Healing Through Faith – Overcoming Trauma and Past Wounds with God’s Love

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

The moment Sarah opened her home to fostering, she thought she was prepared. She had read the books, attended the trainings, prayed countless prayers, and decorated the bedroom with hope. But nothing could have prepared her for the silent screams behind her foster son’s eyes—the deep wounds of rejection, fear, and abandonment that no bedtime story or snack could soothe. She soon discovered that trauma doesn’t just cry—it hides, it withdraws, it lashes out. And while she was ready to offer love, what she really needed was strength—divine strength—for a healing that went far beyond what she could give alone.

Sarah is like many foster and adoptive parents who step into the unknown with a heart full of love, only to discover that the journey requires something deeper than human compassion. It demands faith, the kind that sees beyond behaviors, beyond outbursts, beyond silence—to the hidden wounds that only God can fully heal.

The foster care and adoption journey often intersects with brokenness—broken homes, broken trust, broken systems, and broken hearts. But this journey also intersects with something even more powerful: the redemptive, restoring love of God.

Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” This verse isn’t just poetic—it’s a promise. It reminds us that the God we serve does not ignore our pain. He doesn’t walk past the shattered pieces of our lives or the children placed in our care. He enters into those places. He binds wounds, not just the ones that bleed on the outside, but the ones buried deep within.

In the Gospels, we often see Jesus stop for the hurting. He touched the untouchable, sat with the rejected, spoke to the outcast, and restored the wounded. His healing wasn’t always dramatic—it was often quiet, personal, and intimate. And it still is today.

---

Trauma in children, especially those in foster care or adoption, often shows up in layered ways—night terrors, detachment, fear of abandonment, controlling behaviors, anger, or deep sadness. It is a reflection of a soul that has experienced too much pain, too soon.

As caregivers, we can feel helpless. We may find ourselves crying out, “God, I don’t know what to do!” But that cry is not a failure—it’s the beginning of healing. Because in our weakness, God’s power is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9). When we reach the end of our own resources, we finally make room for God’s limitless grace to move.

Healing doesn’t happen in a day. But it begins in a moment—the moment we invite Jesus into the wound. Not just for our children, but for ourselves. Many foster and adoptive parents also carry trauma—past wounds, insecurities, unresolved grief, or unmet expectations. God wants to heal those places, too.

Consider the story in Mark 4:35–41, when Jesus and His disciples are caught in a furious storm. The waves are crashing, the boat is nearly swamped, and fear grips the hearts of seasoned fishermen. But Jesus is asleep on a cushion. When they wake Him in desperation, He rises, rebukes the wind, and says, “Peace, be still.”

This is a picture of our hearts. Trauma is a storm—raging, unpredictable, terrifying. But when Jesus is in the boat, peace is possible. Not because the storm doesn’t come, but because the One who calms storms is with us.

Just like the disciples, we often cry out, “Don’t you care if we drown?” And Jesus, with love in His eyes, reminds us: “I am here. Peace is possible.”

Here are three ways to apply healing faith in your home:

1. Pray Scripture Over Your Child Daily
   Personalize verses like Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 61:1–3, and 2 Timothy 1:7. Speak them aloud during bedtime or quiet moments. God’s Word has power—especially when spoken in love.
   
   
   Example: “God, thank You that You heal the brokenhearted. I speak healing over my child. You bind up their wounds, and You make beauty from ashes.”
   
   
2. Create Space for Honest Emotions
   Trauma recovery isn’t linear. Allow yourself and your child to feel and express emotions. Tears, anger, or withdrawal may be part of the process. Respond with grace, not fear. God’s love is patient.
   
3. Anchor Your Heart in Worship and Community
   Worship shifts the atmosphere. When it feels like the pain is too deep, turn on worship music, gather your family, and invite the presence of God in. Surround yourself with a supportive church or small group that understands the journey. You are not alone.
   

If you’re a former foster child, reading this with wounds still fresh or buried deep, hear this:

You are not forgotten. Your story matters. Your pain matters. And God sees every part of you—the parts you show and the parts you hide. He loves you with an everlasting love. The world may have rejected you, but God never will. His arms are open, His healing is available, and your past does not define your future. His love rewrites your story.

Healing is not the absence of pain—it’s the presence of God in the midst of it. Your family is not broken beyond repair. Your heart is not too wounded for restoration. The God who raised the dead can surely heal trauma. He is Emmanuel—God with us. With you. In your home. In your child’s story. In your weary moments.

Let your home become a sanctuary of healing. Not because everything is perfect, but because God is present. And where His Spirit is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Heavenly Father, we come to You as we are—sometimes weary, sometimes wounded, but always welcomed. We lift up every child, every parent, every heart that carries the scars of trauma. Heal the broken places with Your gentle love. Bind up the wounds that no one else can see. Speak peace to the storms within our homes and hearts. Give us strength beyond our own, patience for the journey, and a deep awareness of Your presence. Remind us daily that Your love never fails and that You are faithful to complete the work You have begun in us. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

May this devotional be a gentle reminder: Healing is possible, and hope is alive—because Jesus is near.