Welcome to today’s Daily Redemption — where we confront the deep wounds of trauma, the reality of pain, and the profound comfort found in God’s presence.
Featured Scripture and Commentary:
Matthew 11:28–30
When my cat, a companion for only me (and tolerant of my other cat) passed in November of last year, my cat was so despondent that I had to rush him to emergency vet 3 days later because his bodily functions were off, he wasn’t eating, he didn’t know what to do with himself. I was the same. It even took me more than a month to remember that we no longer have guilt as a luxury once Jesus washes us clean of our sin in his blood. I mean, what are we to say to the Lord of Lords – “yeah that’s good for you but my standards of what I expect of myself are higher and I royally snafu’d this one”. No, as in all things, we follow His lead. Even if our faith is shaken we can remind ourselves that doubt is an element of faith and only serves to make faith stronger and that there are many things that we don’t understand but He does. And even the death of a beloved pet can ultimately work, as the Lord promises, for our good. So, no guilt. not an option. But man I was sad. I would show up to rehearse with the worship team with my church on Thursday night and sing with tears in my eyes and throat. So what do you do? What did I do? I sang from that empty cat shaped hole in my heart. In fact that is what you do in life, not just worship rehearsal. You now have a cat-shaped (or whatever/whoever you lost) hole in the core of you are and a partially empty God-shaped hole too. What an opportunity to get closer to God!!! Fill it up! Here are lyrics from something I wrote before I was saved but it has relevance –
From my song “Bone Dry And Empty”
“I’m bone dry and empty Lord Lord Lord-isnt somebody gonna come and fill me up? yesterday i was on top of the world and had everything i thought i would ever need today i’m as barren as an empty lot and there’s a whole lot of nothin deep inside of me – aint no angels comin from on high, aint no gold and silver rainin from the sky, aint nobody here gonna make me king, aint nothing but this song to sing.”
It was true but here is the point – without God I had nothing at all. Nothing before I crashed. Nothing after. Just a big sign showing “vacancy” in my heart and soul. I guess I can say that the song is a prayer but I had not yet defined Who I was speaking to when I sang “Lord”. And yet when we are in the Lord and He in us we can pray for Him to fill the swiss cheese holes in our essence and here is the miracle – HE WILL! And that is how we heal from trauma. We put it on his altar. Here are lyrics from a couple of songs that fill up this commentary and make it more whole.
From my song “These Troubles We Bring To Thee” –
“These troubles we bring to thee dear Lord/They are far too steep for such as we/May we put them on on your altar/These troubles we bring to thee
These troubles so heavy we might drown/they haunt us and drag us down/may we put them on your altar?/These troubles we bring to thee
These Troubles we bring to thee/dear Lord please set us free from/These Troubles we bring to thee”
and from my song “Come All Ye” =
“Come All Ye of Weary Hearts and Minds – Leave all your worries/troubles behind – You say it’s been a long hard road my friend/well I’m here to tell you every road must end/There’s a bright sun risin’ on a day that’s fresh and new/There’s a sweet voice in the valley calling me and you =
All the lies have been exposed and the darkness has retreated/the soldiers of the light have advanced where they retreated/the dove is flying high over a peaceful sea and we’ll sing this song of victory”
Praise the Lord – “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His faithful love endures forever” (from many psalms)
In Jesus’s name we offer all this up as prayer.
Corroborating Scripture
Psalm 34:18, Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 61:1–3, 2 Corinthians 1:3–4, Matthew 11:28–30, Psalm 46:1, Lamentations 3:22–23
Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Isaiah 61:1–3 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me… to comfort all who mourn… to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
2 Corinthians 1:3–4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Lamentations 3:22–23 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Trauma doesn’t just happen to us—it rewires us. It changes how we see the world, how we trust, how we breathe. The memories may fade, but the body remembers. The mind keeps reliving. The soul feels permanently fractured.
This isn’t about “getting over it.” It’s about being met in the middle of it. Trauma recovery isn’t a straight line—it’s messy, non-linear, often painful. But God doesn’t demand we “get better” before He draws near. He enters the wound. He binds the wound. He stays with us as we heal.
He doesn’t minimize your pain. He doesn’t say, “Just get over it.” He says, “I see you. I’m with you. Your brokenness isn’t the end of your story.”
Lord, I’ve carried trauma that feels too heavy to name. Forgive me for thinking You’re distant from my pain. Thank You that You’re near to the brokenhearted—not just in theory, but in reality. Heal the wounds I can’t see. Bind up the wounds I can’t name. Fill up my vacancy that feels bone dry and empty. Let me feel Your presence in the dark hours. Help me receive Your comfort, not just for my own healing, but to be an instrument of thy peace and comfort others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
