Fighting for Peace of Mind

PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) is a term that we most readily associate with war veterans that we imagine waking in cold sweats from battle-weary nightmares, sleeping with guns under their pillows, and being mentally transported back into a warzone as certain sounds trigger terrifying memories. Yet, PTSD can point beyond a soldier’s war-induced psychological distress to a fuller view of trauma as a whole. Trauma can be understood as the response to a shocking event that leads to lasting psychological distress. A shock that disrupts one’s accepted perception of reality. The foundation of what we perceive to be reality or the level of our understanding of what’s going on around us consists of our beliefs and values. These systems we use to negotiate meaning with the world around us create a space for people to unify through shared interests, habits, or characteristics. From these shared experiences grow the roots of race, ethnicity, and culture. As each of us looks at the world through our own lenses shaped by race, ethnicity, and culture, we only manage to see what we have been trained to see. We come to expect encounters that justify the disparities and corruption that plague or experiences as well as validate the aspirations and communities that give us meaning. When we decide to examine how and why we see the world the way we do, are we filled with hope or despair? Does our perspective enhance or undermine the value that can be found within our varied experiences?

There is an exploration of faith that illustrates the importance of beliefs and values and how they form us and our views in 2 Timothy 3: 10-17. As believers in Jesus Christ, the bible is what we use to negotiate meaning in the world around us. Through the bible we come to understand that the invisible things of God take prominence over all that we claim to know and all that we claim to be.

2 Timothy 3: 10-17

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

This charge that Paul gives Timothy shows that it takes faith to live by the beliefs and values we hold. A faith that goes beyond an unconscious acceptance of how things are, leading one into an examined existence where sure footing can be found every step of the way toward truth. While taking this journey with Jesus through humanity we come into contact with a saving faith that safely guides us through natural and spiritual terrain. But we still carry with us a desire for meaning and purpose that causes us to place a value on everything that forms our identity and our reality. Matthew 6: 21 reminds us that, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This verse finds us whenever we find ourselves questioning our values, considering whether they are depriving us of or allowing us to experience more faith, hope, love, and joy.

Let’s look at what 1 Timothy 6: 6-10 tells us:

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Here, the word of God shows us how we invite trauma to haunt us because of the stress we allow to torture us mentally and emotionally because of our limited views that may blind us to health issues, social pressures and stressors, family issues, as well as any emotional and mental instability that we may be experiencing. As we turn our focus back to the image of a soldier haunted by memories of war, let the following verses help you to see the battlefields on which we find ourselves fighting on a daily basis:

2 Timothy 2: 3-4

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
Ephesians 6: 12-13

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
2 Corinthians 10: 3-5

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

In God's eyes none of us are strangers to warfare as we constantly fight for meaning and purpose amidst competing desires. As believers in Jesus, each time we engage in battle we need courage and strength to recognize and destroy the things in our lives that challenge our trust in God. I pray that Romans 8: 37-39 makes its way to the forefront of our minds as we face each challenge:

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

May God bless you.

Darnell Sheffield

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