The Power of the Past

Two years ago, today. As memories flooded my brain, I was hit by a tsunami of pain. Paralyzed with debilitating hurt, my entire body physically ached as I recalled details. They say “time heals all wounds.” Time may have healed my wounds, but left me with a permanent scar. As my scar reopened, I was faced with a choice. Bleed or bandage my wound. Hurt or heal. Live in pity or power.

After a traumatic experience, it is essential to process our emotions in order to heal. However, we determine the power of the past. A principle of Alderian psychology is “no experience is in itself a cause of our success or failure. We do not suffer from the shock of our experiences —the so-called trauma—but instead we make out of them whatever suits our purposes. We are not determined by our experiences, but the meaning we give them is self-determining.” (George, 2022).

By living in the past, I was continually reopening my wound. In the Bible, angels commanded a man named Lot to flee the city of Sodom before its destruction. His family was commanded, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plane! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” Lot’s wife looked back, and she turned into a pillar of salt.

Dwelling on past hurt destroys future hope. We are commanded to move forward. However, after enduring a traumatic event, moving forward may feel implausible. How can we move forward when trauma feels paralyzing, crippling, and disabling?

Christ commanded the paralyzed man to pick up his mat and walk— to move forward. The man rose despite his pain, and Christ healed him. Similarly, when we trust in the power of Christ, the past loses its power over us.

Two years ago, today. As memories flood the amygdala of my brain, I thank God for healing my hurt. When I feel crippling pain, I remember Christ heals the paralyzed. Time doesn’t heal all wounds; the power of Christ does. The power of Christ triumphs the power of the past. Now, as I continue moving forward, step by step, my scar serves as a beautiful reminder of how far I have come.

Dear God,

I pray for the person reading this who is healing from past hurts. Help them move forward, step by step, even when they feel paralyzed. For you commanded the paralyzed man to pick up his mat and walk—to move forward. Remind them: you are more powerful than the past. Time doesn’t heal all wounds, Christ does. When memories flood their brain, allow them to serve as a beautiful reminder of how far they have come.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

1)How to stop sabotaging yourself according to Alfred Adler. TheCollector. (2023, May 17). https://www.thecollector.com/alfred-adler-stop-sabotaging-yourself/#