Oh, triggers! You can be a painful or pleasant reminder, making life that much wore wilder. We never know when you’re going to show up and just how beautiful or ugly you may appear. Presenting yourself in words of faith or crippled by fear. Will you manifest in tears of grief and sorrow, as we are reminded of painful memories today or tomorrow? Will you present yourself in anger and rage as we recollect memories of injustice, accusations, and criticism, therefore leaving us locked up in a cage? Or will you display yourself in joy and laughter? Ridding yourself of unhealthy sarcasm, skepticism, and back-biting chatter? Will you be heard in words of gratitude, thankfulness, and praise? Shedding complaining, negativity, and endless discontented days.
Oh, triggers! At times you break us and at times you wildly excite us. Yet, the core of our memories creatively drives us. Driven to react in connection to our past. Whether it be beauty or pain, you’re driving force is inherently the same. So many feelings to feel, everything seems so real. But is it real-time or an old frame of mind, attempting to present itself as reality? Something to think about.
Oh, triggers! If we could only learn to respond slowly to the ones that are painful and lowly. At times we are successful and many times we are not. Oh, don’t worry, you’ll be reminded in a hurry, because shame will remind defeat right on the spot, of what have done and what you are not. Identifying and overcoming triggers, is a practice, an intention, and at times feels like a foreign invention. Wait? What? I’ve been given self-control. I can respond rather than react, not be defensive, have the last word, or talk back? Self-control is a fruit of the spirit we’ve been given, however, if you haven’t fully forgiven, you will be driven back to behaviors and roots you thought you resolved. Unprocessed emotions, turmoil, and commotion, here you are standing face to face once again. You question your progress and all the hard work put in. Thoughts and questions flood your mind…” I thought I was victorious like David, however, if I’m not mistaken, this appears to be Goliath, and I’ve been taken!?
Oh, Triggers! There you are, another invitation into healing, identifying feelings, and dreading the pain of dealing. Another layer to the onion, no it is never fun, and yet you have the choice to run. But if you do it right, you won’t put up a fight. You will choose to lean into the discomfort of what doesn’t seem right. At times you’ll feel like Daniel in the Lion’s den, fearful, afraid, and dreading the outcome. What feels like devour, will be displayed for our good, His glory, and manifest power. Faith opposes fear’s agenda. Isolation, shame, and fear are broken. Silence becomes a voice to be heard and spoken. Your story is powerful and needs to be heard. A testimony of His reckless grace, love, and healing in His spoken word.
Jesus stands at the door where are you have the choice to trust the journey of healing and discovery. Will you cave in and go back to denial? Will you choose victory or simply survival? Will you be brave, bold, and take courage? Will you choose to see His goodness, faithfulness, and be encouraged?
Oh, Triggers! How powerful you are! Waiting to devour and scar. But we will choose to believe our story has a different ending, as we embark to face a new beginning. The healing journey is unfamiliar territory, scary, uncertain, and a significant part of our story.
BUT, oh triggers, let me introduce you to King JESUS. He reigns far above it all. In justice and in love, he carries the victory, and he took the fall. Oh, triggers! You feel so big, but He always reminds us that you are so very small. Significant, yet impotent, in comparison to our Jesus, who is omnipotent and incomparably magnificent.
Oh Jesus! How I love you! I’m reminded of how you deliver, heal, redeem, and recover ALL. How your name is interchangeable with faithful, just, good, steady, stable, never silent, or absent when we call. You are comfort, refuge, defender, brother, friend, and lover. Full of signs, wonders, miracles, and awe. What may look like a recipe for disaster, you can turn pain, sadness, and sorrow, into JOY and LAUGHTER! Oh Jesus! There is none like you!
Oh, Daughters! Oh, Sons! We know who holds the keys and we know who’s WON. Bang, bang! Trigger us happy, trigger us sweet, but every bitter, painful, and wretched trigger, you are under our feet.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Take Courage Ministries
Featured Image by Dewald Van Rensburg from Pixabay
