Page 181 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 5

Trauma Recovery Training at a Seminary? Introducing Global Trauma Recovery Institute

beings power to influence people and events. public display of them, having triumphed over
His original command implies power in the them through the cross” – or, having triumphed
creature – “be fruitful, subdue, and rule over”. through being subject to their abuse of power.
We were intended from the beginning to ex- He took power over all power by way of subjec-
press the self out into the world, to know and tion to the abusive power of humans! When He
be known, to love and be loved. We were also left this earth, He left us with the words – “ALL
designed to have an impact on the world and power is given unto me…and you shall receive
each other. We were meant to have influence, to power”. It is a similar dynamic to creation – I
regulate, to create and to govern. We were in- have all power and I choose to share it with you.
tended to live in a way that would let the world You are meant to be powerful in this world.
know we had been there. We were not meant to Understanding the Scriptural origin of power
be invisible, ineffective or helpless. God had left means when I sit with one of my clients I keep
His stamp on the world and on His creatures. in mind that all power is derivative. Every drop
We, as those created in His image, were meant of power I hold, by virtue of my education, my
to do the same. knowledge, my role, or my position has been gi-
Power is heady stuff for finite creatures and like ven to me in trust by the one who holds all po-
both voice and relationship it has been destroy- wer. It also means that I will use that power as
ed by the fall. You do not have to look very far a servant, not of the power, but of the God who
to find abuses of power or signs of the corrup- gave it. Christ said, “I am come not to do my
tion that often comes with having it. It is fasci- own will nor to seek my own glory”. Whenever
nating to study the place and use of power in a creature uses power for his own will or glory
the Scriptures and in the life of Jesus. Human that is power abused. The state of heart, or the
beings usually hold on tightly to whatever po- character, manifested by the Son of the Father
wer they have and attempt to acquire more. Iro- should abound in those who follow Him. He
nically, the One who said, “ALL power is given showed us that creature power is to be power
unto me” began His relationship with His crea- humbly held in love to God and to others. Its
tures by sharing power. He is the power through sole purpose is that it should be used for the
whom all things came into being and He is the glory of God and the good of others. Any use
power who sustains all things. From that posi- of power not subject to the Word of God writ-
tion He says, “Here, take some of this and use it ten or made flesh is a wrong use no matter how
to subdue, rule and impact”. How unlike us! All good the goal.
through the Old Testament we see the power of An understanding of power clinically also
God displayed and the power of God shared. means that those who come to me powerless,
Some took the power they were given and used through being crushed or through their own
it wisely and well – for the good of the people abdication, need to learn of the power given to
and for the glory of God. Others took the po- them by the God of all power. Those who come
wer they had been given, sought more than was to me having been abusive of the power they
given and used it for them selves, destroying hold need to learn the derivative nature of that
others and dishonoring God. And then there is power. Both parties need to learn that any use
Jesus, who walked away from glorious, infinite, of power not subject to the Word of God writ-
uncorrupted power and became flesh. He emp- ten and made flesh will result in destruction.
tied Himself of that which was rightfully His
and became a servant. A servant is by definiti- EMOTIONS
on one who is yielded to the power of another The understanding of emotions that seems to
to do their will. Jesus lived subject to the will of prevail in the Christian community is fran-
the Father in all things. In doing so, He bowed kly often appalling. That understanding is not
to the abusive power of others. Paul makes a based on a study of the Scriptures, or of the
statement so strange to human ears – “When Person of Christ, neither is it based on a stu-
Jesus had disarmed the rulers and authorities dy of human beings. Hence, great damage is
(disarmed? They crushed Him), He made a done to people and to relationships. Emotions

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