Childhood Trauma in Adulthood: How to Heal -

When I think of my childhood, I have wonderful memories of playing joyfully with neighborhood friends and being care-free about the concerns of this world. However, those memories were also filled with childhood trauma in adulthood. They distorted my sense of feeling safe, known, and heard by my parents.

When I became an adult, I struggled with why God would allow for such a senseless thing to happen to me at such a young age. I struggled with self-regulation and repressed those scary memories with social distractions, work, and religious duties at church and in my work life.

I faced many moments of trying to be perfect and I compared myself with high achievers in life. I thought how these people probably were so successful in life with children, husbands, and a house because they did not have a traumatic childhood.

Little did I know, that in my adulthood, God would transform me from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly, flying free, and oh so high in the sky.

How did He do it? Through His word.

Biblical healing For Childhood Trauma in Adulthood

Embrace the power of love

Love bears all things, believes all things,hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7).

When you are rooted in the love of God as an adult, your children will truly know what it means to be loved by God. When you show them the character of God they will experience a love that has no end. It will be a love that continues to give grace, peace, and room to grow into the true identity of who they are.

Listen to the Father’s heart

Proverbs 1:33: but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

As an adult, I had to learn how to hear the voice of God for myself. I lived in so much trauma and could only hear the voices of my abusers and the lies that they told me. God told me that I am his daughter and that He keeps me safe in his arms. He dispatches angels to surround and support me so that I will not stumble or grow weak.

God speaks in so many ways. He will speak through people to reach your heart. He once told me through a brother in Christ that He watches over me like a hawk. God watches me from the highest mountain top and from all corners of the earth. God will keep you safe and under his wings.

Acknowledge that God is always with you

Isaiah 41:10: God says to “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

God is always with you. If you have suffered emotional neglect or abandonment in your childhood, know that God is your Father that has been with you. He will never leave you alone. He is closer than you could ever imagine. He promises to give you strength when you are feeling weak and will uphold you with his righteous right hand ( a symbol of his protection, authority, and strength).

I felt very lonely at nights but there were many moments when I would feel the presence of God fill my bedroom. I could hear Him saying, “I am with you. I will not leave you deserted. I see you and I will hold you in my arms. My arms are open wide for you.” Then He would sing to me ” You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…” ( beautiful right?!!!)

Do you know that you can give God a hug?

I remember asking God to hug me for the first time. I wanted to hear his heart beat. I was surprised to find out that he hugged me through my best friend. When she hugged me, I could feel her heart beating against my chest, and she whispered in my ear, “can you feel His heart beating?”

I wept in her arms, knowing that God was with me when he answered my prayer to feel his heart beat. His heart beats for you too dear sister!

Cast all your burdens onto the Lord

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for us”. Just throw it on him, and let him carry your burdens. “

God does not want you to carry anxiety or fear of rejection, fear of abandonment, or sexual assault in your life. He wants to renew your heart and mind. He wants for you to rest in Him and to allow Him to carry the heavy load that this world sometimes puts on us. Trust in Him to take on your cares and concerns. In exchange, he will give you His love that has no end.

Learn how to overcome anxiety with prayer: 10 Anxiety Prayers for Setting You Free Now

Biblical healing for childhood trauma in adulthood: Pray to God who hears all of your concerns

Prayer Journal

Habakkuk 2:2: And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.

My prayer journal is a tool that I have used during my healing journey. I took an old notebook and began having a dialogue with the Holy Spirit about the fears that I had about my sexual trauma. Putting your thoughts on paper is a safe outlet and is therapeutic. The Holy Spirit will prompt you to go deeper in places that you never considered were issues in your adulthood. Your journal is also a place where you can write God’s vision for you. It is a record of the healing journey and a prophetic demonstration of the blessings that will unfold in your life for the future.

Prayer prompts to help you start your healing journey

1 John 5:14: 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

Write down your feelings or pain ( anger, sadness, anything that comes to mind).
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to forgive the offender
Ask the Holy Spirit to comfort you in His way
Wait for Him to embrace you, sing to you, or to give you a word of knowledge or wisdom).

Prayer

If you are looking to begin inner healing then prayer is vital! You can start with a simple prayer like this:

Dear Papa, Heal me from childhood trauma. I receive your love for me in this area and I ask you Holy Spirit to begin to nurture me to be whole. I accept your loving presence to purify my heart and to re-parent me. I am yours for eternity and I believe that I am safe in your arms.

In Jesus name. Amen.

Childhood Trauma in Adulthood: How to Heal