Romans 8:6 by Susan L.

  I have life and peace in the Spirit.
  "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." NKJV
  "So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." JCB

  It was a good weekend. Having worship rehearsal on Saturday morning then playing in church yesterday was wonderful. We were a small but mighty group.
  I was blessed with being able to share my knowledge about trauma and PTSD with one of our congregation members. She works closely with several refugee families in town and has first hand knowledge of the horrific events that led them to flee their homeland. She is concerned for many of them who are struggling mentally and emotionally.
  But that's the nature of a trauma response. In the moment, there might not be any obvious signs of the damage being done to the body, mind and spirit. Trauma responses can take years to show up. It might explode because something totally unrelated  triggers an avalanche of nightmares and anxiety. And grief. That's a huge part.
  Being able to share with her about the personal nature of trauma helped her understand how experiences can affect one person yet might not even raise an eyebrow in someone else. There is no "trauma scale".
  I recommended the "PTSD for Dummies" book because it is a good way to learn the fundamentals of this mental health challenge.
  Moments like this make everything I have gone through worth while. It even makes me thankful.
 
  Still, I always feel a bit chastised when faced with scripture's like today's. Sigh.
  Is having PTSD a mark of sin or due to having a lack of faith and trust in the Lord?
  Ouch. That's an ugly question!

  For sure it's a result of sin. Both my own and others'.
 
  Hmmmm, maybe it's what I do with it that matters. Roman's 8:8 says that those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
  When things are bad, I don't turn away. I run into the open arms of God and He leads me to the shores of the Black River. Again and again and again. He opens my eyes to forgiveness, repentance and plain old gratitude as we unravel the layers of hurt and pain. Together.
  He has brought me a long way. Because I live with PTSD.

  Lord, only You can see the end of this journey or fully understand its purpose. Thank You, that one day, You will wipe away every tear.