SOUL WOUNDS

Soul wounds are a type of trauma caused by deep suffering and pain. They hurt all parts of your life, from how you feel, to what you think, and how you relate to others. If ignored, soul wounds can cause permanent damage. What can we do? How can we heal?

In this study, you will reflect on:

• What is a soul wound?
• Symptoms of a soul wound.
• Healing by being heard.

Soul wounds can come from many different traumatic experiences. Listen to the story of Kris’s soul wound.

We’ll learn the conclusion of Kris and Adam’s story later in this study. But first, we will focus on the soul wounds we see in Adam. There are many different types of events that can lead to soul wounds. View the images below to learn more.

Our souls can also be wounded or traumatized when we hear the details of someone else’s experience of trauma, especially if that person is a close family member or friend. This is referred to as secondary trauma.

A soul wound is like a physical wound. Think of a deep cut on your arm. How does it heal? What helps it heal? Let’s compare a physical wound to a soul wound. Take a minute and examine each item in the physical wound list and ask yourself: “Is this the same or different for a soul wound?” Then, review the next list to see the provided answer.

Physical Wound

• It is visible.
• It is painful and must be treated with care.
• If ignored, it is likely to get worse.
• It must be cleaned to remove any foreign objects first.
• If a wound heals on the surface with an infection still inside, it will cause the person to become very sick.
• Only God brings healing, but often uses people and medicine to do so.
• It takes time to heal.

Physical Wound / Soul Wound

• It is visible. / It is invisible but shows up in the person's behavior.
• It is painful and must be treated with care. / Same.
• If ignored, it is likely to get worse. / Same.
• It must be cleaned to remove any foreign objects first. / The pain has to be expressed. If there is any sin, it must be confessed.
• If a wound heals on the surface with the infection still inside, it will cause the person to become very sick. / If people pretend their emotional wounds are healed when really they are not, it will often cause the person greater problems.
• Only God brings healing, but often uses people and medicine to do so. / Same.
• It takes time to heal. / Same.

Reflect & Respond

Optional Tip: Journaling your responses to the scripture and follow up questions can help you process what you're learning and see your progress towards healing over time.

What kinds of events could cause soul wounds? Have you known anyone who has suffered in this way? Have you been wounded in this way?

Read the following passages and reflect on how God always responds with grace to the broken. Psalm 34:17-19, Jeremiah 30:17, Psalm 51:17, James 4:6, Isaiah 57:15