Trot for TBI

Patience is a common issue when facing a traumatic brain injury. The Air Force Center for Medical Excellence lists “irritability” as a long term effect of a TBI, among many other symptoms which can vary from survivor to survivor. Not every case experiences the same symptoms at the same level of severity. Every survivor in the civilian world also handles recovery differently; cases relating to survivors in the military also vary. Frustration and impatience can be two other feeling which may not be unusual. I would like to share a few passages which I find very reassuring.

Psalm 37:7-11 states:

“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
Do not get upset because of one who is successful in his way,
Because of the person who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and abandon wrath;
Do not get upset; it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be eliminated,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
Yet a little while and the wicked person will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.”

The Lord is has plans for us. Accordingly, Jeremiah 37:11-13 (NASB) promises:

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

He is present even when we are otherwise alone, whether it is at a gym or in the jungle. Injustice may be something that is not necessarily unusual to see on the battlefield (either on land or at sea), but the Lord has a promise for those circumstances as well.

Psalms 37:28 states:

“For the Lord loves justice
And does not abandon His godly ones;
They are protected forever,
But the descendants of the wicked will be eliminated.”

Furthermore, Psalms 37:38-40 reassures:

“But wrongdoers will altogether be destroyed;
The future of the wicked will be eliminated.
But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength in time of trouble.
The Lord helps them and rescues them;
He rescues them from the wicked and saves them,
Because they take refuge in Him.”

I also find Psalm 34, as a whole (vs. 1-22) to be comforting.

“I will praise the Lord at all times;
His praise will always be on my lips.
I will boast in the Lord;
the humble will hear and be glad.
Proclaim Yahweh’s greatness with me;
let us exalt His name together.

I sought the Lord, and He answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him are radiant with joy;
their faces will never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him from all his troubles.
The Angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear Him, and rescues them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!
You who are His holy ones, fear Yahweh,
for those who fear Him lack nothing.
Young lions lack food and go hungry,
but those who seek the Lord
will not lack any good thing.

Come, children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is the man who delights in life,
loving a long life to enjoy what is good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from deceitful speech.
Turn away from evil and do what is good;
seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and His ears are open to their cry for help.
The face of the Lord is set
against those who do what is evil,
to erase all memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
and delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
He saves those crushed in spirit.

Many adversities come to the one who is righteous,
but the Lord delivers him from them all.
He protects all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
The Lord redeems the life of His servants,
and all who take refuge in Him will not be punished.”

Christ has witnessed all of your challenges and He is a great listener.