What is My Part and what is God’s Part in Healing?
When seeking to heal from abuse and trauma, what is our part in the healing effort and how much do we rely on God?
This blog takes you through an exercise that blends you into taking healing steps and inviting God into the process.
Earlier this month I shared that Dr. Van Der Kolk, in his book The Body Keeps the Score, states, “The greatest sources of our suffering are the lies we tell ourselves.”
My abuse left me with the belief that I was unworthy. In my work, I find that this is true for many abuse survivors.
It took two things to break my belief:
- First, examining the woundedness with the guidance of a therapist, and
- Second, allowing God to support me and love me unconditionally.
That was the healing combination I needed to find and claim my truth… and my intended path.
The Healing Journey – Examining Woundedness
Somatic therapy, which recognizes that a person’s inner feelings and trauma impact their physical form, was an essential step for me.
- By releasing pent-up trauma from the mind and body, healing occurs from the inside out.
- This unique approach combines mindfulness, grounding techniques, and traditional talk therapy.
Allowing my body to release, allowing my body to know, and learning to be present to my pain was essential.
Releasing this pain and learning to be still in my body opened me up to mindfulness, meditation, and the ability to feel present and centered.
The Healing Journey – Letting God In
As we invite God in, we begin to do the healing work to understand and overcome emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental pain. This naming and claiming approach took me to a new level of meaning in my life.
Let’s do that here together.
- Create a safe space to be still and bring your questions and your pain to God where a deep level of healing happens.
- Open your heart to know that God is with you, always ready to be drawn into that sacred space.
- Mindfully invite God into the healing process and listen deeply to God’s discerning voice to bring increased peace and direction.
- Breathe deeply as you share your hurt, pain, feelings, concerns, and wondering. These could be thoughts or just words.
- Be still and listen. (for me, listening often comes from my heart where I sense God)
Hands-on Application
- Find a piece of paper and something to write and draw with. If you have colored pens, crayons, or markers, that will allow even more creativity.
- Take your piece of paper and draw a circle, maybe the size of a small dish, in the middle of it.
- As you sit in your quiet space, allow yourself to consider words that come from your woundedness.
- Maybe they are words like my “unworthy” or maybe they are just feelings that come up.
- Write those words in the middle of the circle on your paper. If you have colors available, consider what color would best represent each word.
- Now consider God as a powerful, loving resource to you. Think of words that come to mind for a beautiful source of healing available to you.
- Write those words around the circle on your paper. If you have colors available, consider what color would best represent each word.
- Some “starter words” could be: Healer, Sustainer, Nurturer, Abba, Holy One, Almighty, Comforter, The Inspirer, Source, Divine Love, Illuminator, Teacher …
Listening for God
- Sit with your creation.
- Invite God into this reflection. “Is there something you want me to know?”
- Quietly listen to see what insight may come.
- Use the word for God that means the most to you and ask to feel his/her presence.
- Thank God for being with you even when you may not have felt it. (If you are not in a place where this feels authentic, do not force yourself.)
There is no specific outcome for this exercise. It is an invitation to offer your pain and woundedness to God. Feel free to sit with your Word Creation and add to it in the coming days.
May you feel God’s presence in your healing journey,
Tambry
Who am I?
I am Tambry Harris, Founder of Going: Forward Survivors to Thrivers.
- I seek to be a voice bringing truth into the space of secrecy, silence, and shame that surrounds this topic.
- I encourage each survivor to sense a God who wants them to thrive and to see the “Going-Forward” chapter that awaits them.
Trauma and abuse are often surrounded by shame, and as a Spiritual Director and Transformational Coach, I see many people stuck at the point of seeking to understand their worthiness and other limiting beliefs.
By sharing my healing story, I hope to encourage you to embrace yours.
Here’s to Thriving!
Talk To Tambry
I am glad you have taken the time to engage with this blog. Sometimes it is helpful to process new insights that emerge. If you would appreciate brief time with a someone who understands, our Talk to Tambry offering is for you. For 30 minutes, you can receive support from Tambry who is a certified life coach, spiritual director and a survivor who has been on the journey as well. This is offered at a reduced rate of $50.
