Church and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
First things first, let's take a look at the church. It is made up of people. I feel sometimes we expect too much from those that attend. They are still just people that have their own pain to deal with, their own baggage that they haul around and their own coping mechanism.
What is DID?
DID is a natural reaction that occurs when a very young child is exposed repeatedly to life-threatening abuse at an early age. I would like for you to picture a beautiful vase, hand-crafted, one of a kind. Now, take a small hammer and tap the vase over and over again. At first it just chips. There might be little shards of the vase at the base. Then larger chunks start to fall. Eventually, the vase is in so many tiny pieces that it feels impossible to ever hope of putting it back together. This would aptly describe the way a person who is diagnosised with DID not only feels; but a word picture of what is going on inside the spirit.
So if a shattered vase is a picture of what child abuse does to a person's spirit; what would wholeness look like? For those with DID it might look like a mobile that hangs from the ceiling. So many parts all working together to maintain balance and harmony. Even though the winds will blow and cause it to swing, the person will learn how to find that balance over and over again. They will gain strength each time and it will become easier and easier.
I have heard over and over again how someone went up to the alter to be prayed over only to be told they were demon-possessed! While it is true sometimes a demon can act like an alter (hey, they can act like an angel of light) not all alters are demons!! Some may be angry teenagers, easily mistaken for demons (as those of you with teens can understand *smile*) It is so important to find a therapist that is willing to work both sides. One that prays for protection and wisdom and balance it with truth and hard work of looking at the memories one at a time and finding peace in each one before moving on to the next.
It is like a huge puzzle. All the pieces are there, but you must flip them over, examine them and try to fit them together. The hard part is the cover to the box is missing... so you have no picture to help you. That is God's job. He brings the pieces to you, in the form of "flash-backs", dreams, tears, and top of the list JOURNALING. Those of you that know me, knew that was coming.
Using King David as our example I find that journaling is the best tool for finding the lost hazy pieces of the puzzle. King David journaled all through the Psalms. He wrote of the sins he committed and he wrote about the sins committed against him. He wrote of his anger towards God, man and life. He wrote praises, sorrow, and joy.
Another example he gives us is that he never wrote about surface stuff, the dail grind. He wrote about feelings. He wrote about memories and how they make him feel now. God has given us a tremendous gift in the Psalms not only to they encourage us when we are feeling lost. But they guide us to wholeness and peace.
The final point I would like to bring up is the power of prayer. At the beginning of this page I wrote that DID could NOT be prayed away. I do not wish to imply that you don't need prayer.. that is very important.
There is one that knows all the pieces. He knows all the parts. He knows how they fit back together. And the best part is; that is His desire. God desires you to reach wholeness, to have peace in your spirit. He promises to finish the work He has started in you. Are you willing to let Him?
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