“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
A while back I read a story about a child who was severely neglected by her mother. Because of the degree to which she was neglected, the child was unable to speak, eat on her own, or even walk properly. She was still in diapers and weighed only 46 pounds. She was six years old.
This little girl exhibited behavior consistent with a severe case of autism – even though extensive tests revealed no such diagnosis. It was determined that she would never be “normal” because she was deprived of the verbal, mental, and emotional stimulation she required during her formative years in order to develop properly.
By the time she was a teenager she had made great progress, but was still far from where she would have been had she been raised in a different environment. She was potty trained, able to feed herself, walked normally, and attended special education classes at her high school. Though definite growth has taken place, it is probably safe to say that much of the damage she experienced will remain permanent.
As I think about this, I am struck by how easy it is to feel and believe that the impact of our own trauma is also permanent. It doesn’t take much to start feeling “trapped;” like our situation can’t change or improve. Frustration and hopelessness are real, and they can creep up on us like a thief in the night.
But I have good news. Our past experiences – good or bad – do not have to define us. There may be scars that don’t go away, but as long as we are breathing, change IS possible. Sometimes this requires embracing a “new normal,” as in the case of the child I described above. But we are freer than we realize.
No matter what you’ve experienced in your past, please know that freedom, healing, and transformation can be yours – right now – starting today.
