Let there be Light!

³ And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴ God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:3-4

A few weeks ago, I was having a conversation about processing past experiences and someone asked "why do I need to talk about it?". The educator in me wanted to get into the science behind healing by way of owning your experience but I didn't. I knew it wouldn't be helpful. I instead provided space for the person to just, be.

I keep coming back to that discussion, mainly because of how much it hurt hearing someone say that. To me, those words signify something deep. It says "what I experienced was so hurtful, so painful, that even the thought of it brings me to an unsafe place". Imagining someone, anyone, going through a pain that impactful brings me to tears.

I know, first hand, the importance of processing experiences — especially trauma. When we shut off ourselves to processing, we are allowing something else to happen. It starts to bleed into our everyday lives. It shows up, uninvited and definitely unwelcomed, in our thoughts, in our behaviors, in our disposition, and in our comprehension. By not taking hold of the trauma, we allow the trauma to take hold of us.

We become prisoner to it.

There's a power in owning the story — a God given authority through the act of processing.

Think of it this way: processing is shining a light in the darkness and caring for the hurt that is there.

It's not aimlessly talking about hurtful things to no end. It's not opening a wound with no intention of healing.

It may be hard, it may be scary but in the right space and time, it is safe.

Something incredible happens when we shine a light in the darkness. Our vision becomes clearer. We start to understand and feel safer in our space. We come to realize that the shadows no longer have power. The distortions of the darkness are no longer there.

Shining a light takes away the power of darkness and puts things into proper perspective, and most importantly, we can heal, really heal, the hurt from the past and put things in its God-ordained place.

Healing is your portion.

Wholeness in Christ is your portion.

A sound mind is your portion.

Again, processing is hard. Shining a light and revisiting the past is no walk in the park. And like always, you don't have to do it alone.

I didn't.

I sought the help of Holy Spirit, a therapist, my pastor, and friends. You can too.

Allow God to be the light in your dark places. Ask the Comforter to guide you through healing. As God's light shines, darkness, sin, fear, worry, confusion will flee.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." Isaiah 60:1