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Trigger warning: This post discusses trauma, PTSD, and emotional distress. If you are in crisis, please scroll to the end of this article for resources and hotlines. You are not alone.
PTSD Isnโt Just a LabelโItโs a Lived Experience
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) often brings flashbacks, hyper-vigilance, emotional numbness, nightmares, and shame. Some feel like theyโre always in danger. Others feel nothing at all. Itโs not just something that affects soldiers. It impacts survivors of childhood abuse, car accidents, domestic violence, sexual assault, disasters, and more. PTSD doesnโt discriminate.
And neither does Jesus.
โBy His Wounds, We Are Healedโ โ Isaiah 53:5
Itโs easy to picture Jesus as gentle, soft-spoken, and calm (He was). But we often forget He was also a man of sorrows. He bore the weight of the worldโyour pain included.
Isaiah 53:3-5 says:
โHe was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with painโฆ
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering…
The punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.โ
Jesus didnโt just die for sinโHe died through suffering. He was tortured, humiliated, abandoned, and misunderstood. His trauma was public. He knows what it means to cry out, “My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). If you’ve ever cried that into your pillow at 3 a.m., Jesus understands.
PTSD and Faith: Can the Two Coexist?
Letโs be real. Some well-meaning Christians say things like โjust pray it awayโ or โall you need is more faith.โ But trauma doesnโt evaporate just because we quote a verse.
What heals trauma is presenceโsafe, holy, sustaining presence.
Jesus doesnโt demand you get over it. He sits with you in it.
In John 20, after Jesus rose from the dead, He still had scars. He didnโt erase them. He showed them. Why? Because scars tell the truth: โI went through something. But here I am.โ You donโt need to hide your scarsโphysical or emotional. Youโre not less holy because you hurt. Youโre not faithless because youโre healing slowly.
Jesus and the Wounded: Stories We Overlook
- The Bleeding Woman (Luke 8:43-48): She was considered unclean, ostracized for 12 years. But Jesus didnโt flinch. He turned toward her. โDaughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.โ If trauma has made you feel untouchableโHe calls you daughter. Son. Beloved.
- The Man with Legion (Mark 5): He lived in the tombs, screaming and self-harming. People chained him up. Jesus didnโt avoid himโHe restored him. He didnโt scold the manโs behavior; He confronted the source of his pain.
- Peterโs Denial and Redemption (Luke 22 & John 21): Peter denied Jesus three times. Imagine the shame. The trauma of betrayal. But Jesus doesnโt discard Peter. He cooks him breakfast and asks, โDo you love Me?โ three timesโrestoring him gently, without condemnation.
Jesus consistently moves toward the traumatized, not away.
Healing Is a Journey, Not a Judgment
Some days youโll feel strong. Other days, it might feel like all you can do is breathe. Thatโs okay. Jesus isnโt measuring your progress by how many Bible studies you finish. Heโs walking with you, one trembling step at a time.
Psalm 34:18 reminds us:
โThe Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.โ
Youโre not behind. Youโre not alone. Healing isnโt linear. Sometimes it loops back and forth like waves. But the tide always turns. God is patient in your process.
Jesus Wants to Restore Your Whole Story
Thereโs a moment in Revelation 21:4 that gives me chills:
โHe will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or painโฆโ
This isnโt metaphorical. Itโs deeply personal. He doesnโt just end painโHe wipes your tears. Face to face. Tenderly.
God isnโt interested in turning you into a spiritual robot with perfect church attendance. He wants you healed. Whole. At peace. He wants to rewrite the narrative of your traumaโnot erase it, but redeem it.
What the Cross Says to the Wounded
If the cross could talk, it would say:
- โI know what betrayal feels like.โ
- โI know pain, humiliation, fear, and loss.โ
- โI was left alone so you never would be.โ
- โYour trauma is not too ugly for Me.โ
- โI conquered the graveโincluding the death you feel inside.โ
The resurrection doesnโt mean pretending everythingโs fine. It means death doesnโt get the last word. Neither does PTSD. God can breathe life back into what feels dead.
Hope for the Wounded Today
Hereโs what I want you to take with you today:
- Youโre not crazy. Youโre coping.
- Youโre not weak. Youโre surviving.
- Youโre not forgotten. Youโre loved.
- Youโre not too far gone. Youโre already being held.
If youโre dealing with trauma or PTSD, Jesus wants to meet you exactly where you areโnot where you โshouldโ be.
Resources and Trauma Hotlines
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, flashbacks, or need someone to talk to right now, please use one of these resources. There is no shame in asking for help:
๐ U.S. Resources:
- National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988
- Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1
- RAINN (Sexual Assault Hotline): 1-800-656-4673
- SAMHSA Treatment Locator (mental health & substance abuse): 1-800-662-4357
- Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 or text โSTARTโ to 88788
- Give an Hour (Free therapy for veterans and more): www.giveanhour.org
A Closing Prayer for the Wounded
Jesus,
For the one reading this who is exhausted, confused, angry, or numbโbe near.
Speak peace into the war zone in their mind.
Remind them they are not too broken for You.
Replace shame with shelter, and fear with Your fierce love.
Thank You for being a Savior who knows what suffering feels like.
Thank You for not rushing the process.
Walk with us, Lordโstep by sacred step.
Amen.
โค๏ธ Youโre Not Alone
If you found this post helpful, please share it with someone walking through trauma. You donโt have to be a perfect Christianโor even sure of your faithโto be held by Jesus. You only need to be human.
And friend, you are deeply, beautifully, eternally loved.
