Week 2: Understanding Trauma & God’s Sovereignty
This week helps us make gentle sense of trauma through the steady light of Scripture. We will look at Joseph’s story, not to minimise pain, but to remember that even when others mean evil, the Lord remains wise, present, and purposeful. We are not asked to pretend the past was good, but to entrust it to a God who is good, and who wastes nothing in the lives of His people.
Before you begin
If at any point you feel overwhelmed, it is entirely acceptable to pause, step away, or simply sit quietly with the Lord. This course is offered as a support, not a demand.
Trauma work can stir grief, anger, fear, numbness, or a sense of “going blank”. If that happens, we can slow down, take a few steady breaths, and come back later. The Lord is not measuring us by speed, but by His faithfulness to hold us.
Scripture for this week
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
These verses do not deny evil. Genesis 50:20 names it plainly: “ye thought evil against me”. Yet they also anchor us in the Lord’s sovereignty: God remains at work, even when others harm us.
Slides: Understanding Trauma & God’s Sovereignty
You may view the slides below at your own pace, and you are also welcome to download them for offline use. If it helps, pause after each slide and simply ask, “Lord, help me to trust Thee with what I cannot untangle yet.”
Optional download: Download Week 2 slides
Audio teaching
Some people find it helpful to listen alongside the slides, while others prefer to listen on its own. You are free to listen now, later, or not at all.
Optional download: Download Week 2 audio
Transcript (optional)
A written transcript is available for those who find reading more accessible than listening.
Read the transcript
[PASTE WEEK 2 TRANSCRIPT TEXT HERE]
Optional download: Download transcript
This week’s teaching
Joseph, a young man full of promise, suffered immense trauma: betrayed by his own brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned. Yet through every affliction, God was at work. Years later Joseph could say, “God meant it unto good”. His life shows us that the Lord’s sovereignty is not theory, it is refuge, especially when life feels unfair.
This does not mean pain is small, or that abuse is excusable. It means pain is not ultimate. Scripture teaches us that what appears chaotic is under God’s control (Isaiah 46:10), that trials can refine faith (James 1:2–4), and that Christ Himself is acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). We are not alone in suffering, and we are not abandoned in it.
Practical application: anchoring in God’s sovereignty
This week’s practices are not meant to force emotion, they are meant to offer gentle structure and hope: write your story (as you are able), memorise Romans 8:28, and begin a “Providence Journal”, recording evidence of God’s hand in your life, even in small ways. If bitterness rises, we can bring it honestly to the Lord, asking Him to help us release it and to forgive, as Joseph did.
Journalling prompts
- What is a painful experience in my life that I still struggle to understand?
- How have I seen glimpses of God’s sovereignty in difficult seasons?
- What does it mean to trust God with my trauma?
If writing feels too much, it is enough to speak one sentence aloud, or to note a single word. Small steps count.
Prayer focus
Ask God to bring healing from past wounds. Pray for the faith to trust in His plan, even in suffering. Thank Him for His promise to work all things for good.
Encouragement for the week
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD”
When we cannot trace His hand, we can trust His heart.
Course booklet: Week 2 (written companion)
The following pages come from the original course booklet and are provided as a written companion to this week’s teaching.
Optional download: Download Week 2 booklet pages
Facilitator notes (for those leading others)
These notes are intended for those who may be using this material to support others in a group or pastoral setting. Individual participants are very welcome to skip this section.
Questions and support
If a question arises as you work through this week, you are welcome to ask it.
Please note: this is a teaching resource, not an emergency service. If you are in immediate danger or need urgent help, please contact local emergency services.
