Brain Injury 101: Who Defines Your Being?
For the Injured:
Do you ever feel invisible? Like people look right through you or past you when you walk by? Even your own family, co-workers or folks you’re in a group with? It’s bad enough your brain has been rewired due a trauma; it’s worse that people don’t even acknowledge you.
Perhaps you’ve felt this way your entire life, even before the brain injury. A quiet servant. You’re the one everyone counted on. But did they see you? Or did/do they only notice you by what you did for them, or the knowledge you shared? They defined you by what you do/did rather than who you are. And you wonder, “Do they accept me now for who I am since my brain has been rewired?”
Imagine this is you~
Because I’m wired to help, I try to help. I continue to cheer others on, only to seemingly, be ignored. Who is cheering me on; who is serving me? Oh, yes, caregivers, and I love them, but do they even see who I am? Deep down. Does anyone? And because I feel this way at times, I slip into that quiet, thoughtful, depressive mode. Self-pity. It’s an ugly thing.
I have things I want to say; I want my voice to be heard; I want to scream at the top of my lungs, “WHAT ABOUT ME?!?” It was even this way before my injury. I served my people well, only to feel left out, forgotten and unappreciated.
Now What?
So, what do I do now? Personally, after that scenario, I had to do some serious soul searching, for many times I have felt this way. I needed a dose of reality, and the reality is, it’s not about me. Or you, but about the One who served each and every one of us without wanting recognition for it. Many times, after helping a person in need, He would say, “Shh, don’t tell anyone.” But then, of course, that person did. They loved Him for what He did, not Who He was.
So, I had to remind myself, “Self, your life is not your own; your life is in Christ Jesus. When you chose to follow Him, it meant giving up yourself, your wants, your needs, your identity.”
Whoa!! What?? I had to do a doubletake when I read that. I take on the identity of Jesus!? The identity of humility, servanthood, non-complaining (oh boy… I needed to hear that one), and grace toward others!? So, I’m supposed to just shrink back into the wall and go unnoticed? This is hard!! “Self – it’s supposed to be hard!!”
Paul reminded me…and so did Jesus
We can do nothing in and of ourselves; but we can do all things through Christ Who gives us the strength (Philippians 4:13). And should we try in our own power, what we do will get us nowhere. However, when our lives (and our minds) are hidden in Christ, it won’t matter if our service goes unnoticed – here on earth – by men. None-the-less, our service won’t go unnoticed in Heaven, by the One Who serves us now. Jesus told the multitudes that being noticed by men for our deeds may bring praise now, yet that praise will be our only reward. When we forsake the praise of men, our reward in Heaven is greater (and later). Beware, however, that what you do is with a pure heart, not out of selfish ambition, or wanting to be noticed.
In Conclusion
So, I guess, if we are feeling invisible, and feeling blue because of it, remind yourself (if you follow Jesus) in Him, it’s okay to be invisible. Our being is defined by the One Who died for us. And our service will be out of love for Him, which will bring the joy to our hearts and minds.
