Finding Healing from Trauma

The path to finding healing from trauma has been quite a journey for me. There are moments in life where you need to remember that God’s plans for you are good, and anything that presents itself that isn’t good in your life is something that didn’t go according to His plans. This includes traumatic events that have taken place in your life.

It is Written: His plans for me are GOOD!

Jeremiah 29:11

My last semester in college I took a philosophy of religion class. In this class I needed to wrestle with some of the tough questions like: Why do bad things happen to good people? I’m not sure I am willing to walk through all that I’ve learned in that class in this post; however, I can say with complete confidence the trauma that I’ve experienced in my life is not a direct reflection of God’s character, nor is it a punishment for anything that I’ve done wrong in my life.

Once you have been through a traumatic event you begin to think that is the normal outcome every single time.

You start believing that every single time you get into a car you will be in a car accident. Or every time you send your children to school something bad will happen. You find it difficult to trust anyone because one person showed you they were untrustworthy with their actions, and caused you to experience trauma in your life. The list could go on.

Trauma is a complicated subject that I do not intend on covering in a single blog post. However, one of the most important truths we must remember about trauma is that it can be big or little, either way it has an effect on your life emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

I will suggest some books to read at the end of this post on the subject of trauma. I would also suggest seeking counseling if you feel like your traumatic experience is preventing you from living the life God has planned for you!

As I was praying to the Lord about my own trauma I felt the Holy Spirit impress upon my heart the following words. I wrote them down, and it was like God had written a letter with these healing words about trauma for me, and for you.

A Letter for Healing from Trauma

I’ve seen every bit of trauma you have faced in your life. You’ve wondered if anyone has ever seen you, cared for you. You have spent many years feeling unseen and completely invisible.

But today, I mirror you. I mirror the pain and the hurt that you’ve been through because I have been there, too. Never once did I ever think you should walk through this alone. Never once did I judge you or condemn you for not finding healing or peace throughout the years. How could you? You didn’t have me, and you didn’t know me. 

But, you have me now and you know me now. 

I delight so much in your smile. I delight so much in your JOY. The pain, sorrow, and trauma of the past grieved me so much. It hurt me to see you hurting. I cried when you cried, and now I laugh when you laugh. 

Don’t stop living your life. Allow the grief and the trauma to go. Every time you whisper a “thank you” for having a very regular, boring, and uneventful day makes me smile. You finally know how beautiful it is to simply live without pain and trauma. In those moments you find a spark in the darkness and you finally have hope. I want you to have hope, and I want you to have faith. It makes my heart smile when you have all of these things. 

So go ahead and smile, laugh, and be grateful for things that seem small right now. Don’t let anyone tell you that these moments aren’t worth anything, and don’t let them tell you that they are ordinary or insignificant.

You and I both know better.

We both know how special those moments are because we both have known trauma, and trauma means that at some point those small moments didn’t happen the way they should’ve happened.

Trauma means that life didn’t go according to plan, and it went against My plan for your life and the lives of those affected by this trauma. 

Today, you will find healing from trauma because I am with you, I see you, and I rejoice with you in those small moments that are just a part of your regular type of day. I love you, please don’t ever forget that. 

Books to Read

Reading books can actually help you to understand what is going on in your heart and mind a little better. Here are two books I am reading right now that are helping me in finding healing from trauma: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma and Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. I have also written a Bible Study on Faith and Hope that might be helpful, too!

Is there a scripture that you cling to in order to help you find spiritual healing from trauma, or do you have any book recommendations that have helped you? Feel free to post your suggestions in the comments below!