9 Christian Responses to Religious Trauma

Prayer for Someone Who Experienced Religious Trauma

Holy Father,

Thank you for being with us, even through the most difficult and painful circumstances. Lord, I lift up those who have experienced pain and trauma at the hands of others. For the people who had it while they were following false gods, I pray that You will reach them to be saved, through people, through media, or some other way. I ask that You would heal them, and bring them to true salvation, and an eternal relationship with You.

For the brothers and sisters in Christ who have been abused in the church or by other Christians, I ask for them to be able to forgive and to have peace. I pray You will heal their wounds, and make them whole again. I ask that You restore their faith in other Christians, and that they will not depart from You because of the sins of others. Lord, please help people who have been abused and experienced religious trauma, as only You can.

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen.

As brothers and sisters in the family of God, it is important we strive to always treat one another with the love of Jesus, and not to hurt one another. When people inflict pain on one another – and they will – the church needs to be respectful, and a place for people to heal. Patience and love is important. God wants to heal them, and is reaching out to do so.

“[The Lord] heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

Sources

Demuth, Mary. We Too  How the Church can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis. Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2019.  

Gingrich, Heather and Fred. Treating Trauma in Christian Counselling. Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2017. 

Hambrick, Brad et al. Becoming a Church the Cares Well for the Abused. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2019. 

Slade, Darren M., Adrianna Smell, Elizabeth Wilson, and Rebekah Drumsta. “Percentage of U.S. Adults Suffering From Religious Trauma: A Sociological Study.” Socio-Historical Examination of Religion and Ministry 5, no. 1 (2023): 1–28.

Photo credit: Unsplash/rosiesun

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