There will always be parts of our lives we’d rather forget – those moments when something traumatic happens to us, or those times when we’ve done something that may have ruined the life of someone else, perhaps permanently.
Those moments define us, and they can be moments we’d rather not ever have to remember.
But, having undergone a 15 month of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - for childhood trauma - I find it fascinating that the way to help someone process that trauma is to enable them to relive that trauma, and yet remain in control of that memory they are reliving. That control was lacking, hence the therapy approach.
Those 15 months were incredibly exhausting, but that process of remembering – in a safe environment – meant I could finally move on something I had had no choice over suffering.
Remembering the pain was a literal part of my healing!
When our daughter died, aged just 10 weeks, it was a time that truly took our breath away as we sought to process what was happening - that we could not control. And, yet, it was also the birth of our determination to seize every moment and live life to the full to the very extent of our abilities. That led to a journey I wouldn’t wish to have missed, as much as I still miss our precious daughter - Magdi. God redeemed that pain into something truly wonderful.
We forget the past at our peril
Sometimes remembering can be painful, but blocking or attempting to delete the past actually removes parts of our past from us, and our we are the products of our past. We don’t have to relive those traumatic moments with a smile! But, they made us who we are today.
If you have some past pain that you can not process, talk to Jesus about it. He endured a trauma we will never have to match or meet or face, and all because He loves us and wanted to give us the option of Heaven as our final destination.
And, that is something worth remembering
Just a thought…
Andy B
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