Traumatic experiences are unwelcome, intruders that leave deep scars on the hearts and mind of those touches.
Weather is a child who has experienced abuse, a parent, struggling with the impact of witnessing their child suffer, or professional who bears the weight of others pain in their line of work, the aftermath of trauma can be overwhelming.
But I miss the darkness. There is a source of light, comfort, and healing, that transcends the human understanding -faith in God.
Trauma shakes the very foundation of our lives, and often leads us to feelings of isolation, hopelessness, and sometimes questioning the presence of God in the midst of such pain. it creates a deep scent of disconnection not only from others, but also from God. Many perceive, this distant or absence when we experience. It’s why people when they’re struggling feel like they’re struggling all alone, even when numerous people tell them we’re here for you.
The emotional and psychological impact of trauma challenge us all, it leads us to wrestle with difficult questions: “Why is this happening to me? Where is God? Does God even care? All questions I’ve asked in the past.
The Bible is rich with examples of individuals who faced immense suffering, and found their strength through the solace in the relationship with God. These accounts serve as powerful reminders that trauma, is not foreign to God’s people, but more importantly that God is intimately aware of an involved in our healing process.
If we look at the book of Job, we see Joe’s life was marked by tremendous loss, his family, his wealth, and his health. Yet, in the middle of his anguish, Job remained steadfast on his faith. He questioned, he lamented, and he even despaired, but he never turned away from God, even when his “friends” were judging him for his actions. JT us they’re in the face of unimaginable pain, maintaining a relationship with God and provide a foundation for endurance and eventual restoration.
With all the trauma in my life I chose to not follow God at times even hating him for what I went through, not only for the things I had no control over, but also for the things I chose to do to myself. It took me over 30 years to come to my senses and wake up to the fact that God was the answer not the cause. I’m not sure it was stupidity or stubbornness that kept me blind to this fact this long. I have always had the mentality that “I can do it all by myself, I don’t need anyone’s help.”
King David is often referred to as “a man after God’s own heart.” Yet he experienced significant traumas throughout his life, including betrayal, loss, and the constant threat of death. The Psalms are filled with raw expressions of pain and confusion. In Psalm 22 David cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? This statement echoes, the feelings of abandonment and despair that mini trauma survivors experience. In David’s darkest moments He continually turned to God, and seeker His presence while trusting in His goodness. The Psalms are not only a testament to David’s faith, but also an affirmation that God welcomes our honest emotions, including our anger, fear, and doubt.
While, sometimes our drama can feel like the end of the world, faith in God assures us that it’s not the final word. Jesus is suffering on the cross with the ultimate victory over Sin and death, so can our pain teach us there is a deeper experience of God‘s grace, and a greater capacity for empathy and compassion for others.
Romans 8:28 tells us,
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
This doesn’t mean that trauma is good, but it does affirm that God come bring good out of even the most painful experiences.
Understanding trauma through spiritual winds means, recognizing that our suffering is not overlooked by God. Instead, it is acknowledged, met with compassion and woven into His greater plan for our lives.
Faith plays across the role in the healing process for those of us who have experienced trauma. Faith is not just a belief in God’s existence, but a deep personal relationship with a loving and compassionate Creator.
The aftermath of trauma, the path to healing can often feel insurmountable. The emotional, psychological, and even physical toll can drain us. Faith becomes a indispensable source of strength that provides resilience and hope which offers as a foundation to which we can rebuild and recover.
Human strength, while admirable, is inherently finite. It is subject to the limit of our physical bodies, the bounds of our emotional endurance, and the constraint of our psychological resilience. Trauma its very nature can push these limits to a breaking point, leading us feeling depleted, weak, and incapable of moving forward. The strength that comes from having faith in God becomes essential.
Divine strength is different from human strength and several key ways. First of all it’s inexhaustible. Where human strength falters, God’s strength is always available and never diminishes. Isaiah 40:29-31 captures this concept:
“He gives power to the weak. He increases strength of him who has no might. Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall. But those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not be weary. They will walk and not faint.”
This promise ensures us that no matter how drained we may feel God strength is sufficient to sustain us.
Divine strength is not contingent on our circumstances. Human strength, often abs and flows, depending on our environment, our emotions, and our physical condition, but God’s strength is constant and unchanging. It is not dependent on how we feel or what we are going through. It is wicked and God, eternal nature, which is steadfast and unmovable.
This means that even in the our darkest moments of trauma when everything else seems uncertain and chaotic, we can trust that God’s strength remains a reliable source of support.
Leaning on God’s strength involves more than just acknowledging His power, it requires an active and intentional reliance on Him. It begins with an attitude of humility, recognizing our own limitations and the need for divine intervention.
This can seem difficult, especially for those who are used to being self reliant, to admit that they need help.
Scripture encourages us to cast our burdens on the Lord, knowing that He cares for us and is willing to carry the load that we cannot bear on our own.
When we consciously surrender our struggles to God and asked for His strength to face each day, He is able to lead us and guide us to our healing. This involves immersing ourselves in the scripture, finding comfort and encouragement in the verses that remind us of God‘s power and faithfulness.
We can surround ourselves with a faith community that supports us and reminds us of God‘s promises when we are too weary to hold onto them ourselves.
Healing from traumatic experiences often means confronting painful memories, emotions, and realities. it is an exhausting and daunting task, that sometimes seems impossible to endure in our human strength alone. But with faith, each step becomes more manageable, not because the journey is any less challenging, because our burdens are shared with Jesus.
When we say, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me,” we do not claim that we have the power to overcome trauma on our own, but rather that we are empowered by the strength of Jesus to endure, persevere, and ultimately heal.
Relying on God, strength did more than help me survive. trauma. It gave me the power to transform from my suffering. what I chose to put my trust in God and draw from his strength I was able to see my circumstances in the new light. I seen my challenges, become opportunities for spiritual growth, deepening my faith and my relationship with God.
Our weaknesses can become a place where God’s power is most evident, not a source of frustration.
From Pity to Praise 