Three Truths about Healing as a Spiritual Practice

Trauma in the Pews 2.0 Section III: Healing Practices for Post-Traumatic Spiritual Growth

Hello new subscribers! I am finishing up this series this week and will be headed to new content next week. The new topic I promised on Facebook will begin next week—so hang on! For an explanation of my Substack content scroll down—past my adorable chickens—on this post. Thanks for joining me!

Over the summer the Trauma in the Pews 2.0 Community worked through Section Two which answered the question: “How can spiritual practices help me heal from the impact of trauma?” This post introduces Section Three which will answer the question, "How can healing open the door to post-traumatic spiritual growth?”

Jeannette responded to my email and shared her sacred pain-filled story. A friend connected us soon after I published Brave because our stories sounded similar. Jeannette was my age and had also spent her life serving in the church and raising amazing children. We both had been married for over forty years. It was an instant connection and we remained Messenger pals during the pandemic.

After reading Brave, Jeannette realized that the one thing she had been against—therapy—could be the answer to what she had always believed was a spiritual problem. She asked me to help her find a therapist and then began the hard work of healing. It was a remarkable therapeutic connection between a therapist, who was Catholic, and Jeanette who belonged to a church in the Wesleyan tradition. With the help of trauma-based therapy, Jeanette was making remarkable progress . . . only to receive a diagnosis of advanced cancer.

During one of her worst days in the hospital, Jeanette messaged me. She was desperately ill, facing surgery, and completely isolated from her family due to Covid restrictions. She needed a friend. We talked about how grateful we were to have been connected and expressed empathy to each other for how those who harmed us as children caused so much pain and how difficult it was to heal, especially in our 60s.

 I asked her, “Was healing worth it?” Her response was breathtaking.

“Yes, before healing, I didn’t believe Jesus loved me. I always wanted to die but was afraid of dying because I had so much shame. Now I know that what happened to me was not my fault and not something God ever planned or wanted to happen to me. I want to live now, but if I don’t make it through this surgery, I am ready to joyfully meet Jesus. I know I am loved.”

Tragically, Jeanette died during surgery. I was able to attend her funeral online and grieved for her family who supported her as she healed the effects of trauma and then fought for her life. I am confident that she joyfully met Jesus because of her healing. She asked me to not let her story go to waste. I am honoring that request.

What Jeannette wanted me to tell others, is that healing from the impact of trauma has the power to draw them closer to the loving God who cries over their pain. While encouraging Jeanette, I was still working to better understand why this was true.

Three Truths About Healing

What is healing? Many ask me this question. My friend Jeanette provided an answer in her response to my question, but her words didn’t describe the pain-filled hours in therapy or the hard work that she invested to get there. If she were still here with me, I believe she like many others would agree with the following three truths.