How Scripture Talks About Trauma

How Scripture Talks About Trauma

Trauma is defined as an overwhelming stress event or by dictionary definition “A deeply distressing or Disturbing Experience”

The 2 basic sources of trauma are sinful events (controlled by people) or natural/accidental/circumstantial events (outside of human control.

Examples of trauma by sinful events:

Sexual Assault/Abuse

Physical Assault/Abuse

Mental/Emotional/Psychological Abuse-Reviling

Divorce/Abandonment

Alienation or Unloving

Neglect

Witnessing Abuse or Violence

Living With Drug/Alcohol Addicts

Arrests/Imprisonment of oneself/family member

Examples of trauma by natural/accidental/circumstantial events

Tornadoes/Earthquakes/Volcanoes

Car Accidents

Transitions or Relocations

Encounter/Attack by dangerous animals

Death of a loved one

What does the Bible say about Trauma?

We may not see any verses that have the words “Trauma or Traumatize” in scripture.  We do see words such as “Extortion or Oppression”. Let's look deeper at the definitions of these words.  

Extortion - to use force, cruelty, or threats for financial gain

Oppression - in Hebrew is cruelty, to cause injury, distress, fraud, or unjust gain.

“Oppression” and “Extortion” appears many times in the Bible which have the same Hebrew root word.

As we compare “Trauma” and “Oppression”, the definitions are one and the same when it comes to Trauma caused by sinful events.

Trauma caused a disturbance in the physical brain and changes from traumatic events can be proven in a cat scan.  We may consider this as a “New Science”, but God knew the science a long time ago.  It is not new science, but very old science.

Ecclesiastes 7:7 - “Oppression destroys a wise man's reason” was written in ancient times and breathed by God Himself.   Our “New Science” through cat scans only proves a very old point.   God's word is true.

Healing from Trauma often involves being safe, nurtured, and loved in a safe place.  We see this approach as “newly discovered”

Ancient scripture says in Proverbs 10:12 - “Hated stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.”

Showing love, kindness and compassion heals a person from sins committed against them, even traumatic events. Not new science, but ancient knowledge breathed by God Himself.

This “new science” is only proving what God said a long time ago in His word.

Rodney Calmes