Rev. Klockers: A loving God, stay-at-home and mental health

The words of an unknown author: “I think the best thing I ever did in my adult life was start digging deep and asking myself why I am the way I am and do things the way I do. It takes a ton of work and intentionality but getting to know yourself on a deeper level will help you thrive.”

We are all shaped by our past, what we have experienced early on and how we responded. This would include encountering specific behaviors or events, our overall upbringing, how we were once treated by others and how we treated them. These formative things have contributed to the shape of our current reality.

Some behaviors resulting from past events we have ultimately outgrown. How we have resolved and moved beyond them carries lessons that we may have learned to apply elsewhere.

Some we have largely discarded but there may still be a remnant; lying dormant, only becoming active again during times of stress.

Some may be a large part of our current patterns. If they are negative, perhaps we may have never seriously confronted them? The good news is that it is never too late to do so.

Except for essential workers, the vast majority of us have been obeying the imposed stay-at-home order.

One of the challenges we now face is a stress that we may never have encountered before. People react differently to stress. On the extreme, some may exhibit behaviors that threaten the safety of those whom they love. It may be grounded upon an unpleasant past that has remained unresolved.

I do believe that God is a God of love. I believe that God forgives our sins. However, I also believe that God’s forgiveness does not excuse – or give a license to – the continuation of certain behaviors that place others in harm’s way.

If this is where you find yourself, a licensed counselor is just a phone call away. Yes, it takes courage to do so, but this is the way to confront the past, identify demons, and relearn ways that may begin to bring about your own healing.

Walter is pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church and has served as parish pastor for more than 30 years.