Bible/Advice/Resources
By Summer Lane
Photo: Deposit
Sometimes, symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can surface suddenly, many years after a traumatic event, says Curtis Solomon, the Executive Director of the Sentinel Institute and the Biblical Counseling Coalition.
Curtis recently the Counter Culture Mom Show’s Tina Griffin that this often stems from years and years of burying trauma. And then, suddenly, in quiet moments – often, during retirement years, for example – it will rear its ugly head.
Trauma is a worthwhile topic for this week. The nation was traumatized collectively when gruesome video footage emerged of Turning Point USA President Charlie Kirk – also a strong Christian man of faith – being assassinated. It was a graphic image, and many people online have complained about the negative impact it had on their psyche for days after.
It’s a stark reminder that those who work in violent jobs like law enforcement or the military often have to deal with scary and bloody trauma on a daily basis. And, when they are caught in moments of stillness or quiet, sometimes, those bad memories can resurface and manifest with both physical and mental symptoms.
In Curtis’s interview with Tina Griffin, he points out something profound: Jesus Christ experienced the worst trauma anyone can ever experience. In His death on the Christ, God’s wrath was poured out upon Him, and that is a kind of pain and horror that no one can possibly comprehend. What’s more, Jesus, although fully God, was also fully HUMAN while on Earth. He experienced discomfort and all of the other human emotions and temptations. He alone remained sinless.
But His humanity – equally measured against his Godhood – is good news for us: Jesus truly understands our pain and our trauma. We can bring Him our pain and our problems and our fears. Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” This is a lovely promise of the healing power of the Lord.
While everyone’s situation is different, one thing is clear: incorporating the Gospel and the love of Christ into your life will set you on a path toward spiritual restoration.
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I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:12-13
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Curtis Solomon discusses WHY PTSD can pop up SUDDENLY years after a traumatic event:
PTSD can often surface decades after a traumatic event, which begs the question: why? Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sentinel Institute, Curtis Solomon, says it’s because people tend to bury trauma, and that trauma often rears its head in the silence of retirement or a break from work. Curtis is the executive director of the Biblical Counseling Coalition and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He’s seen plenty of PTSD in America’s warriors, and he has studied this particular disorder from a Biblical perspective for years. What are some examples of extreme trauma? Are we being exposed to trauma at higher rates than ever before because of our exposure to social media? Curtis defines the disorienting impact that trauma can have, and how it can radically upend every belief anyone has had previously.
Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of 30 books, including the hit Collapse Series and Resurrection Series. She is an experienced journalist and editor who is covering the White House and Trump administration. She owns Write Revolution News.
Summer is also a mom and wife who enjoys rural country living, herding cats, and gardening. She is passionate about writing on women’s issues, parenting, and politics from a theologically-grounded perspective that points readers to the good news of the gospel.
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