When God Feels Silent: Faith After Trauma
There’s a kind of pain that’s deeper than physical. It’s the kind that touches your spirit. And when trauma rips through your life, it doesn’t just leave emotional scars—it often leaves spiritual silence.
You might wonder, “Where was God when I needed Him?”
You might feel betrayed by the very faith that once held you.
You might stop praying, not out of rebellion, but because you feel too hurt to hope.
If you’ve ever wrestled with your faith after trauma, you’re not alone. Jackie Horton has lived this spiritual struggle. And she’s here to say: your questions don’t disqualify you; they’re the doorway to deeper faith.
The Disillusionment Phase
After trauma, many survivors experience what’s known as a “spiritual crisis.” It’s that moment when everything you once believed comes into question. Prayers feel unanswered. Scriptures feel distant. And the church, once a place of refuge, may feel like a performance you no longer have the heart for.
Jackie writes:
“The church, once a place of solace for me, became another source of hurt and disappointment… I longed for God but failed to find Him, because I was looking everywhere but within.”
It’s easy to feel like we’ve lost our faith. But maybe, just maybe, we’re being invited to deepen it.
Deconstructing to Rebuild
Sometimes, we need to let the scaffolding fall before we can build something sacred. That means letting go of beliefs that don’t align with our lived experience.
- That pain is punishment? No.
- That silence means absence? Not true.
- That healing must look a certain way? Never.
Instead, what if we leaned into a faith that allows doubt? What if we made room for questions, for grief, for mystery?
That’s not abandoning God. That’s meeting Him, honestly.
Rewriting the Relationship
For Jackie, healing meant rebuilding her relationship with God on new terms. “I moved away from organized religion’s rigid doctrines and structures,” she says, “and found solace in time spent alone with God.”
Her faith became intimate. Vertical. Rooted not in performance but in presence.
That shift is possible for you, too.
Here’s how:
- Redefine Prayer: Maybe it’s no longer formal. Maybe it’s crying in the car or walking in silence.
- Reclaim Scripture: Find verses that speak of compassion, safety, and unconditional love.
- Reconnect to Nature: Jackie found healing in creation—trees, stillness, water. Let nature preach to your wounds.
- Release Shame: Questioning your faith does not mean you’ve failed. It means you’re still reaching.
You Are Not Alone in the Silence
Even Jesus cried out, “My God, why have you forsaken me?”
Even saints have doubted. Even the faithful break.
But here’s the truth: God isn’t intimidated by your questions. He’s big enough to hold them. Healing is holy work. And your journey back to faith doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
So, if God feels far, talk anyway. If the church feels hard, worship in the quiet. If belief feels broken, let grace do the rebuilding.
You are not forsaken. You are finding your way home.