Transformed by Hope
We all have defense mechanisms that keep us from facing our fear and pain. Of course this is natural and in many respects necessary for us to make it through the day. For many of us the pain of trauma, rejection, abandonment or abuse in our early years left us defenseless and unprotected. For others it is the fear of being all alone, not being cared for, or betrayed. But the pain remains until we face it.
Early childhood wounds that have not been addressed through caring and discerning loved ones do not just vanish into some emotional black hole never to be felt again. God created a system whereby the brain stores these emotional memories into files in our subconscious mind. Each disappointment, unmet expectation or loss in life creates a new file that is given meaning through the interpretation of our past hidden files. Since the subconscious mind has no concept of time, the least bit of provocation in our current state taps into a familiar feeling from the past and unleashes all the files of unresolved pain or unredeemed sorrows.
Healing the Mind
If we are to experience inner healing in our souls we must recognize that the accumulation of pain and sorrow filed away in the subconscious mind can, if not given meaning and hope, sabotage our lives as adults.
The Need for Discernment
It is important to recognize growing sorrows and disappointments, not only in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us. God gives us the gift of discernment as a boundary to bring meaning and distinction from our past emotional memories and our current situation.
The Hope of Transformation
With God’s help through discernment we can detect the growing sorrow that came to us through trauma in the earlier years of our lives when we did not have the capability of making any sense of tragedy. These deep pockets of emotions can explode at any moment in the present and can do much harm and damage. Our redeeming hope through Christ’s love is the antidote that can neutralize the power of past emotional memories.
Power to Change
We can disconnect the past unwanted and unprofitable childhood emotions from the present by creating an environment of love and peace and talking through our sorrows. We must confess and acknowledge where we have lashed out in anger or bitterness to those closest to us to make them pay for the sins of others from our past. Grieving the loss from our past and our ability to mourn with God’s comfort is the restorative journey of our souls.
A Journey of Perseverence and Patience
We must take action to stop the accumulation and building up of these unwanted emotions. With God’s grace and forgiveness through confession we can with patience release the power of destructive emotions.
Continue to Grow in Grace and Hope
If we are to grow, we must continue to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into grace-filled community where support, accountability, openness and sometimes sensitive confrontation is available. Spiritual character and growth requires risk. We must stir each other on to push through some very traumatic and scary things.
