Ascending from the Ashes: Overcoming Past Trauma

God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth is more than we can see and beyond what we can fathom. While we glorify Him for His masterful creation of all we engage with our physical senses, our spiritual nature realizes that there is infinitely more that we haven’t yet encountered.

For those of us who have placed faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation, we will likely spend all of eternity discovering facets of His holiness, yet never encounter a moment of repetition.

He has assured in His Word that there is more for His beloved ones to experience. The Holy Spirit edges us forward to unveiling of what unfolds, beyond what we perceive through natural senses or imagination (1 Corinthians 2:10).

We don’t have to be intimidated but rather intrigued by the vastness of what we cannot comprehend. Yet, if we’re more familiar with pain and dysfunctional patterns emerging from personal or family trauma, then the thought of the unknown can be unnerving. What exists beyond our control can trigger fear and frustration.

These can bring disruptive flashbacks and has the potential to fracture relationships when our pain and past have more of a stronghold than God’s grip. We can feel like trauma encompasses our identity, appearing to consume our lives in its carnivorous wake, eclipsing our view of the eternal God, who is greater than all of it.

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love him. – 1 Corinthians 2:9, NIV

Faith to experience the reality of a healed heart might be an area where we wrestle, as it requires belief and trust beyond our senses and our traumatic experience. It isn’t relying on the unknown, but rather establishing our confidence in the known God and Creator to bring about a reality that aligns with our expectation in Him.

While we may not be able to see the Lord physically, putting faith in Him requires that we trust Him beyond what natural sight can capture. That can be especially challenging for those of us who were wounded after we placed hope and trust in others. The experience of our trauma may have trained us to rely on fear and feelings rather than the Word’s power to heal.

Real trauma, real change

God makes it clear. Despite the real trauma we have experienced, we can experience real change. This personal transformation that Scripture highlights is more than a wish, dream, or optimism.

There is nothing wrong with those, but ascending from trauma’s ashes requires faith in the transformative power of Jesus Christ. His life, death, and resurrection prove that we can experience a similar reality and arise into a destiny that outweighs a history of trauma.

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” – Revelation 21:5, NIV

The Spirit of God will not forsake us. He is committed to fulfilling the fullness of the Father’s plan for our lives. He draws us, but awaits our invitation to reveal Himself in greater measure (Jeremiah 33:3). He consoles us, answering our heart’s cry with the peace that transcends our understanding (John 14:16; Philippians 4:7). He graces us, empowering us for joyful participation in the unexpected nature of the healing journey.

Everyone’s experience with trauma varies, as different conditions can contribute to it. The American Psychological Association defines trauma as “any disturbing experience that results in significant fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, or other disruptive feelings intense enough to have a long-lasting negative effect on a person’s attitudes, behavior, and other aspects of functioning.”

In some cases, no one was necessarily at fault such as a natural disaster. In other situations, such as rape or even a series of abusive encounters, people we trusted harmed us or failed to protect us from a threat. Sometimes, those we loved may have been unaware of a danger that traumatized us.

Regardless of circumstance, we are intensely familiar with human error and human failure. Yet, God isn’t human, and He doesn’t fail. God is aware of our past pain and knew us before we were formed into being (Jeremiah 1:5).

As Beginning and End, He has also walked out all of our days and captured the essence of each one in His book (Psalm 139:16; Revelation 21:6). The events surrounding our experience aren’t withheld from Him, as He has also caught each of our tears (Revelation 21:4).

We may have been woefully disappointed when other people’s failures intersected with our trauma. Those we trusted exposed their humanity, as we humans are prone to do, which doesn’t always make it easier to accept. Yet, God wants to encounter us through this breach, where there is a culpable person and also where there is no known fault.

He desires to bring another dimension of healing and wholeness that our lives have longed to encounter. This means that we have to trust Him enough to surrender the place of pain, and willingly offer it in exchange for peace and healing.

False control, false comfort

Trusting God can seem extraordinarily challenging. Holding our pain has allowed us to remain in control of ourselves. Yet, the control we think we have by gripping our fear, defensiveness, or even unforgiveness is an illusion. God wants us to trust Him enough to allow Him to meet us in these low places informed by trauma. He promises to meet us in the dark pit and draw us out, anchoring our feet on solid ground, and directing our steps forward.

If He has extended a promise, we can be certain that He will see it through to manifestation. That includes the area of our healing from trauma’s pain. All of the promises in God are yes and amen, through Christ. These aren’t shallow agreements or random guesses concerning what we presume about God. We can receive clarity by accessing the Word of God which cannot fail and never changes.

In Scripture, we learn that Jesus’ name is not just a refuge, but our personal and particular strong tower, strength, and shield (Psalm 46:1, 28:7). We may not have the most eloquent or elaborate presentation to offer in prayer. We don’t need it, and God isn’t looking for that at all.

A heart cry made in faith is what touches the Heart of Jesus. In doing so, we welcome His Spirit to encounter us in the depths of our pain, even if we don’t know what we may need or how to express it.

God has more in store than you can imagine. It won’t happen on its own, though. You will have to participate and take a step and then another.

As with any other process, you will face challenging moments when you want to abandon parts of your healing journey and camp in the false comfort and control of holding onto the masquerade of protection found in maladaptive responses to trauma. However, God didn’t bring you through suffering to remain halfway between your traumatic experience and where He desires to take you.

Next steps

Mobilizing yourself to move forward can seem unbearable, but the Holy Spirit assists with what seems impossible. He helps to align your intentions with your actions, by gathering the support of a few people in a trusting and safe community. Be prayerful about who you engage.

Ideally, select someone sensitive enough to demonstrate the compassion of Christ, but also invested to keep you accountable to remaining engaged in the healing journey. Search your life to discern who that may be. If you don’t sense anyone among those you presently know, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal and send the right help.

Furthermore, seek a counselor on this site. It often requires professional support to overcome the experience of past trauma that has impacted your life. They will help you ascend from the ashes and reframe your trauma because of the larger story that God is making of your life.