General Faith And Ptsd

[Tessa]

Our faith is challenged by PTSD. The most helpful thing a Dr told me was that it is like having something like diabetes which can't be cured however we can learn to manage it. I like to challenge myself with "what would Jesus do ?" when I'm not sure and always I know the answer is to walk beside someone no matter how difficult it is and just care.
Hugs

 

[Eleanor]

Do you think it's changing? I feel it is in tiny steps, very tiny :) Do you think it's the older generation that is less understanding, perhaps? They seem to have that very strong demeanor of just getting on with it (life). I guess in those generations lots of breakthroughs were made. Maybe that's why they think that way... don't want to stereotype here.

I think it is changing - probably generational. Really, my grandparents didn't even "believe in" mental illness. Even ones everyone now thinks are "real" schitozphrenia, bi-polar etc. My folks believe in these things... but kind of blame people who have regular old depression or something less acute. Maybe it is because we can DO more to help heal these things now that makes it possible to separate the disease from the person. So many of our ideas are fixed when we grow up... we just stick with the "factory default" as my nephew says.

@ living4: I don't think God tests people. I do think he challenges us. And he uses us to challenge each other. I like this language better because one doesn't "fail" a challenge. Sometimes the weight doesn't get lifted on the first try - or you drop it half way through - but there is always the next attempt. Sometimes it really does help to have somebody goading you to lift it!

From my own experience I have two perspectives - one is as the wife of my husband. My dad doesn't like him - maybe because of the PTSD. It has been hard for me to find the strength/see the necessity of standing up for my husband against my dad. But my dad's treatment bad treatment of him hurts him - and they are my parents and so my responsibility to deal with. The other is as the mother of my daughter - whose husband is in the army and going to Afghanistan in the spring. Understand that I love my son in law dearly - I am so lucky that he talks to me, and we are "family" in a way that most mothers in law don't get. At the same time I have to consider the fact that he may come back less than himself in body, or mind, or emotions. And at those moments I wish that my daughter had chosen someone "safer". If he HAD PTSD already, and mistreated her (albeit involuntarily)... I can't say how I would feel about it. Not good. And I would hope that my girl would dope-slap me and demand I learn about his disease,;) not that she would have to, geek that I am :geek:.

Parent child relationships just don't stand still. You need to decide how you want yours to go.

 

[living4jesus]

I haven't been on in a while been super busy with work lately. :eek:

I agree with you Eleanor. I think God challenges Us, that is a great way of putting it and a great prespective. Thank you for all the helpful feedback and info.

 

[The Albatross]

Hey L4J... this is my dentist's band, my friend of 25 plus years is doing the vocals and a member of his band retired here and is a former member of Kansas:
[DLMURL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is_ylOgDbw8[/DLMURL]

My favorite version of Amazing Grace... the Blind Boys of Alabama:
[DLMURL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rAcQCbchDg[/DLMURL]

 

[living4jesus]

Awesome! I will watch these when I get home from work tonight. Thanks so much Alby!:D

 

[living4jesus]

I like to challenge myself with "what would Jesus do ?" when I'm not sure and always I know the answer is to walk beside someone no matter how difficult it is and just care.
Hugs

Amen to that! I challenge myself daily with What would Jesus do as well.

 

[Tinyflame]

Sometimes I'm just too tired, re: the 'challenge' part, but I sometimes think God just 'carries' (also).

 

[Tabitha]

I try to avoid the religious discussions mainly because although I consider myself a Christian, I am a lesbian and I understand not everyone agrees with the two being affiliated so I try to avoid those discussions.

I really just wanted to say that I completely agree.....
.

Sometimes God has us walk thru the dark for a while to get to the light, for his Glory in the end

That's what gets me through each and every day. :)

(And yay! I learned how to quote someone with their name!!)

 

[intothelight]

All I can say is this thread came at a time when I really, really needed it.

Thanks to all of you for the verses.

 

[leweyoz]

Yay Tabitha, I still have no clue how to quote like that :tup:

The smilies are more my level, ha.

Intothelight I love how a scripture can hit you at just the right moment with just the right words.

So hard to learn to rest in his strength and not rely on our strength. We're always switched on and needing to control the situation around us.

Am really being impacted at the moment with the thought of 'coming alongside' just as the Comforter Holy Spirit does.

 

[LilacFaerie]

I just found this thread tonight and I'm glad I did - I'm going to be reading it over and over and perhaps even printing it off. My husb is in such a rut right now with his faith - he admits to not having prayed since he's been home from overseas. Nine months now. I know he is wondering why this has been allowed to happen to him and what exactly God's purpose is - I don't think he's mad at God, just confused. He still takes part in a bible study (the army chaplain comes to our house weekly for a lesson) and doesn't reject the things of Christianity but he's just......fallen silent otherwise. Church is out, because of all the people. Too many. I'm trying to get him to come anyway, because there is a balcony overlooking the sanctuary where we could sit and be relatively alone.....but even that will take a while, I know.

I guess I wonder too. Why all this has happened. It kills me to know that I may never get an answer, like Job. God never really told him why either. Doesn't tell US why. I am a very analytical person, organized, logical, and so this "unknowing" is driving me nuts.

I need a little peace - hopefully by reading this thread over and over again in addition to all my other sources of support, will help.

Thank you for starting this thread, living4jesus!

 

[mamachick]

I try to do the right thing-not because of religious reasons, but because it may the only part (my conscience) that is not damaged. Since faith is trusting in the unknown, I would say that I clearly lack faith, because the unknown causes me anxiety.
I remember that not that many years ago I had a lot of faith, I thought of all the things that could have happened to me growing up and did not. I felt grateful and that I must have had a guardian angel. Seems the things I escaped as a child, I was not able to escape as an adult. This is something I do not know how to get back.