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hristians are often viewed as being strong, resilient, and having it all together. But what happens when adult Christians struggle with traumatic childhood experiences? Does God understand? Does He still love them? And can God help their faith remain steadfast in Him? Our parents are often our first representation of God’s unconditional love. However for many, this representation was far from loving. From abuse to molestation, rejection to abandonment, the untold childhood stories of many adults cause unspeakable pain. Traumatic childhood experiences can result in emotional wounds the size of craters. And yet, people – even Christians – with these experiences find ways to push through life, often by burying the memories and the emotional or even physical scars of their past. They do not want others to see their pain and are determined to not let their wounds leak. They have vowed to never recreate the broken childhood that they try so hard to forget. They instead shift their focus away from those memories to the life that they believe they were meant to live. As a licensed therapist, I have found that people dealing with traumatic experiences sometimes tend to overperform and have somewhat perfectionistic tendencies. They are outwardly concerned with how society and even how other
Christians view them, and find value and self-worth in others’ perceptions. However, as resilient and strong as they are, there is one thing they cannot maneuver past: their incomplete trust and faith in God. For these individuals, their love for God is immeasurable. They have a strong desire to please God and could not imagine their lives without Him. But the emotional childhood wounds that have formed within them can create a disconnect in their relationship with God. The mother and father who were responsible for their care failed them. Their parents treated them unfairly, placed them in unsafe situations and devalued them. Their parents neglected to (Prov. 22:6). And no matter how hard they try, these hidden questions and thoughts remain:
We are surrounded by wounded people. You may even be one of them. To combat these thoughts, God wants you to know that He understands your experiences. He understands the feelings of abandonment and rejection. Isaiah 49:15-16 says
