THE SCARS WITHIN
The Subconscious Mind, Abuse, Trauma, and Healing.
As a believer, one of the things I can’t wrap my mind around is the fact that some people deny the existence of God despite all the great signs in our environment—the sky, the solar system, and even in us as humans.
There is no way a Big Bang could have strategically crafted all these structures together, and most importantly, God’s masterpiece, which is man. There are certain details in the human body that, again and again, affirm the existence of God, and one of them is the human mind.
The human mind is a beautifully crafted feature in humans, which includes different layers, according to psychologists: the conscious mind, the preconscious mind, and the unconscious mind, which is also referred to as the subconscious mind by laymen.
The subconscious mind operates beneath conscious awareness, shaping thoughts, behaviors, emotions, and decisions beyond our direct control. Personally, I’m always in awe of how the subconscious mind works ‘cause why is it deeper than the deepest well in Ilorin? 😅
The subconscious mind is full of the issues of life, just like the conscious mind, and God created it to inform our actions, which over time become habits and influence our destiny according to His will. But just like the conscious mind can be messed up, the subconscious mind can also be corrupted, affecting our desires, decisions, and actions.
This is the result of the devil’s influence—the one who always seeks to corrupt what God creates and manipulate its usage. The unpleasant fact about the inconsistencies in the subconscious mind that shape children, teenagers, youths, and adults is that they are hard to detect because of the depth of the subconscious mind.
This is why many of us have carried hurts, traumas, and deep wounds within us for so long without even realizing it. Yet, these hidden scars continue to shape our actions, influence our decisions, and direct the course of our lives. But how do these scars find their way into our subconscious mind?
Abuse
The scars within are usually caused by abuses we experienced at some point in our lives. Abuse refers to any event or pattern of events involving controlling, forceful, threatening behavior, or violence. These abuses can be either physical or verbal.
For some, it is growing up under a parent who constantly curses them and speaks ill words that ruin their self-esteem. For others, it’s sexual assault by someone older than them. For some, it is a case of rape.
For another group, it’s not about them being abused but growing up in an environment of abuse, like having parents who are always at war—what you would call a dysfunctional family. All these forms of abuse contribute to the formation of hurt and trauma. They don't just happen and disappear. They leave traces that don't fade easily, and this is where trauma begins.
Trauma
An event of abuse is the mother of trauma. These events pierce the heart and mind, and recurring ones are usually the most gruesome. It’s like killing a bird with a blunt knife, leaving deep scars.
Scars on the outside are permanent marks on the skin caused by the healing of a wound—I’ve got one on my forehead—while scars within are marks on the mind caused by bitter events of abuse. The scars on the mind are not marks that reveal a healed wound but marks that reveal a need for healing. They are marks that have been there for a long time.
These scars grow to become more hurtful than the events that placed them there, and they control victims like spirits and demons. These scars have the tendency to replace the Word of God in shaping perspectives and worldviews.
Many people struggle to choose love because of scars left by past wounds. But thank God, the scars in this context are somewhat visible to the observant ones around the victim.
There are certain scars in the deepest parts of the subconscious mind that have been masked by activism. These scars are hard to notice. Many people preach and speak against bad actions—as they should—but their speech is produced by an abandoned and rotten scar within. However, no matter how rotten it gets, there is always a way out.
Healing
You don’t have to carry these scars anymore, dear one. You do not have to carry this baggage heavy enough to cripple you. This is not who God wants you to be.
You were not created for trauma. You were not crafted to become a shadow of your past. You were not formed to look like the abuse you faced or witnessed. And guess what? The scars within can be healed.
They are not meant to be permanent like many of the scars on the skin. It is God’s will for you to be healed. Sit still today, meditate, and check your subconscious mind to see if there is any scar on your mind—then embark on a journey of healing and wholeness.
I’m rooting for you.
Do well to subscribe if you found this insightful. You can also share your opinions on this topic using the comment feature. If there is anyone around you struggling with trauma, send this to them. Stay tuned, as I'll address the topic of healing in my next posts.
Smart’s Insights 💡
Yessir!
I just saw this in Leviticus 21, and if anything, this practice reinforces the fact that healing is a priority for God.
This is not who God wants us to be,we are not created for that,stood out for me. ✨😊👍