The other day, while I was driving, I was ‘hit’ with a new perspective on the healing power and the goodness of God.
It was so strong that I began to cry. Even though I have been free from domestic violence for 11 years, God still reveals and heals more layers within me that need healing.
Have you ever heard a woman share her testimony after surviving domestic violence, and then boldly declare that God is good?
Have you ever wondered how someone who has been through so much pain can still say, “God is a good Father”?
That question stayed with me.
Can god really heal trauma?
Yes.
But I don’t believe healing occurs in the shallow ways we sometimes expect or are sold to believe.
Faith-based trauma healing is not about pretending the pain never happened. It is about allowing God to transform what happened. It is about heart restoration, renewing identity, and rebuilding your life, trusting in God’s goodness and faithfulness. The Bible says, “‘For I will restore health to you
and I will heal your wounds,’ says the Lord…” Jeremiah 30:17. God doesn’t want you to stay bruised and broken. Do you believe that?
When a woman experiences domestic violence, she has been betrayed by the very man who was meant to love and protect her. However, he became her source of harm. It would be completely understandable for her to mistrust men for the rest of her life.
It would also be understandable for her to struggle with the idea of trusting a Father in heaven.
And so, when a survivor chooses to say, “God is good,” that declaration carries weight.
It is not denial.
It is a transformation. Which I believe is a monumental piece of how He heals us. Through a heart transformation and an encounter with the Holy Spirit that leaves us undoubtedly different than before.
The goodness of God does not erase trauma. It restores what trauma tried to steal.
what does true healing after domestic violence require?
As a social worker in child protection, I have seen many models of trauma recovery for women. Government programs. Community agencies. Structured interventions.
Many of them help in practical ways.
But most of them leave out the spiritual dimension of healing and ultimately fall short of the client’s desired outcome of true transformation. What I can conclude from my years as a helping professional and survivor is that if God is left out of the healing process, you will reap an incomplete result. If you would like to read more about my story you can here.
Don’t get me wrong, you can repeat affirmations.
You can journal.
You can attend support groups.
You can work through 12-step programs.
All of these are valuable tools.
But tools are not the Healer, they are not Jehovah Rapha.
Healing after domestic violence requires more than coping skills. It requires a heart transformation. It requires renewing the mind. It requires reclaiming your identity in Christ. To learn more about our Healing Path, click here.
True faith-based trauma healing includes the spirit, not just behavior modification.
We need Jesus in the process.
I am fully convinced of this.
the real work of healing
When trauma happens, healing is not automatic. And time doesn’t magically heal all wounds.
In brief, you must:
- Process what happened
- Grieve what was lost
- Feel anger without being consumed by it
- Deconstruct harmful beliefs or spiritual misunderstandings
- Let go of toxic patterns and mindsets
- Reclaim your identity in Christ
- Rebuild your life in a holistic way (mind, body, spirit)
This is hard work that involves layers of healing.
And when a woman walks all the way through that process and still declares the goodness of God, it is nothing short of a miracle.
That is why survivor testimonies matter.
They point back to the power and love of God.
They remind us that healing is possible.
They show us that our identity in Christ can be restored even after betrayal.
Why some stay stuck-and why you don’t have to
Many women who experience domestic violence develop a mistrust of men. Some decide they will never marry again. Some live in constant survival mode and hypervigilance.
And people ask, “Can you blame her?”
No. Pain explains a lot.
But living permanently in a victim identity is not what God designed for you. Trauma may have a chapter in your story. But it does not define your identity, Christ does.
Faith-based trauma healing invites you to move from survival to restoration. From brokenness to rebuilding. From questioning the goodness of God to experiencing it personally.
It’s your choice.
Remember that healing should not be done in isolation, and that being connected to a supportive community can help you move forward on those tough days. If you would like to join our private Facebook group you can here (please answer all 3 questions to be admitted).
If you’re doubting your own healing
Maybe you’re asking:
Can God heal me?
Am I too broken?
Is this damage permanent?
Pause for a moment.
Think about the depth of transformation required for a survivor of domestic violence to stand and say, “God is good.”
That journey is not small.
It involves grief, anger, surrender, courage, and faith.
And yet many women have walked it.
The same goodness of God that met them is available to you!
even if you haven’t experienced trauma
Even if your story looks different, you can likely look back and see the faithfulness of God in your own life.
The ways He carried you from one season to another. And how He has protected and provided for you and pulled you out of numerous messes.
He is Jehovah Jireh (The Lord my Provider).
He is Jehovah Rapha (The God who Heals).
He is Emmanuel (God with Us).
The goodness of God is not just a concept.
It is a lived experience of restoration.
That’s why I wept in the car the other day, and reflected on the past 11 years of riding a rollercoaster with Him.
Because when you truly understand what it takes to heal from deep wounds, you cannot help but give Him the glory.
Well said. I too have discovered that God is good. When I sit still long enough and allow God to fill my empty spaces with his love where I was once unloved, I get an amazing filling of love like nothing else.
Thank you for sharing Muriel 🙂 Moments like these help us keep moving forward and resting in God’s strength when times are tough. Love you!