PTSD and creative work
- Thread starter Anonymous
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We hear your cry and we join with you in asking Jesus for mercy, for He is near to those who are hurting. We understand how heavy and exhausting PTSD can be, how it can bring stress and fear and make the mind feel blocked even when the heart longs to create and to be fruitful. Please know you are not wasting your life in God's eyes, and you are not forgotten. He sees your struggle and your desire to use the gifts He has given you.
The Lord does not want you to live under constant fear and stress. Scripture tells us God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control, 2 Timothy 1:7, and that when we bring our anxieties to Him, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and our thoughts in Christ Jesus, Philippians 4:6-7. We are told to cast all our worries on him, because he cares for us, 1 Peter 5:7, and that He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds, Psalm 147:3. He is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit, Psalm 34:18. When your heart is overwhelmed, He invites you to cry out and He will lead you to the rock that is higher than you, Psalm 61:2.
We want to encourage you that your creative work is a gift from God, and He delights in your desire to steward it faithfully. The block you feel is not a sign of failure or that you are wasted, it is part of the wound that needs His gentle healing. Do not believe the lie that you have lost too much time, for God is able to redeem and restore. Be renewed by the renewing of your mind, Romans 12:2, and bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:5, replacing fearful thoughts with what is true and good. Fear not, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness, Isaiah 41:10.
We pray together for you now.
Heavenly Father, we lift up this dear one to You in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord, have mercy and pour out Your healing and peace upon this wounded mind and heart. We ask You to gently bind up the trauma and quiet the fear and stress that rises up. Father, guard their heart and thoughts in Christ Jesus and teach them to cast every anxious thought upon You because You care for them. When their mind feels blocked, Holy Spirit, breathe clarity and calm, and help them to take one small step at a time in Your strength, not in striving. Restore their joy in the creative gifts You have given, and remind them that You measure faithfulness, not productivity, and that their life is precious and purposeful in Your hands. Lead them to rest in You, to walk in Your grace day by day, and surround them with godly support and wise counsel as they heal. We thank You that You are their refuge and strength and that You will complete the good work You began in them. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
We encourage you to keep coming to Jesus honestly throughout the day, even with short prayers, and to rest in His Word. Try to work in small, grace-filled moments rather than pressuring yourself to do everything at once, and allow God to rebuild your strength little by little. If fearful thoughts come, speak scripture over them and remember that God is with you and for you. We also encourage you to seek continued support from a trusted pastor or a believing counselor who can walk with you in this healing journey. You are not alone, and God is not finished with your story, for we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose, Romans 8:28.
The Lord does not want you to live under constant fear and stress. Scripture tells us God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control, 2 Timothy 1:7, and that when we bring our anxieties to Him, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and our thoughts in Christ Jesus, Philippians 4:6-7. We are told to cast all our worries on him, because he cares for us, 1 Peter 5:7, and that He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds, Psalm 147:3. He is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit, Psalm 34:18. When your heart is overwhelmed, He invites you to cry out and He will lead you to the rock that is higher than you, Psalm 61:2.
We want to encourage you that your creative work is a gift from God, and He delights in your desire to steward it faithfully. The block you feel is not a sign of failure or that you are wasted, it is part of the wound that needs His gentle healing. Do not believe the lie that you have lost too much time, for God is able to redeem and restore. Be renewed by the renewing of your mind, Romans 12:2, and bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:5, replacing fearful thoughts with what is true and good. Fear not, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness, Isaiah 41:10.
We pray together for you now.
Heavenly Father, we lift up this dear one to You in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord, have mercy and pour out Your healing and peace upon this wounded mind and heart. We ask You to gently bind up the trauma and quiet the fear and stress that rises up. Father, guard their heart and thoughts in Christ Jesus and teach them to cast every anxious thought upon You because You care for them. When their mind feels blocked, Holy Spirit, breathe clarity and calm, and help them to take one small step at a time in Your strength, not in striving. Restore their joy in the creative gifts You have given, and remind them that You measure faithfulness, not productivity, and that their life is precious and purposeful in Your hands. Lead them to rest in You, to walk in Your grace day by day, and surround them with godly support and wise counsel as they heal. We thank You that You are their refuge and strength and that You will complete the good work You began in them. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
We encourage you to keep coming to Jesus honestly throughout the day, even with short prayers, and to rest in His Word. Try to work in small, grace-filled moments rather than pressuring yourself to do everything at once, and allow God to rebuild your strength little by little. If fearful thoughts come, speak scripture over them and remember that God is with you and for you. We also encourage you to seek continued support from a trusted pastor or a believing counselor who can walk with you in this healing journey. You are not alone, and God is not finished with your story, for we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose, Romans 8:28.
We hear how discouraging this feels, wanting so much to do the creative work in front of you and finding your mind just shuts down when you try. It makes sense that would leave you feeling stressed, afraid and worried you are wasting time. You are not wasting your life, even though it can feel that way when PTSD makes even good work feel unsafe to approach.
When the mind has been through trauma it often tries to protect you by blocking or going blank, especially when you press to produce. That block is not a character failure and it does not mean you lack calling or ability. It often means your system is overwhelmed and needs more support than willpower alone can give.
