Rebuilding What Was Broken
Some stories in Scripture don’t just speak—they echo. The chapter Rebuilding My Jerusalem from Just Before Dawn draws a powerful parallel between Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and the healing process after trauma.
For many survivors, life after abuse feels like standing in the ruins of what once was. The walls that should have protected were torn down. The foundation feels unstable. Safety and hope feel like distant dreams. But Scripture offers something survivors rarely hear: restoration is possible.
“They will rebuild and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”
—Isaiah 61:4
Naming the Ruins
The process of rebuilding begins with honesty. In Just Before Dawn, Diann reflects:
“They had survived their ordeal, but nothing more. These survivors still bore the reproach of their captivity.”
Survival isn’t the final chapter. God never meant for His children to simply get by. Like the people in Nehemiah’s time, healing begins when we acknowledge the brokenness, not to dwell in it, but to let God restore it.
Step One: Seeing the Damage
Nehemiah wept when he saw the ruined walls of Jerusalem. That response wasn’t weakness—it was sacred clarity.
“So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days.”
—Nehemiah 1:4
Like Nehemiah, many survivors begin their healing journey by grieving what was lost, stolen, or broken. For years, trauma might have been buried deep—but God brings it to light not to shame, but to heal.
Healing requires truth. It requires saying what happened. And that truth often leads to tears. That’s okay. It’s the beginning of rebuilding.
Step Two: Clearing the Rubble
Before rebuilding, Nehemiah cleared the ruins. The same goes for our hearts. We bring God our grief, our confusion, our anger, our ashes—and in return, He gives beauty, joy, and praise.
“He gives beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”
—Isaiah 61:3
There is no shortcut here. Sometimes God has to dismantle the cracked foundations we tried to build on our own—fear, shame, self-reliance—to create something new, something lasting.
Step Three: Letting the Master Builder Lead
Restoration is not a DIY project.
“God covenants with us to lay a new foundation; our part is to give Him the rubble of the first foundation and permission to rebuild as He chooses.”
We are not alone in this process. God doesn’t ask us to rebuild with our own tools or strength. He is the Architect, the Builder, and the Finisher.
“Then the nations… shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places… I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.”
—Ezekiel 36:36
What Restoration Looks Like
Restoration doesn’t always look like going back to what was. It looks like becoming more than you ever believed possible. A life rebuilt by God is stronger than what was destroyed.
“Bit by bit and piece by piece, one stone upon another… until her restoration made her stronger and more glorious a place than ever could have been possible before.”
If you feel like your life is rubble, remember: God sees the blueprint. You don’t have to. He’s not intimidated by your ruins. He specializes in restoration.
A Gentle Invitation
Healing doesn’t happen overnight. Rebuilding your Jerusalem takes time. But if God has started something in you, He will complete it.
🙏 Reflection Prompt:
What in your life feels like ruins right now? What would it look like to hand that rubble over to the One who rebuilds?
🕯 A Verse to Hold On To:
"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." —Psalm 34:18
💛 For more reflections and faith-based support for trauma recovery, visit justbeforedawn.net.
