As May draws to a close and dandelions bloom, it’s a good time to talk about something that many of us carry quietly: trauma. It’s not just about knowing what it is; it’s crucial to recognize how it really impacts us, both personally and as part of our faith community. Hebrews 12:1 encourages us to let go of every wound that holds us back so we can run life’s marathon with passion and determination. But what if we don’t heal those wounds?

Imagine carrying around a bag full of rocks, where each rock represents a painful past event. That weight makes every step harder, right? Running a marathon with that kind of load would be exhausting. That’s what living with unresolved trauma can feel like. If these wounds aren’t addressed, they weigh us down, making it tough to move forward and fully embrace our journey.

Trauma can sneak up on us in many ways—through things we've experienced ourselves or pains that have been passed down through our families. It often shows up as anger, fear, or sadness, buried under a heavy layer of shame. What makes these emotional burdens so tricky is that they're not always visible, which makes them tough to tackle. Trauma can be something that’s been in the family for generations, or it can spring from specific events. For some, it’s about life-changing experiences; for others, it's the wear and tear of smaller, ongoing stresses.

Hebrews 12:1 in The Passion Translation puts it like this: “So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has already been marked out before us.” This scripture really pushes us to think about letting go of those wounds and the sins that tag along. If we don’t, they'll just keep tripping us up. Often, we develop coping strategies like addiction or anger as a way to ease the pain that hasn’t been healed.

Chronic stress from these unhealed wounds can really crack open the door to both spiritual and physical burnout. This kind of stress can sap our energy and cut down our ability to fulfill our purpose. These days, we understand a lot more about chronic stress and its effects, but the bottom line stays the same: unhealed wounds can really knock us off our path.

So, what exactly is trauma? It's any injury, insult, or stressful event—real or imagined—that's just too much for us to process. Picture the brain’s hippocampus like an old-fashioned receptionist with files, organizing events one by one. Trauma messes this up, leaving memories scattered and easily triggered. This chaos results in what we call soul wounds, affecting our thoughts, choices, and feelings.

Biblically speaking, trauma is similar to being brokenhearted. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” The Hebrew word for brokenhearted, "shabar," means to burst, break, or crush. So, trauma can be seen as a crushing experience that deeply impacts the soul.

Trauma can result from not having enough good things in life (Little t trauma) or from major harmful experiences (Big T trauma). It can also be something that affects a whole community, like societal stresses or large-scale events.

Take the story of David, for example. He went through some serious trauma but still was a man after God’s own heart. Despite his achievements, David’s life was marked by deep emotional wounds. Psalm 51:5 hints at this: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” This suggests feelings of unworthiness and rejection, likely feeding into his emotional struggles. But David’s story also shows us that God doesn’t shy away from using broken people. His life proves that even those with deep wounds can do great things.

Contrast that with Caleb, described as wholehearted in Numbers 14:24: “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.” Caleb’s journey seems more straightforward, filled with purpose and strength, even in his later years. This highlights the different ways people in our faith community experience life. Some, like Caleb, appear to handle things with less visible struggle, while others, like David, face significant emotional and spiritual battles.

Healing from trauma starts with acknowledging that we need healing. It takes guts to look at the rocks in our bags and decide it’s time to start clearing them out. Healing isn’t a solo journey, either; it needs a community. Trusted people who provide support and accountability are crucial. This is why community is so important—people get hurt in community, and they heal in community. Being alone only leads to more harm, whereas being connected helps us heal and grow.

Especially for children and teenagers, it's important not to wait. Addressing wounds early can prevent a lifetime of unnecessary burdens. Mentorship and spiritual guidance are key in helping young people through their healing journeys.

The constant pressure from unhealed wounds can seriously hold back our spiritual journey. The first step to healing is taking a moment to reflect, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to see where we need healing. This reflection and support from our community can help us lay down our burdens and keep running our race with perseverance.

Ultimately, the path to healing leads to freedom and a fuller life. The constant strain of unhealed wounds might try to knock us off our path through burnout or sickness. However, through Jesus, who heals the brokenhearted, there is a way to recover and flourish. This journey of healing is a testament to the resilience we see in nature and within each of us as we let go of our burdens and follow the path set before us with Jesus guiding the way