Brain Injury 101: When Your Words Aren’t Enough
I’m feeling terrible—I couldn’t feel worse! Get me on my feet again. You promised, remember? When I told my story, you responded; train me well in your deep wisdom. Help me understand these things inside and out so I can ponder your miracle-wonders. My sad life’s dilapidated, a falling-down barn; build me up again by your Word. Barricade the road that goes Nowhere; grace me with your clear revelation. I choose the true road to Somewhere, I post your road signs at every curve and corner. I grasp and cling to whatever you tell me; GOD, don’t let me down! I’ll run the course you lay out for me if you’ll just show me how. Psalm 119:25-32-25-32 MSG
Have you ever felt this way?
Do these words resonate with you? They did for me. I was having a very difficult time in December of 2014; wrestling with the emotional and physical effects of a spinal cord injury and trying to come to terms with the traumatic brain injury I’d been diagnosed with a couple months earlier. Although able to walk after rehab from the SCI, I was still dealing with things. Like the fact I didn’t care for my doctor. And I had so much medication to take. And I hurt all over. And the TBI left me unsteady on my feet. And I was depressed.
People told me, “You look great.” But I didn’t feel great. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Then one night, when sleep eluded me, I found these words from The Message Translation of the Bible. These words explained just how I felt. When I couldn’t put into words how I was feeling, God orchestrated someone who could.
What About You?
What about you dear friend? Have you ever found yourself at a loss for words? Words that explain how you are doing? If so, how did you respond? The Bible is full of words that we can relate to. And people we can relate to. Moses lost his temper at the Israelites; David ran for his life from King Saul; Paul was stoned and left for dead; Peter denied even knowing Jesus. These were mere men. Or were they?
Yes, they were ordinary men; but they were men who walked with an extraordinary God. Their lives were not without sorrow, difficulty and pain. They doubted, ran, denied, feared and wept. They had physical troubles and tempers. Yet in all these things, they still walked with God.
Driven to or away?
Seasons of pain, depression and the changes in our lives can drive us away or to our loving Creator. Since my TBI and dealing with all the effects of it on my life, I choose to run to the LORD. He is the only One who truly understands me, and you. And He cares. And He loves you.
Just as the author of Psalm 119 poured out his heart to the Lord, so can we. He is our refuge and strength, our ever-present hope in times of trouble. Sometimes just crying out to Him gives us what we need. The unseen shoulder to cry on in the middle of the night, when no one else is there, who understands.
When words escape you, turn to the Word, the Living Word of God. For reasons we may never understand, He allowed your brain to be rewired. Now, allow Him to transform you even more by the renewing of that rewired mind as you seek words in His Word.
Should you like help navigating the Word from the Bible, contact me at pam@pamdepuydt.com.
