Gary Cooper was Armed4Battle
in the classic movie, “High Noon”
Bravely Confront Your Hurts!
Face Your Emotions: Face Your Pain!
Exercise Courage When You Hurt
Many times in our lives we are not Armed4Battle and are confronted with the harsh realities of having to face a crisis or tragic event. This comes in the form of a major disappointment or loss, such as death, divorce, loss of employment or a home, or even seeing our children grow up and go off to college or go down a destructive path. None of these circumstances are easy to face, but everyone is confronted with some of these events sooner or later. So, what is one to do? You must choose to face your pain.
As human beings, we often do what we did as children–we hide under our covers hoping the monster will go away. Unfortunately, when we fail to face our pain, that stubborn monster refuses to stop tormenting us. Part of our dysfunction is to live in denial and fear and often without knowing any better. We often draw from the same coping mechanisms as adults that we did when we were children because we have not learned how to choose better ways of dealing with problems. It is part of our dysfunction and we need to recognize that so we can become Armed4Battle to experience growth and leave our childish ways behind us. If you have ever done this, know that you are not alone. We all have issues we need to work through and the sooner that we address them, the healthier we will be and the better off we will be.
We all have different backgrounds and too many of us come from unhealthy homes. Some of you know what it’s like to be abused, neglected, molested, rejected or even abandoned. Others have experienced the ravages of divorce, the cruelty of a death of a parent or loved one at an early age, or even poverty. Unless we were adopted at an age that we can remember, none of us had a choice as far as the family environment in which we were raised. We were all dealt a different hand and you likely discovered early in life that it was all about survival. You can become free though by developing a warrior mindset.
As you focus on the positive side of life, it’s important to note that we learned necessary survival skills that have kept us alive to this day. Without them we might not be here today. So, I commend you for doing your best in finding a way to make it this far, despite how healthy or unhealthy your coping mechanisms were. Now that you are an adult, though, you need to take a hard, honest look at your survival skills. Ask yourself, are they healthy in that they benefit me and other people or are they setting me back and keeping me in a cage where no one can get in and no one can get out? Can I do better? Am I thriving and growing in love daily or am I just surviving and existing in fear?
If you’re existing in fear, you need to take a risk and ask for help. You need to begin living an abundant life now! Help is all around you. It can be found in the local Christian church, divorce and celebrate recovery programs, programs that offer help for substance abusers, people who need help with codependency issues, parenting, victims of crime and abuse, and victims of spousal abuse. Professional and pastoral counseling, and spiritual counseling where one has opportunities to grow in their faith are also available, if you will simply reach out and allow someone to help you. This is one way you can choose to be Armed4Battle.
We were never meant to be lone rangers when hardship strikes. We were never meant to be completely independent, but interdependent. That means that when life gets hard we are to lean on our faith and good friends to pull us through. We need to trust that God will give us the strength to face our heartaches as we earnestly seek Him. I encourage you to bravely confront your hurts. This will allow you to be equipped when life threatens to make you miserable. You must bravely confront your hurts when they need to be dealt with. God gives us courage when we ask Him for it.
Are you facing your pain when you look in the mirror? If you find yourself displacing your hurt and anger on innocent people, please know that this is a warning sign. When we do this it is often a sign that we are afraid to face our emotional hurt at the expense of others. This is selfish! Don’t allow any fear to rule over you. It’s okay to be afraid, but it’s not okay to stay afraid! Just remember to be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be afraid, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. “Courage” is yours for the taking when you ask for it. So, take it and choose to be Armed4Battle! It belongs to you!
Excerpts from this article are taken from Victor Torres‘ book entitled, “Armed for Battle and Destined For Glory!“ It is available through Amazon.com and Armed4Battle.