Soulfood

How Trauma Breaks into Scripture

Ed Welch

Trauma is not a new problem. But as it has gained attention in the medical world, we have forgotten that Scripture speaks to it. We treat it clinically instead of biblically, relationally. Everyone inevitably experiences some form of trauma to some degree in his or her life. How do we enter in to suffering and identify with the sufferer? How does Scripture enter in to my trauma?

Naming things is an important way to learn about them. When has my emotional reaction to a situation been way out of proportion with the gravity of the situation? When have I felt threatened and in danger? These are common indicators of trauma, and when we have felt threatened we often experience trauma.

Trauma is when death comes close. It is an experience of danger (real or perceived, experienced or observed) leading to death. There are experiences that involve spiritual and emotional deaths (physical/sexual assault, verbal abuse from a person who should be trustworthy, etc) that come close to killing our souls. And trauma doesn’t let go. We can become hyper-vigilant against it, or we can become detached to it.

How do we enter in to talking about trauma? By asking – is it like this? Psalm 69 is an entry point into traumatic suffering – does it feel like the waters are closing in over you? Does it feel like your feet are mired?

Psalm 22 starts with “Why have you forsaken me?” When we come in to trauma through Psalm 22 we invite ourselves to enter into Scripture and identify with Christ. God asks us – do you feel forsaken by me? Does it feel like I help others but not you? Do you feel like you are surrounded by wild animals? Does it feel like you are powerless in the midst of your circumstances? Does it feel like your bones are crushed? Then listen, and hear.

Psalm 22 starts with “My God, My God!” God is *our* God – He is personal and present and belongs to us. We work towards believing that God is our Father. And then we move in further.

“They have pierced my hands…” This is Jesus…so we hear Jesus speaking of his trauma, and come to know that he sings this Psalm with us, guiding us to sing with him. And then we enter in farther.

“My God is my help” Jesus sings that God is his help. And we need help to ask for help, and to trust that our Helper is powerful.

Christ sang this when he saw the Enemy who stands behind his enemies. Satan is working for our death. He is constantly breathing out lies, using his devices to fill us with doubts and fears. When we see this, we cry out for help!

And Jesus invites us to draw near to him snd touch him and enter in to his own life. He exchanges the death in us for the life in him. He comes so close that as we touch him, he does not let us go.

Nothing can touch us who are in Christ Jesus that does not touch Christ. The deepest reality of the Christian life is our unchangeable, unshakable union with Christ.

Psalm 22 moves from counting bones inwardly to counting praises publicly. We keep moving into the Psalm as we come to the point of praising God.

God will not leave us alone. We are not forsaken. God is bringing justice to all generations. God has done it!