Renewed Mind - Part 1 - A Wounded Soul

We often criticize people who are self-centered or who are touchy, angry or combative. We do not realize that they are simply trying to survive.

They are wounded and attempting to protect their soul from more pain. They will hurt us before we get the chance to hurt them; even if we have no intention nor desire to harm them.

If our words, tone or behavior even hint at aggression, they will attack us with vehemence and even violence. A teenager at the children's home where we lived and worked interpreted my behavior this way.

She ended up pushing me out the van door backwards where I landed on my head on the pavement. I blacked out and revived with dizziness and a pounding headache; so they rushed me to the emergency room.

I survived the ordeal, but I often wonder if she did. They put her in the time-out room and quickly moved her out of our home; so we lost track of her. Her lifetime of abuse caused her to abuse me.

Another reason we over-react is that our soul is governed by sin (Romans 7:20-23). We miss the mark of God's holiness and fall into unregenerate behavior (Romans 8:29). Satan uses this tendency for his purposes.

Our only hope for freedom from emotional wounds and the penchant of our flesh to sin is the saving power of Jesus Christ. His Holy Spirit transforms our spirit and soul through regeneration and sanctification (Titus 3:5). Trust in Him today.

Prayer:

Father God, we look forward to Christ's return when You shall put everything under His feet. He will rule and reign over the earth for eternity from the throne in Jerusalem of His ancestor, King David (2 Samuel 7; Luke 1:32-33, 2:11). Israel will finally rejoice in the coming of their King Jesus (Matthew 24:8; Romans 11:1-2, 26; Isaiah 66:8; Ezekiel 37). 

You will even put Satan away for eternity, wrapped in chains in hell (Revelations 20:2). We look forward to this new age. Peace and prosperity will fill the earth and all nations shall dwell together in unity and righteousness (Micah 4:1-7; Isaiah 42:1-4). There will be no crying there, and all emotional and physical sickness shall be healed (Isaiah 51:11).

Thought for the Day:

Only God can truly restore and comfort our soul (Psalm 23:3; 2 Corinthians 1:3); then He allows us to use this same comfort to help others who are in any affliction (2 Corinthians 1:4-5).

Understanding Peculiar People

When we experience a negative event, which is stressful, abusive, unexpected, out of our control or happens regularly, we give it the term “trauma”. Devastating traumatic experiences will cause permanent damage in our soul, which medical practitioners call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This will often cause people to exhibit eccentric and sometimes abusive behavior.

Trauma colors our view of life, blows current events out of proportion and causes suspicion, insecurity and fear. We are permanently stuck in a flight or fight mode in dealing with life. Our soul uses anger, depression, insomnia, nightmares, anxiety, mistrust, unpredictable behavior, physical ailments and sometimes self-inflicted injury to attempt to protect our self from future abuse.

The effects of trauma not only upsets those of us who suffered the ordeal, but we also traumatize the significant others in our life, when they unwittingly scratch the covering off these deep-seated, emotional wounds. Our negative response to current issues is much more intense than the problem warrants and people wonder why. We may react in intense anger or physical blows to protect our self from perceived injustices.

Putting time and space between us and the people or events, which continually trigger our pain will help us to calm down and get in touch with the reality of the present moment. We can take a walk, go for a drive, sit alone to journal or spend the night at a friend’s house. Then, we can go home with a clear mind and brainstorm with our significant others on how to prevent these flare-ups in the future.

They can help us by realizing that our over-reaction is prompted when their behavior causes us to flash back to the pent up pain in our soul. This way, they will not take our reactions personally and they will dwell with us with understanding; they will help us to calm down and see the reality in the situation; they will stop their behavior, which triggers our past pain; and they will provide us with patience, unconditional love and a calm, stable environment.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for revealing to us the lies, which Satan planted in every one of those negative events in our past, and for speaking Your truth, which displaces those lies in our soul and sets us free from the pain and effects of the trauma we experienced ( www.theophostic.com ). Your Spirit helps us to put the trauma of our past and the current behavior of others into an eternal perspective, so it will not bother us so much.

You also teach us not to judge other people who get on our nerves, who do not respect our boundaries or whose behavior makes us feel abused or misunderstood. Remind us to allow You to use us to pour out Your love and understanding on these wounded individuals, and thank You for putting people into our life who help us to heal from the trauma of our own past.

Thought for the Day:

Negative emotions in our soul, signal an issue, which we need to bring to God for healing or for repentance and surrender.

Freedom from the Tyranny of Pride

Pride is often the result of emotional wounds and false concepts, which we develop over the years of our life. I noticed that the more insecure a person is, the stronger and higher they build their wall of pride. The sad fact about this tragedy is that this only increases their lack of confidence.

These dear people attempt to survive life on their own. Satan encourages people to reject God's Truth and to believe his lies instead (Romans 1:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:11). They view our concern and offers of help as pity, which they vehemently reject. They do not understand that humility and interdependence will give them more assurance than pride ever will (1 Peter 5:1-10; James 4:6-10).

Satan uses humanism and self-assurance to destroy people (Luke 22:31). If you suggest that people stop putting their confidence in their natural abilities, they erupt in anger, which they use as yet another wall of defense (Philippians 3:3). Pride does not have to perpetuate our problems, if we simply repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will have a victorious life (Romans 10:9; Acts 20:21).

God's Word advises us not to function from selfish ambition and vain deceit, but to humbly think of others as better than our self (Philippians 2:3). This does not mean that we act like a doormat or allow others to abuse us; nor does it mean that we neglect our needs or inflict harm on our self. It simply means that we take our self off the throne of our life and obey God's Spirit as He directs us to bless others (Mark 12:31; Romans 12:10).

Prayer:

Father God, teach us that completely forgiving those who injured us in the past, and nurturing total faith in Your faithfulness are the only remedies for the destructiveness of pride. Once we acknowledge our need for You in our life, we no longer feel the need to live life on our own terms and through our own power. We no longer desire to hide behind our wall of pride, which crumbles in the face of adversity anyway. We surrender all to You right now and give You complete control over our life.

Thought for the Day:

The Bible emphatically states that pride ends in destruction, because pride is an assassin, which is just waiting to destroy our lives. - Proverbs 16:18

How to Make a Lasting Difference

Read: Luke 10:38-42

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:31-32

The story of creation proves to me that God intended for us to live in paradise. Instead, mankind chose to exalt himself as equal to God and ended up in this pain-filled earth. God’s Spirit within us, however, makes life in this sin-filled world, not only bearable but also victorious. We only need to accept God’s complete forgiveness and relinquish our will to His in order to make a lasting difference in our life and in the world around us.

Mary realized this truth and she relinquished her need to control her environment and chose to sit at Jesus feet. Martha, on the other hand, had to be in control to impress Jesus with her efforts. Busyness often causes mental breakdowns and emotional wounds. As we simplify our lives and walk in the Spirit, however, we end up doing only those activities, which God’s Spirit leads us to do. We accomplish only what God calls us to do each moment of the day. We have a much less busy schedule and the positive results of our efforts are much greater.

Prayer:

Lord, teach me to adjust my priorities and eliminate busyness, which needlessly contaminates my thoughts and clutters up my time. Help me to find my fulfillment in You, so that I have no need to participate in worldly pursuits.

Thought for the Day:
Though many things may seem important, only God’s will is necessary.