Some difficulties are so severe that they traumatize us and impair our mental, emotional, and social health.
There is no shame in that.
The advent of evil damaged every aspect of God’s creation. Just as it made our skin susceptible to cancer from excessive sun exposure, it also made our nervous system vulnerable to undue stress.
Traumatic stress may require an extensive healing process before we are fully restored.
This restoration may require outside assistance, ranging from pastoral care and support groups to professional counseling and prescription medications.
We should not be apprehensive about accessing these resources. God has provided them for our benefit. They are part of his aid package.
As with many physical infirmities, we may have to live with the residual effects of traumatic stress until we enter heaven.
However, like other afflictions, this lingering aftermath does not diminish our value or usefulness in God’s eyes. He can still produce goodness in and through us.
