders, all those who abused power for their own personal gain, all evil acts will be properly labeled as evil, and remembered as the perpetuation of trauma. In being honest about our pain we are able to draw from the strength and purpose of God. While it often appears that God has merely wound this world and all the people in it allowing them to wander through life with all of its pain and trauma, this is simply not true, God has been very intentional in the ordination of our individual journey. Every pleasure, every painful experience, all of those things that a simply “in-between” have been designed to produce good (cf. Romans 8:28). He does not forget about the evil done to us nor experienced by us. He uses all of it for our good. And, further, if action is necessary to exact justice on our behalf that too will be done. Read the end of the book. We know how this story ends! God has not forgotten one tear!