“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 34:18

And there I was, standing in a room full of people I hadn’t seen since before some of the biggest changes and deepest healing of my life. Just being in their presence stirred an uneasiness I thought I had already outgrown. It’s wild how healing can take years, yet a trigger can pull you back in seconds. Suddenly, everything Jesus had brought me through felt distant. My peace slipped, old habits crept in, and the familiar urge to shrink, disappear, or make myself small washed over me. My heart raced. My face tightened. The fake smile slid into place before I could stop it. Why is this happening? I wondered. Why does this still rise in me if I’ve already been healed?

It amazed me how quickly the past can whisper, even after so much restoration. In that moment, I realized something: healing doesn’t mean we’ll never feel the sting of the past again. It means we get to walk through those moments differently—with Jesus at the center. Triggers don’t expose failure; they reveal where God is still gently working. And to walk in that truth, we must first understand what triggers really are, so we can invite Jesus into the very moments that shake us.

Understanding Why Triggers Happen

Triggers happen. They pull us back into moments that once felt painful, unsafe, or deeply uncomfortable. And one thing is certain—triggers cannot be ignored. They show up in everyone’s life, and surprisingly, they aren’t always a bad thing. When viewed through the eyes of heaven, triggers become invitations. They reveal places inside us that still long for God’s healing touch. Instead of condemning us, they gently point toward the parts of our hearts that are ready to be restored. What matters most is not that we experience triggers, but how we walk through them.

How Triggers Reveal Themselves

A trigger can arise through something as subtle as a scent, a familiar phrase, or a face we haven’t seen in years. Sometimes it’s witnessing a moment that mirrors a past experience. Suddenly, without warning, the body reacts. It remembers before our minds have time to process what’s happening. This reaction isn’t intentional. Rather, it’s your body’s natural instinct to protect you—an automatic response to perceived danger, even when you’re no longer in it.

The Internal Shift: Present and Past Colliding

Once a trigger rises, something shifts inside. You may feel alert, unsettled, or suddenly ungrounded. It can seem as though you’re standing in two places at once—present and past, healed yet wounded, safe yet unsure. This is the very moment to pause instead of powering through. Healing begins in awareness. When we recognize the shift, we can choose not to fall into old patterns but instead invite Jesus into the moment.

Bringing the Trigger Into the Light

When a trigger surfaces, don’t ignore it. Bring it directly to Jesus with honesty and simplicity. A prayer may look like this:

Jesus,
Today I experienced ____________.
It brought me back to a time when __________.
Feelings of __________ rose within me.
This made me realize __________ about myself and how far I’ve come since __________.
In the past, I would have reacted by __________,
but as a daughter of the Most High King, I now choose __________.

Declare truth over yourself:
I am safe. I am strong. I am loved.

Then take a moment to breathe. Let those words settle.

Sitting with the Feeling (Without Staying Stuck)

After acknowledging your trigger, give yourself permission to feel the emotions that rose. You’re not going backward—you’re giving space to something that’s been waiting for your attention. Address any offense, whether done to you or by you. Notice if the reaction connects to a younger version of yourself—the little girl who didn’t yet know how to process what was happening to her.

Sometimes, when a trigger sends us back in time, we’re not just revisiting a memory—we’re encountering pieces of ourselves that broke off long ago. Moments from childhood, adolescence, or even early adulthood can remain frozen because the little girl we once were didn’t know how to process what happened. Those fragments of our hearts hide in the shadows, waiting for a safe moment to be seen. Triggers become the doorway. They reveal what has been too afraid to surface and invite those younger, wounded parts of us to step into the light. In truth, they are blessings in disguise—opportunities to recognize what still needs healing, gather those pieces with compassion, and gently bring them into the present so we can become whole again.

Invite her forward.
Give her the chance to walk safely with you into the woman you have become.

That simple act repairs what was once broken. It brings unity to the parts of your heart that splintered under past pain. This is where healing deepens.

Why the Body Remembers (and Why That’s Good)

Throughout our lives, different pieces of our hearts break off and hide. We don’t always notice them—but our bodies do. When a trigger rises, it’s often a sign that a forgotten part of ourselves is ready to be healed, not left behind.

This truth is important: you are not who you once were.
Through Christ, you have the power to heal, grow, and walk differently than before.

Returning to the Present with Intention

Give yourself time to sit with the moment, but not so long that the old feelings pull you back into unhealthy coping. Feel the emotions. Acknowledge what stirred them. Understand the why behind your response.

Then slowly return to the present. Humble yourself before the Lord. Take His yoke upon you and let Him guide your next step—through prayer, renouncing lies that surfaced, and speaking truth aloud. And when you are ready, visualize taking your younger self by the hand. Walk back into your current life together—aligned, restored, and safer than before.

God’s Heart for Your Wholeness

The Lord longs to unite every fractured part of your soul. He wants you whole, integrated, healed, and walking in the fullness of who He created you to be. Holiness is not something we manufacture; it is something God forms in us through His grace. All He asks is that we allow Him to take our hand in the journey. Through Him, all things become possible—even the healing you once thought was out of reach.

Jesus, make me less of myself and more surrendered to You. Heal every place that rises in fear, and shape my heart to trust Your presence more than my past.

YOU ARE loved,
Leslie

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