True Freedom

Many early mornings I head out on the beautiful country road where we live to meet with the Lord and get some exercise. Most days I run into a couple who walk their dog coming from the opposite direction as me. The second time I encountered them, I noticed that I was feeling rather nervous the closer they came to me. I found myself wondering whether I should change my schedule or take a different route and even considered praying that the Lord would take them to a different road to walk their dog.

I realised that my spirit was sensing something and that I didn’t feel safe, so I asked the Lord to show me what was going on. I was surprised to hear His answer. The Lord showed me that something from my past was bumping into my present each time I saw and passed this threesome on the road.

When I was eleven years old, I was attacked by a large dog that knocked me off my bicycle and bit me badly on my left thigh. In sheer panic I picked up my bike and threw it on top of the dog hard enough to make him let go of my leg, and then, in shock, I rode home to tell my dad what had happened.

Trauma doesn’t just go away with time. It can be locked away for years until something similar happens to trigger the old emotions causing them to rise to the surface. For most of my life I have steered clear of large dogs as a way of coping with the feelings of fear that they trigger. However, the Lord in His goodness does not want me to have to cope with the fear. He wants to set me free from it. If it is for freedom that Christ set me free, then I knew I needed to apply what Jesus did on the cross to this traumatic event in my life.

Having read ‘Healing from the Consequences of Accident, Shock and Trauma’ by Peter Horrobin, the first thing I did was truly forgive the two young boys who carelessly let go of their dog’s leash, as I know that forgiveness can be a gateway to healing. Then I simply asked Jesus to reveal Himself to me and took some intentional time to wait and listen. Knowing that perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18), I asked the Lord to pour His perfect love over me from the time of the attack and to begin lifting all the trauma off my spirit, soul and body.

I even repented, because I had coped with this fear by trying to control situations and manipulate circumstances for many years. Finally, I submitted my emotions in a new way under the Lordship of Christ, coming into agreement with His way of healing for me and surrendering my ways, which were obviously not working. I am happy to report that over the past many weeks I have passed by this same dog and her owners without the old familiar fear trying to direct my steps.

Prayer: Father, I thank You and I praise You that You have made a way for true healing in my life through the cross. Forgive me for the ways that I have coped with old emotions and trauma, and I welcome You today to show me a new way forward. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.