The other day, I got some less than great news and when I heard it, I began to experience some physical responses and immediately felt anxiety. I was so irritated that I reacted this way, but the feeling was very real. Then I very clearly saw and heard the Lord say, “You need to turn your PTSD into FAITH”.
Such a shocking thing to hear. I don’t routinely use such language. I felt embarrassed to hear PTSD over myself, because I think it’s a very serious thing that mostly military personnel suffer from. How could my little life be likened to that?
Then I thought about it and realized that after years of walking out the same circle of struggle, I’ve developed a form of it. While walking out the minefield of life, we’ve had what’s felt like, an almost constant struggle with work related things. Uncertain employment, dry seasons of waiting, stretching times when working with challenging personalities, it’s all made me pause and ask, “Are we the problem or are You teaching us something?”
I would think it was us, except with every step we have listened to God and followed His prompting. We’ve asked Him to open the right doors and close the wrong ones. We’ve fasted, prayed, given and followed through every bit of it.
No, we aren’t perfect, but we have been willing to live a very different lifestyle than most. Completely dependent upon God and unwilling to take a step without His leading.
So, when God showed me the above vision, I realized that anyone can begin to believe a lie and when we do, it inevitably causes internal damage. My lie was that we will never get out of this season, and that we will never have a stable future.
Those are two untrue statements.
A while ago, God began to speak to me about Chris and he called him a “Joseph.” Not the Joseph that married Mary, but the Joseph who was sold into slavery by his siblings and was wrongfully thrown into prison before being called into his destined position of second in command of Egypt.
What I believe God was showing me was that Chris too, is destined for greatness, and we shouldn’t let the hard road there make us feel like that’s never going to happen.
There’s the truth. God is refining and working all things in His timing. When I lay hold of these promises, I can transition from PTSD to FAITH. That’s where I want to live, in FAITH. Don’t you?
Prayer Moment: God, please release the gift of faith over my life. Help me to transition from any trauma into full faith. Lead me to be victorious in all things and in all circumstances. I desire to be used by You and for Your purposes. I am Yours. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
365 Days in the Presence 