Correcting Misbeliefs
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
Trigger Warning: This post discusses trauma and abuse.
Introduction
Trauma can have a profound impact on our lives, shaping our beliefs, perceptions, and behaviors in ways that may not always align with reality. When we experience trauma, our minds may form misbeliefs as a coping mechanism to make sense of the painful experiences we have endured. These misbeliefs can range from self-blame and feelings of worthlessness to distrust in others and a distorted view of the world around us. If left unchallenged, these misbeliefs can hinder our healing journey and keep us stuck in a cycle of emotional pain. Therefore, identifying and correcting the misbeliefs that stem from trauma is a crucial step in the healing process, allowing us to reclaim our lives and move forward with a more accurate and empowering understanding of ourselves and the world.
My Personal Experience
This is where I was this week, working through my own misbeliefs in therapy. I won’t get into the details of what I was processing this week because I don’t want to trigger anyone; however, I will tell you that it had to do with feeling betrayed by someone who was supposed to protect me as a child. This experience led me to explore the healing process and how it relates to correcting misbeliefs formed from trauma.
The Healing Process
Part of the healing process is reconnecting the parts of the shattered memory so that it can be properly stored in long-term memory. When we experience trauma, it overwhelms our nervous systems’ ability to process it, which is the very definition of trauma. As a result, all the data (such as procedural, episodic, declarative, emotional, and sensory) from the experience is corrupted and stored as separate pieces of the file in different parts of the body.
The work of therapy is to pull together those parts from wherever they are stored, compress the file size by releasing the emotions, and correct the corrupted beliefs that were formed by not telling ourselves the right story about the situation. Sometimes, our brains protect us by not allowing us to remember the situation (visual), but the rest of the parts are available to us. It might be like listening to a podcast rather than watching a video.
Accessing and Reframing Memories
That is what I was doing this week. My therapist and I were using a methodology called brainspotting to access the parts of the memory that I did have in the hopes of excavating the part that I did not have so that I could reconnect it and send it to long-term memory as part of my story. It is definitely a work in progress.
I was able to connect the audio of the situation to the beliefs that formed based on the story I told myself to make meaning of the situation. When you are a child trying to make sense of something that is beyond your maturity level at the time, and there is no one to help you reframe the situation, it is not unusual for us to create stories that do not align with the truth.
The Impact of False Assumptions
Because this situation happened with the most important authority figure in my life at that time, my father, I made an assumption about all authority figures. Since my father didn’t protect me (he abused me) and didn’t show up for me, I assumed that all authority figures would do the same thing. This is called a “Type II error” in the field of statistics, which means accepting a false hypothesis as true. In other words, I took something that was true (he abused me, didn’t protect me, and didn’t show up for me) and perceived that everyone in authority would be like that. As you can imagine, this false assumption/belief has had a tremendous negative impact on most, but not all, of my relationships with authority figures in my life…and there are a lot of them.
When my hypervigilance superpower detects the same characteristics that my father modeled as an authority figure (untrustworthy, narcissistic, not dependable, powermonger, authoritarian, hypocritical, etc.), it triggers this belief…all authority figures are like that…which is not true.
Trust me, this belief can get you into a world of trouble in the workplace. But beyond that, and perhaps more importantly, it causes havoc with the most important authority in my life…God. There is a reason that God puts His finger on areas of my life and insists that I “renew my mind”…because my belief does not properly align with His character.
Reframing with Scripture
In order to renew my mind, I have to reframe the situation based on scripture. If what we believe does not align with the truth of scripture, it is our belief that needs to change, not scripture. God’s Word is true…it is ALWAYS true. It provides us with the one source of truth that we can depend on. In that one source of truth, God reveals His character to us.
I love this part of the healing process: helping my younger parts interpret the situation differently by reframing it with the truths of scripture. I can’t tell you the countless times I have done this during my healing journey. For example, even though I felt very much alone during the abuse, I was never alone. How do I know that? Because scripture tells me:
“For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5b-6)
And if you are still doubting, here is some more evidence:
- Deuteronomy 31:6 — “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
- Joshua 1:9 — “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Psalm 23:4 — “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
- Isaiah 41:10 — “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
- Matthew 28:20 — “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
- John 14:16–17 — “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
- Romans 8:38–39 — “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
These verses serve as a powerful reminder that God is always with us, no matter what challenges or circumstances we may face in life.
God’s Authority and Human Authority
So, what does the Bible have to say about authority?
- Romans 13:1–2 — “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.”
- 1 Peter 2:13–14 — “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.”
- Titus 3:1 — “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work.”
- Hebrews 13:17 — “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
- Matthew 28:18 — “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’”
- Ephesians 6:1–3 — “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’”
These verses suggest that authority is established by God and that Christians should submit to and honor those in positions of authority, including government officials, church leaders, and parents. However, the Bible also makes it clear that God’s authority is ultimate, and if there is a conflict between human authority and God’s commands, Christians are called to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).
Conclusion
God is the ultimate authority, and He has delegated His authority to flawed people. Leaders will be held accountable for how they used that authority. The presence of God as an authority figure and understanding of His character shows me that my assumption/belief that ALL authority was like my father was incorrect. This is the power of the reframe.
I have found that correcting a misbelief in the initial record in my mind’s database is like a find/replace function in the rest of my database. It is pretty amazing. By identifying and correcting misbeliefs formed from trauma, we can make significant progress in our healing journey. Scripture provides a solid foundation for this process, helping us align our beliefs with the truth of God’s character and His unwavering presence in our lives.
