Damaged People

Having done prison ministry, dealt with mental illness in people, seen the consequences of dysfunctional families, and more, it is easy to see how people can be damaged physically, psychologically, and spiritually. It is a bit harder to see myself as “damaged”, but I know I truly am. In this world, we have a steady stream of negative influences coming at us. What hope is there? Is there hope for everybody?

Let us start with nature. The Bible informs us of “sinful human nature”. You don’t have to be a genius to observe it. The Bible says that we are conceived as sinners. (Psalm 51:5) I’m sure that this issue is genetic. We are not created anew at conception. We inherit the flaws of our forebearers. The worst of which is sinful human nature which produces three things that God did not create: a mind that cannot accept the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:14), a proclivity to act against the will of God–sin (Romans 7), and the ability to die both physically and spiritually (Genesis 3:3). These things are common to us all and therefore seem “normal”, but they are all damage.

Then there is the more recent genetic damage that we pass along. Genetic disease, loss of function, errors that accumulate. We are not evolving. We are devolving. Only better diet and advances in medicine are keeping us ahead of this. We are losing genetic information made by our Creator.

Then there is “nurture”. Not every parent is great, and no one is perfect. Some of the flaws and ignorance inflicted on people by their parents is learned from the generation before them and could go on for many generations.

There is damage inflicted on some by the society around them. Our sinful nature causes us to be clannish and to be prejudiced or to persecute smaller or weaker groups. The financial and psychological damage can be multi-generational.

Then there is our personal story outside of our families. Being bullied both verbally and physically can leave a mark. Living in a nation that is governed by fear will leave a mark. Growing up in a war zone, or poverty, or high crime will hurt. Another family trauma is divorce. Trauma of any sort can either be constructively dealt with or leave us negatively altered.

Still, not done. What of the role of Satan’s kingdom? Lacking the shelter of the Kingdom of God, people are vulnerable because Satan hates humanity in response to God’s love for humanity.

Damage manifests itself in a long litany of problems: mental illness, physical illness, anxiety, selfishness, prejudice, greed, sexual perversion, overblown pride, lack of judgment or restraint, broken relationships, all varieties of sin, and worse of all–damnation.

Is it any wonder that we are damaged people? Is there hope for us? Yes, hope at many levels. It starts with recognizing that we need help.

Good parenting and good education can certainly curb some of the damage. This is true for all people. These things are the panacea of those who don’t believe there can be help from God. Parenting and education won’t go far enough.

It makes sense in the repair of anything that going to the original designer is going to be the best. This is abundantly true when the designer is God. It is also massively important that God cares. Our damage is not indicative of how God feels about us.

³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35-39 (ESV)

How God feels about us as a species is indicated in His most critical action on our behalf: the incarnation of the Son of God, the fulfillment of His Law by Jesus, and the absorption of the worst consequence of our sin–being forsaken by God (i.e. damnation). How God feels about us as an individual is found in that God wants all to be saved and that God is trying or has succeeded in getting through our stiff resistance to His truth.

When God gets through to us and we are baptized into a connection with Christ, all the eternal damage immediately falls away. We will be completely restored to better than original design upon death. The more immediate problems can also begin to be conquered.

We are forgiven, so we can absorb God’s ability to forgive. Soon, we can understand and forgive all the trauma inflicted on us. We can then deal with people where they are in their struggle with damage. Don’t see them just as they are. Try to see them as they can be if renewed by God. That is where their value lies.

We can start to manifest the qualities of God rather than the qualities formed by our damage.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23(ESV)

These qualities come from God but emerge strongly as we pursue them. In fact, some of our damaging experiences can be turned around to produce some of the more difficult and coveted qualities.

²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

These changes in us can become good things we pass along through good relationships and good parenting.

Physical damage including damage to our brains that manifest as mental illness, addiction, dysmorphia, problems of sexual identity, or sexual orientation can also change but are much tougher and more entrenched. Finding their root cause and confronting it can help. Some things we may need to carry to the grave, but we can carry it in a new way. Damage is not just victimization. It can be an identity that we choose to embrace. It becomes the sin of what we are. Instead, we need to understand it and repent. I will have my sinful nature in all of its manifestations until I physically die, but I confess it as wrong before God, and work with God to keep it as contained as possible. Is that denying who I am? Nope. My identity is connected to what I will be and not my damage.

Are there people who are damaged beyond hope? I still believe that anybody can repent and be saved. Entrenched sin can be overcome and/or contained. Sadly, this won’t happen for all or even a majority. The world will remain a damaged place until Jesus comes again. But victory over damage can be yours.