If you’ve ever wondered how to begin healing after trauma, especially as a Christian carrying deep emotional wounds, this is my story ... and the hope I found in God.
There’s a kind of pain that lingers long after the bruises fade…
A deep, invisible wound that trauma leaves behind — and for a long time, I didn’t know how to begin healing.
I spent years hiding behind a smile, doing my best to move on after escaping an abusive marriage. On the outside, I looked like I was doing okay. But inside, I was still stuck in survival mode - anxious, guarded, and always waiting for the next emotional blow. I was afraid to trust, afraid to hope, and afraid that maybe this would be my story forever.
But God.
God didn’t let me stay in that place.
It didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t come wrapped in a bow. But slowly and gently, God began the work of healing me. He didn’t expect me to have it all together. He just wanted me to come to Him, broken and honest. And when I did… He met me there.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
That verse became more than words to me; it became truth. I saw how God used the darkest valley of my life to draw me closer to Him. I realized that healing wasn’t about pretending nothing ever happened. It was about letting God into the places I had tried so hard to hide. It was about trading bitterness for peace, and shame for grace.
Here are a few things I’ve learned (and still come back to often) in my healing journey:
1. Talk to God Honestly
There’s no healing in hiding. I had to stop filtering my prayers and start pouring out my heart. Even when I was angry. Even when I didn’t understand. God is big enough to handle all our emotions, and He meets us in our honesty.
2. Immerse Yourself in God’s Word
When trauma has shaped the way you see yourself and the world, you need truth to reshape it. I clung to verses about God’s love, protection, and restoration. Reading scripture daily helped silence the lies that said I wasn’t enough or that I was too damaged to be used by God.
3. Lean on Community
For a while, I tried to do it all alone. But healing often happens in relationship. Finding a trusted friend, counselor, or support group can make a huge difference. You were never meant to carry this alone.
4. Give Yourself Time
Healing isn’t linear. Some days you’ll feel strong, and others you’ll feel like you’ve taken ten steps back. That’s okay. God is patient with you - be patient with yourself also.
5. Remember You’re Not Defined by Your Trauma
This one took me the longest to believe. I am not what happened to me. And neither are you. You are a child of God, deeply loved, and fully redeemed. Your past doesn’t disqualify you - it’s the very place God can show His power the most.
If you’re walking through your own valley right now, please know this: There is hope. There is healing. And God is with you, even if it doesn’t feel like it yet.
“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.” Psalm 23:4
You are not alone. You are not forgotten. And you are not beyond healing.
With grace,
Kimberly💛
Kimberly’s Kreations for the Soul