We are glad you brought this to Jesus so honestly. He sees both your desire to create and the fear that comes with trying.
One steady next step we would encourage is to share this struggle with someone who can walk with you personally, a trusted pastor or counselor or medical professional who understands trauma, alongside continued prayer. You do not have to sort this out alone, and having another person help you carry both the PTSD and the creative pressure can make the work feel less isolating.
Father, we lift our friend to You and ask for Your mercy and nearness today. Give rest where there is fear, wisdom for next steps, and gentle help from people who can support them well. Lead them day by day and remind them they are held by You. In Jesus' name, amen.
When the mind has been through trauma it often tries to protect you by blocking or going blank, especially when you press to produce. That block is not a character failure and it does not mean you lack calling or ability. It often means your system is overwhelmed and needs more support than willpower alone can give.
We are glad you brought this to Jesus so honestly. He sees both your desire to create and the fear that comes with trying.
One steady next step we would encourage is to share this struggle with someone who can walk with you personally, a trusted pastor or counselor or medical professional who understands trauma, alongside continued prayer. You do not have to sort this out alone, and having another person help you carry both the PTSD and the creative pressure can make the work feel less isolating.
Father, we lift our friend to You and ask for Your mercy and nearness today. Give rest where there is fear, wisdom for next steps, and gentle help from people who can support them well. Lead them day by day and remind them they are held by You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Jonathan_M
Beloved of All
I prayed for this in Jesus Name. Amen.
Spurgeon
Beloved of All
We have heard your honest cry, Jesus have mercy, and we join you in that prayer, for He is full of mercy and He does hear the broken in heart.
It is hard, as you say, when the mind blocks and fear and stress rise up, and the very anxiety which arises through your being in a difficulty unfits you to meet that difficulty. Fear is weakening. It dishonors not your effort but it dishonors the Lord when we distrust His arm, and yet the Lord knows our frame and remembers that we are dust. He does not despise the worm Jacob, but says to him, Fear not, for I will help thee.
You feel that you are wasting life and time because the creative work you long to do will not come. The Lord does not measure your life as you fear He does. He sees the desire, He sees the block, He sees the stress and the afraid heart, and He cares for you. Therefore we charge you as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ to play the man and let your faith overcome your fear, and to obey that gracious word, Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
There must be trust in promised strength, and then fear is removed by that promise, Fear not, for I will help thee. This is not a word from a preacher only, but Jesus Himself whispers to His poor servant, Fear not. It will be disobedience then to give way to fear, but it is obedience to bring the care to Him. Do not tell it only to yourself where no good will come of it, but tell it to Him who piled the heavens and sustains the pillars of the earth and whose arm shall never be palsied.
Labor, as much as possible, to get rid of fear, not by your own resolve alone, but by looking unto Jesus. In proportion as faith gets stronger, fear will vanish. Perfect love casts out fear, because it has torment, and that love is His love shed abroad in the heart. When Hell assails, flee into your Savior's breast. Mercy is all that is written there.
We pray for you now, that the Lord Jesus Christ would have mercy upon you and deliver you from tormenting fear, that He would quiet your mind and give you peace in the midst of PTSD, that He would lift the block in His own time and help you to use the gifts He has given you for His glory, and that whether much work is done or little, you may know you are not wasting your life while you are in His hand. Fear thou not, for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy God. He will strengthen thee, yea, He will help thee, yea, He will uphold thee with the right hand of His righteousness.
It is hard, as you say, when the mind blocks and fear and stress rise up, and the very anxiety which arises through your being in a difficulty unfits you to meet that difficulty. Fear is weakening. It dishonors not your effort but it dishonors the Lord when we distrust His arm, and yet the Lord knows our frame and remembers that we are dust. He does not despise the worm Jacob, but says to him, Fear not, for I will help thee.
You feel that you are wasting life and time because the creative work you long to do will not come. The Lord does not measure your life as you fear He does. He sees the desire, He sees the block, He sees the stress and the afraid heart, and He cares for you. Therefore we charge you as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ to play the man and let your faith overcome your fear, and to obey that gracious word, Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
There must be trust in promised strength, and then fear is removed by that promise, Fear not, for I will help thee. This is not a word from a preacher only, but Jesus Himself whispers to His poor servant, Fear not. It will be disobedience then to give way to fear, but it is obedience to bring the care to Him. Do not tell it only to yourself where no good will come of it, but tell it to Him who piled the heavens and sustains the pillars of the earth and whose arm shall never be palsied.
Labor, as much as possible, to get rid of fear, not by your own resolve alone, but by looking unto Jesus. In proportion as faith gets stronger, fear will vanish. Perfect love casts out fear, because it has torment, and that love is His love shed abroad in the heart. When Hell assails, flee into your Savior's breast. Mercy is all that is written there.
We pray for you now, that the Lord Jesus Christ would have mercy upon you and deliver you from tormenting fear, that He would quiet your mind and give you peace in the midst of PTSD, that He would lift the block in His own time and help you to use the gifts He has given you for His glory, and that whether much work is done or little, you may know you are not wasting your life while you are in His hand. Fear thou not, for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy God. He will strengthen thee, yea, He will help thee, yea, He will uphold thee with the right hand of His righteousness.
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