Triggered But Still Trusting

Because trauma may echo, but so does truth. (And sometimes it echoes in Target.)

Let me be honest—I didn’t see it coming.

A comment.

A smell.

A sound.

A word.

A moment of chaos.

A tone of voice that took me straight back to a place I had prayed to forget.

My body remembered before my brain did. Tense shoulders. Shaky breath. Irrational thoughts. Fight-or-flight in full force.

I was triggered.

Right there. Midday. In the drive-thru. Drinking my Mountain Dew. Because trauma doesn’t ask for permission or check your calendar.

And then came the guilt.

"I thought I was past this."

"Why is this still affecting me?"

"If I really trusted God, wouldn't I be over this by now?"

But here’s what I’m learning:

Being triggered doesn’t mean I’ve failed in my faith. It just means I’m human.

When Triggers Show Up Uninvited

Triggers are like emotional jump scares. One second you’re fine, and the next you’re ready to run, cry, or throat-punch the air.

They show up without a knock, a text, or a warning label. And suddenly, you’re back in a mental space you worked so hard to move on from.

But here’s what I’ve learned: God doesn’t shame you for being triggered. He shows up in it.

He doesn’t say, "Seriously? You again?”

He says,

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Yes, even if the burden is your overactive nervous system and a flood of feelings you can’t untangle.

Faith Doesn’t Mean You’re Unshakable

Let’s bust the myth: Being healed does not mean you now float through life like a peaceful Pinterest mom sipping sweet tea and quoting Bible verses while folding laundry.

Healing looks more like:

• Crying in the car

• Taking deep breaths in aisle 6

• Sending “pray for me” texts

• Whispering “Jesus, take the wheel” while holding your panic like a purse you can’t put down

  
  

The disciples walked with Jesus and still freaked out during storms. Elijah called down fire—and then ran away and begged to die. David wrote psalms and also had panic attacks in caves.

God didn’t abandon them. He walked with them. Not because they were fearless, but because they trusted Him anyway.

Things I’m Learning About Triggers:

1. A trigger is not a truth-teller. Just because your brain says “WATCH OUT” doesn’t mean you’re back there again.

2. Your reaction doesn’t revoke your redemption. You can be a hot mess with holy potential at the same time.

3. Trust can look like trembling hands still reaching for Jesus. Not pretty. Not poetic. But powerful.

Reflection:

What’s been triggering you lately—and why do you think it hit so hard? Have you felt shame for being human instead of healed? What would it look like to invite Jesus into that exact moment next time? Try it before launching into your “I’m clearly broken and unworthy” monologue. (Because You’re not.)

I may still get triggered.

I may still feel the sting of what was.

But I am not who I was.

And God is still who He’s always been—Faithful. Near. Healing me one moment at a time.

So today, even if the memories come like a wave, Even

if the tears fall for reasons I can't explain—

I will still trust.

Shaky knees. Tear-streaked face. Open hands.

I will still trust.

Because trauma may echo—but truth shouts louder. And Jesus walks with me even when I’m walking in circles.

Want to Talk Through Your Triggers with Someone Who Gets It?

I offer faith-based mental health coaching (in-person or virtual) through Fearless Mental Health Coaching—where it’s safe to be real, raw, and still reach for redemption.

You're not too much. You're not too broken. You're not alone.

👉 Learn more or schedule a session at Mental Health Coaching | Fearless Unite

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