Day's Journey

MASH

Posted by Elizabeth Rene Gutierrez on

Building Your Army

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
James 5:16‭, ‬19‭-‬20 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/jas.5.16-20.NIV

paramedics sitting at the back of an ambulance
Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

The Church is a spiritual MASH Unit, a hospital for the sick; Jesus told the Pharisees those who were not ill didn’t need a doctor. We all have a disease called sin and need saving and healing. The Church was never a country club for perfect people; it is full of sinners loving and accepting one another, as Christ accepts those who come to His Cross in response to His call from the mouths of His servants to the hearts of sinners through grace and truth. Repentance is a gift from God; Jesus Christ is the One who is Perfect, and He is the Great Priest, not the Pope. Satan is the accuser, and he whispers in our ears the shame of our past to keep us imprisoned, or he uses people to accuse God’s children, thus keeping many from receiving salvation for their sins. After multiple traumas, I stayed away from Church and isolated myself, but I always loved the body of Christ. My trust needle was broken, but a few faithful friends kept me in their prayers and reached out to me, which was a lifeline.

In Prescott, I felt alone and abandoned; however, I did not realize that God surrounded me with godly men and women who helped me in countless ways. One day I went to Links Lake and decided I wanted to walk on the hiking path. It was a weekday, and there were only a few men fishing, and I sat on a rock, taking pictures of the ducks. It was a beautiful day, and the sounds of nature were so refreshing. I anticipated walking alone because I was still fearful, but needed to face my fears. I asked the men where this path would take me, and one said it was safe and circled around the lake, bringing me back here. As I began my trek, another man hollered, “stay on the path.” When I turned to respond, all three were watching over me. I smiled and thanked the Lord; they were angels watching over me. Another time, I was afraid to leave the house; my friend and neighbor noticed I was isolated again and didn’t go to church. I told her I feared my ex would show up because he learned I was in Prescott. She smiled and reminded me that Prescott was a city of Veterans, and the church was full of soldiers, police officers, and sheriff deputies. She also said some of our neighbors were retired law enforcement. I praised the Lord because I was unaware of His protective hand around me. The Holy Spirit ministered to me and led me to 1 Samuel 18-31, David fled and hid from King Saul, who was trying to kill him, and the Lord sent men of valor to help him. 
These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin): 
1 Chronicles 12:1‭-‬2 NIV 
https://bible.com/bible/111/1ch.12.1-2.NIV
two old wooden boxes with a military helmet on top
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I am delighted to share how God brought people into my life to help me get where I am now and share the resources and library of professional helpers who shared their links with us. We are wounded healers who, by the grace of God, are saved, loved, and accepted not because we are perfect but because He loved us first and died for us, even when we deserved the death penalty; hell. We can’t heal ourselves or live the life God called us to live in isolation; no man is an Island. I love what God is doing and rejoice because He didn’t leave me as a prisoner of war. If we are not living in the freedom of Christ, then we are prisoners of sin, in need of a Savior and His people to help guide us to the life He intended for us, that is, to bring Him glory in everything we do.

Meaningful Relationships are pivotal for growth in the truth and knowledge of God through Jesus Christ. Jesus says, unless the Father draws you to the Son, you cannot come, and unless the Son reveals the Father to you, you won’t know Him. Having a meaningful relationship with Jesus and God is through the Holy Bible, welcoming the Holy Spirit to give you understanding, and enabling you to do the will of God; we can’t do it according to the flesh, nor can we do it alone; we need others. Meaningful relationships encourage growth in Christ Jesus, fellowship with believers, and knowledge; the more you know, the more you grow.

However, if we get meshed with those who don’t have the best intentions for us, we get so entangled we cannot free ourselves, and we need the help of wise counselors to help us unlearn the destructive behaviors and discern those who will lead us away from our Lord. Old Patterns try to sneak in if we are unaware. One day as I was chatting with a potential date on a Christian dating site, the Lord instantly sent a bible verse through my Bible app on my phone. It said, do not befriend an angry man, lest you become ensnared. (Proverbs 22:24). Shortly after I read this verse, this man messaged me and asked for my phone number; he said if I did not give him my number, he would no longer chat with me. I said, “Nice meeting you, and deleted him. I was stunned mainly because the Lord instantly revealed to me the heart of this man and shaken up because I could have entangled myself back into a destructive relationship. I praise God for saving me from destruction. I am praying and waiting for the Lord to bring me to the man after God’s heart.

David’s army were survivors, and we, too, are survivors of trauma in different areas of our lives. We should find friends on common ground. Dear friends and I who have suffered abuse got each other’s backs, and we called ourselves Sword Sharpeners. We don’t have to convince one another that our story is our truth. We also discern when one is overwhelmed and step up to call or send a text message asking how we are doing. We pray for one another or offer to help each other, as God commands. For instance, I’ve been in Freeze mode, unable to do the most minor everyday things. Instead of saying, get over it, or Do it, a friend said, I can help; I understand what you are going through; she was willing to give me the gift of her time and talents. She didn’t do my work for me. She helped me get started and let me finish my work; that is also a way of saying, I believe in you; you got this. After a recent attack, my few comrades, such as my daughter texted me and asked if I was okay; she also blessed me by saying, “Mom, have you been writing?” She knows, by observation, how writing helps me work things out and how writing is my Flow; it gets me unstuck. God gifted us all in areas of service for the good of all humanity. Friends I had not spoken to for a while also called or emailed to check on me; another source of validation is listening and encouragement vital to helping fellow survivors. We don’t need subjective advice but encouragement to raise the warrior within us, and this is where the Resource Page and Library are filled with God’s helpers as well.

When we have Hope, as is a ray of light in the distance, a goal to reach. No matter how small, we can move mountains when we have a plan. Lately, because I’ve been in Freeze mode, I started writing a list of essential tasks I must complete for the day. After I complete each task, I check it off my list and praise God for giving me the strength to do it; the Lord delights in small beginnings. We can sometimes become so overwhelmed that we freeze and procrastinate until forced to do it. Procrastination is a form of Perfectionism and is not only a sin but also debilitating. That is when we must take small steps forward and ask the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to overcome. Now instead of looming at small mounds of things that overwhelm me, I say out loud, I can do all things because Christ gives me strength. And when I need help, I ask God to bring suitable helpers, and I don’t allow pride to keep me from asking for help.

All these things I learned from wise counselors. Proverbs say to seek counsel and follow their instructions. He also says, do we not count the cost before going to war? A King seeks wise counsel before going to war. Kings Ahab and Jehoshaphat became allies and sought counsel. However, King Ahab sought counsel from priests of demons. Jehoshaphat sought godly counsel and sought the Lord. The Lord warned them not to go to war through the prophet, Micaiah, the one Ahab hated because he told the truth. They went to war anyway; Ahab died, and Jehoshaphat was humiliated because he was a people pleaser. When he returned home, the seer, Hanani, said, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate God? (2 Chronicles 18 – 19). It doesn’t matter what trials we face; God is always ready to help us walk through them; He brings people into our lives to fulfill His purpose and remains faithful. After all, He is the Commander and Chief of the LORD’S ARMY.