The purpose of this study is to suggest a Biblical model of posttraumatic growth throughout Joseph’s lifetime. To do so, I studied the traumas and the types that are appeared in Joseph’s life, and I looked into what a biblical model of posttraumat...
The purpose of this study is to suggest a Biblical model of posttraumatic growth throughout Joseph’s lifetime. To do so, I studied the traumas and the types that are appeared in Joseph’s life, and I looked into what a biblical model of posttraumatic growth through the changes of Joseph that are shown by posttraumatic growth is. The results which have occurred through such process are as follows.
First, as the result of the study on the traumas and the types shown throughout Joseph’s life, the traumas of Joseph can be divided into three types: early trauma, trauma in the growth process, and trauma in community. When Joseph was young, he experienced his mother’s death which is a big trauma. The mother’s death which is a trauma experienced by Joseph can be classified into temporary trauma, trauma caused by interpersonal relationship, and type I trauma(i.e. single trauma).
In addition, after all, Joseph was sold as a slave to Egypt due to his father’s favoritism toward him and his dreams which made his brothers feel uncomfortable; he experienced another trauma after his mother’s death. Joseph’s trauma is a temporary and artificial trauma caused by interpersonal relationship; it is a trauma that Joseph was human-trafficked by his brothers.
Joseph who was sold to Egypt is sold again to Potiphar, but he becomes the home manager by getting Potiphar’s trust. However, unfortunately, Potiphar’s wife continuously seduced Joseph, and Joseph refused it firmly. Eventually, she entrapped Joseph as an attempted rapist; Joseph was imprisoned. It seemed that Joseph was restored quiet, but he was imprisoned with a false charge. At this time, he experienced a sequential and repetitious trauma. The trauma Joseph experienced was repetitious trauma, trauma caused by interpersonal relationship, and type II trauma(i.e. multiple trauma).
Second, as the result of the study on the traumas and the types shown throughout Joseph’s life, everybody can experience hardship; however, since the ruminative thinking is a significant factor which is shown in a posttraumatic growth, there is a clear difference on it between Christians and non-Christians. Christians who are grown up through the ruminative process which includes the existence of God cause the changes of the relationship between God and his neighbors, and such changes are expressed as the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit is the life that takes after the life of Jesus and the shortcut that experiences happiness. Also, it helps us to confirm the relationship between God who is the creator and us whom are his creatures; ultimately, the Biblical view on the world is grown through insight and understanding on God in Jesus Christ.
God who gives us blessing through hardship is confirmed again through Joseph’s life in this study. Therefore, it is a very important task to reinterpret the meaning of hardship. As hardship and patience help us bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit at last, the truth that the traumas of human beings make us mature was confirmed in the Bible. Thus, this study has a significant meaning that a Biblical model of posttraumatic growth was suggested for the first time by adapting the posttraumatic growth theory to the Bible. Additionally, it has a meaning that useful basic information for the education and the rogram development which help Christians to be happy while living ore mature self-actualizing lives by experiencing God who is with me in various traumas in lives which Christians experience are provided.