Faith and Trauma: The Shattering and Restoration of Faith
God and Trauma: The Shattering and Restoration of Faith
This article is not about religion or God in a traditional sense, but rather about building a connection to something greater—whether that be nature, spirit, or the divine as each individual understands it.
Does trauma destroy faith, or does it refine it? Can suffering become the doorway to divine connection? And if God exists, why does He allow suffering? These are questions that many grapple with when faced with profound trauma. Some find that trauma is the moment where belief dies—a wound so deep that faith is lost in the abyss of suffering. For others, trauma is where faith is born, a crucible where the presence of God is experienced most profoundly. How does suffering lead some to lose belief and others to find it? And how do we confront the moral corruption of evil, both within individuals and society itself?
The Controversy of God - Does He Exist? Is He Responsible?
The existence of God has been a topic of debate for centuries, and trauma often intensifies this controversy. Some argue that an all-powerful, all-loving God would not allow suffering, while others believe that suffering serves a divine purpose beyond human comprehension. I was raised in an environment where God was mocked, and I was not allowed to say prayers at school with the other children. My mother insisted I be removed from class during prayer time. Consequently, God didn’t exist in my heart during childhood. However, darkness resided within me; trauma created the cracks where it seeped through.
The question of why a just God would allow suffering remains one of the greatest theological and philosophical dilemmas. Some believe suffering results from human free will, where individuals can choose paths of destruction or redemption (Lewis, 1940). Others suggest suffering refines faith, shaping individuals into beings of wisdom and resilience (Frankl, 1959). Neuroscientific studies on post-traumatic growth suggest that trauma can rewire the brain, making individuals more spiritually attuned and compassionate (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996).
Living in the Abyss - The Psychological Isolation of Trauma
Trauma itself is deeply isolating, as if you are living in an abyss. As Jordan Peterson (2018) said, “If you stare at the abyss long enough, the abyss stares back.” Many find this a frightening concept; however, with deep trauma, you eventually stare through the internal darkness and find the light. A core experience of isolation is the profound and pathological changes that occur following trauma, such as being incapable or too afraid to experience connection again.
From a psychological perspective, complex trauma (C-PTSD) and PTSD manifest in ways that further deepen this isolation:
Emotional Numbing: The inability to feel joy, love, or deep connection due to persistent emotional shutdown (Van der Kolk, 2014).
Hypervigilance and Mistrust: A constant state of alertness that makes relationships and social interactions feel threatening (Herman, 1992).
Avoidance and Withdrawal: Actively avoiding people, places, and activities that may trigger painful memories or emotions.
Dissociation: A feeling of detachment from oneself and reality, making connection with others seem impossible.
Distorted Self-Perception: Believing oneself to be unworthy of love or doomed to repeat past suffering.
In many ways, disconnection and isolation protect us from the pain of losing again or having our trust broken through allowing anyone in. However, this is where building a connection with the spirit that moves in all things or God becomes the first step on the path to recovery. Many Indigenous cultures emphasize the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of spiritual healing in overcoming trauma.
Indigenous Perspectives on Healing and Connection
Many Native American traditions teach that nature is a sacred teacher. The wind, rivers, trees, and animals all carry wisdom that can help a wounded soul heal. The Lakota phrase “Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ” translates to “We are all related”—emphasising that healing cannot happen in isolation but through community, storytelling, and the wisdom of elders (Deloria, 2006). In many traditions, the Great Spirit resides in the East, and that is where we can begin to look for connection, renewal, and guidance. The East represents new beginnings, illumination, and clarity, making it a powerful direction for those seeking healing after trauma.
Some Indigenous traditions and esoteric teachings also suggest that the sun is more than a celestial body—it is a portal to higher consciousness and divine energy. Physicist Nassim Haramein theorises that the sun acts as a cosmic stargate, a conduit for interdimensional energy and transformation (Haramein, 2012). Ancient civilizations, including the Egyptians and Mayans, revered the sun as a gateway between the physical and spiritual realms. This perspective aligns with the idea that turning toward the East, where the sun rises, is not just a symbolic gesture but a tangible path to spiritual awakening and guidance.
Finding Faith in the Depths of Despair
Paradoxically, many trauma survivors find God not in the absence of suffering, but within it. Some describe encountering God in moments of despair, feeling His presence when human strength had failed them (Tippett, 2016). 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 states, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." This reflects how suffering can lead to greater empathy and a deeper connection to others in pain.
The Devil in Society - Moral Corruption and the Perpetrators of Trauma
Socrates argued that suffering and hardship are often the catalysts for wisdom and self-discovery. He believed that true knowledge and virtue come not from avoiding pain but from engaging with it, understanding its meaning, and transforming it into growth (Plato, trans. 1997). However, suffering can also morally corrupt the heart and soul of humanity. Those who have experienced profound suffering may replicate it, as isolation and pain influence free will. Many who commit atrocities do so under the slow decay of moral corruption, where self-interest, power, and dehumanisation erode conscience (Baumeister, 1997).
Deuteronomy 30:19 discusses the theme of free will and moral choice: "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." This passage proposes that humans have the power to choose between destruction and redemption.
God in the Ruins
Trauma is a destructive force, but it also reveals. Whether it erodes faith or builds it from the ashes depends on the journey of the human soul. Much like the journey from birth, where we are severed from God, life itself becomes the road home. For some, God is lost in trauma; for others, He is found there. Faith in the aftermath of trauma is never the same—but perhaps, in its transformation, it becomes more profound than before. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 reinforces this idea: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."
By embracing both suffering and healing, we move closer to spiritual renewal, rediscovering faith amid the ruins of trauma.
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