And What of Anguish? Can It Be Healed?

Existing is one part an acquisition and retention of bliss — as a core objective; another part — an opposite paradigm — is the bearing of anguish. Merely being here refers us to both, and often-times both straddle the consciousness of life, which brokers a complex life. Life has always been like this. This is no new phenomenon.

Anguish is about the condition of being human.

When a person looks at their life — and life in their own general context — there are some astounding things to consider, to absorb, and to reconcile. Truth persuades a reading of life that wishes to honour God. A person cannot negate themselves unless they wish to hold off their life — and that’s a perilous thing! (Perilous, because life will very soon sweep us off our feet if we are ill-prepared to honour our incoming truth, for truth happens to all of us!)

Reading ourselves in the midst of our lives is the first crucial step of realising and reconciling our essential anguish. (Anguish that is “essential” lines up with the incoming truths that we find implicitly distressing. And it can be anything.)

We could imagine both general and special anguish.

General anguish is that which is existential — the condition of being human.

Special anguish is related to a causative event, a social situation, or a relational dynamic that impinges us. It blindsides us. We don’t expect its timing. We resent its intent. We are weakened by its ferocity. We begin to doubt our identity. We come to feel so vulnerable that life itself — its existential experience — stops. We become distracted from other cognitions. Our feelings are hijacked. And when all this happens, no wonder we want to give up. The predilection toward despair is palpable.

So, where might the subject of healing for both general and special anguish apply?

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Honouring the essential characteristics of truth in our reality seems the datum point for healing. Truth starts us off. To approach the truth — albeit, painfully felt, which we are tempted to avoid — is to approach the gateway for healing.

God cannot get in and give us a healing if we are not open to our truth.

The Spirit of the Lord is available, availing, and all-powerful to heal us of our anguish. Simply knowing this is the second step.

Honouring our truth is faith. Knowing God is healer is strength. Stepping into pain is courage. Persisting with spiritual discomfort is endurance. Endurance is maturity. Choosing joy is hope.

© 2015 S. J. Wickham.