Three years ago, Marcus was stopped at a red light when a truck slammed into the back of his car. The doctors cleared him within a month, and the repair shop fixed the bumper. Marcus assumed the accident was behind him. Yet every time he hears tires screech, his chest tightens, his hands start to sweat, and his heart pounds as if the crash were happening again. He avoids the intersection where it happened, even though it adds ten minutes to his drive to church. Late at night, he asks himself why he cannot just get over it, and he wonders whether stronger faith would make the reactions stop.
Marcus’s story blends the experiences of several people I have walked with in pastoral care, with names and details changed. If his experience sounds familiar, I want you to know that nothing is wrong with your faith. God designed your body to protect you, and after trauma that protection can stay switched on long after the danger has passed.
What Happens in the Body After Trauma?
God created the human brain with an alarm system. When you face danger, part of your brain sounds the alarm before you have time to think. Your heart rate rises, your muscles tense, and stress hormones flood your system. You prepare to fight, run, or freeze. This response can save your life in a real emergency.
After trauma, that alarm may continue reacting after the immediate danger is gone. Bessel van der Kolk explains that many trauma survivors continue to react as though they are still in danger, though they know in their minds that they are safe. The National Center for PTSD calls these triggers trauma reminders: something a person sees, hears, or smells that makes the event feel like it is happening again, such as a news report, an accident, or fireworks. Its examples of avoidance include staying away from driving after a car accident. Survivors may have trouble sleeping or concentrating, startle at loud noises, or feel constantly alert for danger. Some people experience the opposite and go numb. They feel disconnected from their own bodies and from the people around them. vava
The National Center for PTSD also explains that upsetting memories, feeling on edge, and trouble sleeping are normal after a traumatic event, and most people begin to feel better within a few weeks. It encourages anyone whose reactions last longer than a month, cause great distress, or disrupt daily life to talk with a doctor or mental health provider. It also notes that stress after a trauma raises the risk of lasting symptoms, while support from other people lowers it. I see a clear role for the church in that research. va
Reminders can surface at church too. A raised voice from the pulpit, a crowded sanctuary, a hand on the shoulder during prayer, or a hymn once sung at a funeral can bring a survivor’s body back to the moment of harm. When this happens, a survivor may leave early, sit near the door, or avoid certain services. Church leaders who understand this can respond with patience instead of judgment, and they can let people choose where to sit and how to participate.
These reactions do not mean a person is weak, faithless, or making things up. God designed the body to respond to threat, and these responses follow that design. When you understand this, you can set down a heavy layer of shame.
Does God Care About My Body?
The biblical writers describe the body as part of God’s good creation. David prayed, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:13–14). The God who shaped your body with such care has not forgotten it.
The psalmists also wrote openly about distress they felt in their bodies. David cried, “Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled” (Psalm 6:2). He described sleepless nights of weeping: “I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears” (Psalm 6:6). In another psalm, he wrote that grief had worn down “my soul and my body” (Psalm 31:9). Through these psalms, I see that God’s people have always brought their physical suffering to Him. He placed their words in Scripture so that we could pray them too.
One of my favorite examples of God caring for the body comes from the life of Elijah. After Elijah’s great victory on Mount Carmel, Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him, and he ran for his life. He traveled into the wilderness, sat under a broom tree, and told God he had nothing left (1 Kings 19:1–4). God did not scold him or hand him a sermon. God let him sleep. Then an angel touched him and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you” (1 Kings 19:7). Only after Elijah had rested and eaten did God meet him on the mountain, and God came to him in “a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). God cared for Elijah’s body with rest and food before He spoke to Elijah’s heart.
Jesus Himself experienced distress in His body. In the garden of Gethsemane, He was in such agony that “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Our Savior knows what it feels like when fear and sorrow grip the body.
Jesus also cared for bodies throughout His ministry. He fed hungry crowds, touched people with leprosy, and healed the sick. When He sent out the twelve disciples, “He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:2). He invited the weary to come to Him: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus cared for the whole person, body and soul together.
Paul reminded the believers in Corinth that “your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Your body remains a dwelling place for God’s Spirit, even when it carries the effects of harm. Peter Scazzero argues that emotional health and spiritual maturity cannot be separated. Caring for your body and emotions is part of following Christ faithfully. When you rest, eat, move, and seek help for what your body carries, you honor the God who made you.
How Can I Care for My Body After Trauma?
Start by noticing your reactions without judging yourself for them. When your heart races or your shoulders tighten, name what is happening: “My body is reacting to a reminder of what happened. I am here in this moment.” Naming the reaction can help you think more clearly. Getting to safety comes first if you are not safe where you are. Resources are available on the Get Help page.
When you feel the alarm rising, slow your breathing and pair it with prayer. Breathe in slowly while you pray, “The LORD is my shepherd.” Breathe out a little longer while you pray, “I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). Research supports a longer exhale. In a 2023 randomized study from Stanford University, adults who spent five minutes a day on breathing that emphasized long exhales saw greater improvement in mood and a larger drop in breathing rate than adults who practiced mindfulness meditation. The study was not limited to trauma survivors, but it supports the value of slowing your exhale. Repeat this prayer for a few minutes as needed. stanford
Grounding can also help bring your attention back to the present. Look around and name five things you can see, four things you can touch, and three things you can hear. Focusing on your surroundings can help your body notice the present moment instead of the moment of harm.
It may also help to notice patterns over time. Keep a simple journal for a few weeks. When you experience an adverse reaction, write down what happened, what was around you, and what helped you settle. You may begin to see which reminders affect you most, and you can share those patterns with a counselor or a trusted friend.
Do not overlook basic physical care. Protect your sleep, eat regular meals, drink water, and take a short walk when you can, the way God cared for Elijah’s body in the wilderness. At bedtime, you might pray David’s words: “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). These small acts of care are spiritual too.
You also do not have to manage these reactions alone. Tell someone what you are experiencing, starting with your doctor and a counselor trained in trauma. In their 2023 clinical practice guideline, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense recommend specific trauma-focused therapies, including prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). The National Center for PTSD reports that treatment removes symptoms entirely for many people, while others find their symptoms become fewer or less intense. Seeking help is an act of stewardship, not a lack of faith. nihva
I write as a pastoral counselor. I share this information to help you understand what your body may be doing, and I do not intend it to diagnose you or anyone you love. Only a mental health provider can diagnose PTSD. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Additional resources are listed on the Get Help page. va
Lord, You formed every part of me, and You know what my body carries. When fear rises in me, remind me that I am safe in Your care. Help me rest, eat, breathe, and seek help without shame, as You cared for Elijah in the wilderness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Sources
National Center for PTSD. “PTSD Basics.” U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Last updated October 2026. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/what/ptsd_basics.asp.
Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature. Updated ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense. VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder. Washington, DC: Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense, 2023. https://www.healthquality.va.gov/guidelines/MH/ptsd/.
van der Kolk, Bessel. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. New York: Viking, 2014.
Yilmaz Balban, Melis, Eric Neri, Manuela M. Kogon, Lara Weed, Bita Nouriani, Booil Jo, Gary Holl, et al. “Brief Structured Respiration Practices Enhance Mood and Reduce Physiological Arousal.” Cell Reports Medicine 4, no. 1 (2023): 100895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895.
Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Because Dr. Parker asked for current citations, I kept van der Kolk (2014) only for his general point and put the newer sources behind each clinical claim. If you would like this version reviewed before it goes live, Dr. Parker could check the clinical paragraphs and Pastor Ekow the added Scripture.
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