Did you know you were never meant to witness a traumatic death? The sudden emotions of anger, rage, fear, and even numbness that rise within us after seeing a traumatic death are normal and important. These emotions, though painful and intense, are shouting, “It’s not supposed to be this way!”
The past few months in America, we’ve seen headlines full of violence, from the assassination of Charlie Kirk to the horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic School, to the murder of two Minnesota lawmakers in their home. Traumatic death seems to be everywhere.
But thankfully, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5). When we’re wondering how to deal with witnessing a traumatic death, we naturally run to God with questions, anger, and our need. Through faith and Bible based trauma healing, you can find restoration and hope for your soul.
What is the Impact of Witnessing a Traumatic Death?
Witnessing a traumatic death can cause a wide range of reactions. For some of us, we feel shock. Shock is the feeling of confusion or a sense that the loss isn’t real. For others, we feel despair, sadness, or an empty feeling in our stomach. And sometimes, after witnessing a traumatic death, we feel instant anger and rage, often searching for someone to blame because of the injustice of death. All of these feelings are ways we can be impacted by witnessing a traumatic death, and they are signs of traumatic death grief.
Sometimes, our emotions and trauma responses can last longer than a few days to weeks. Some signs of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) are things like:
- Flashbacks or intrusive memories where you’re re-experiencing the event as if it’s happening all over again.
- Recurring nightmares that feel like they’re replaying the traumatic death
- Hyper vigilance or feeling constantly on edge, like you’re always on duty or on guard. This can also manifest as a tendency to easily become startled and always being on the lookout for danger.
*If you are experiencing symptoms of PTSD, don't wait to reach out to a trusted pastor or Christian counselor to begin the process of healing. You are worthy of experiencing freedom!
The Murder of Charlie Kirk
For many of us, the first traumatic death we’ve ever seen was the death of Charlie Kirk. Social media spread the footage of Charlie Kirk’s murder across the internet like wildfire in mere seconds. Within just a few minutes, millions of people witnessed the traumatic death of Charlie Kirk. It left many of us wondering, “What do I do after witnessing a traumatic death?”
First and foremost, we are so sorry that you saw the video of Charlie Kirk dying. You were never meant to see that.
Many of you saw the video of Charlie's traumatic death before he had officially been declared dead. Many of you were praying and pleading for God to heal him. The grief, shock, and horror of Charlie’s passing were amplified because of the footage you saw. We want to encourage you that you didn’t do anything wrong by clicking the video, and you don’t need to feel guilty because of what you saw.
Second, God has a way of helping us process and heal from traumatic death and traumatic videos. Faith and trauma are not at odds with each other. Faith, like the light described in John 1:5, has the power to shine in the darkness, and the darkness can’t overcome it. Through faith, we can experience healing from traumatic memories.
Related Post: Can We Have Joy & Peace in Stressful Times?
How Faith Can Help Us Process Trauma
It may seem counterintuitive, but faith actually helps us process trauma. The pillar of the Christian faith, Jesus Christ, processed faith and trauma. Jesus was perfect, without flaw, and He came to save us from the power of sin. During his time on earth, He was tempted in every way (Hebrews 4:15-16), and took on our grief (Isaiah 53:3).
Christianity can help you process faith and trauma so you can experience true healing after traumatic events. If you’ve never given your life to Jesus, there’s no better time than now. Jesus promises…
- To be with you always, even until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20)
- To heal your broken heart and bind up your wounds (Psalm 147:3)
- To give you eternal life, even after death on this earth (John 3:16, Romans 10:9)
To receive Jesus into your heart today and start a new life with Him, head over to our blog to pray the prayer of salvation and receive free resources for your walk with Jesus: This is For You!
As you’re processing your faith and trauma, you’ll find that prayer, Christian community, and Bible verses for comfort and healing are able to bring you out of the chaos of witnessing a traumatic death.
1. Prayer: Prayer is as simple as talking to God. After witnessing a traumatic death or experiencing a trauma, it’s important to talk to God. You don’t have to be polished or kind with your words. You can be honest! In the Psalms, David wrote poems and songs to God that were intense, raw, and real. In the Bible, God even calls David a man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). Here are three Bible verses to help you grow in prayer and honesty with God as you're dealing with a traumatic death:
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? Oh my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. - Psalm 22:1-2
This Bible verse about faith and trauma reminds us that we can be honest with God. Jesus, when He was dying on the cross, even quoted this Psalm as he was nearing death. Faith and trauma are crossroads that often produce forgiveness, reconciliation, and connection with God. As you’re searching for tips for dealing with a traumatic death, know that you can be honest and direct with God.
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. - Psalm 25:16-17
In this Bible verse about faith and trauma, the author is expressing his loneliness and pain. When you’re dealing with a traumatic death, it’s normal to feel angry, troubled, and distressed. You don’t have to hide these emotions from God. You can be honest, raw, and real, just like in the Psalms.
Discover what God thinks about anger in our blog: Is There a Difference Between Righteous Anger & Normal Anger?
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? - Psalm 13:1-2
Psalm 13 is another Bible verse about faith and trauma. The wrestle of faith and trauma is on full display in this Psalm as the writer throws questions at God that have no immediate answer. When dealing with a traumatic death, it’s helpful to know that God is not afraid or offended by your questions. Witnessing a traumatic death increases prayer and honesty with God because we often don't know where else to turn to.
Learn more about prayer and how to grow your relationship with God, even after witnessing a traumatic death: Let’s Talk About Prayer: Simple Steps to Connect with God
2. Christian Community: When we're dealing with a traumatic death, one of the first things we tend to do is isolate. Sometimes when you’ve seen something traumatic and you don’t know what to do, you just want to be alone. While being alone and having times of solitude can be good for us, when you’re processing traumatic death grief or walking through trauma, it’s important to have community around you.
A kind, patient, and safe Christian community can help you heal from the pain of witnessing a traumatic death. Whether you’re processing the murder of Charlie Kirk, the death of a loved one, or the violence happening around the globe, a Christian community is important for your healing.
Learn more about community in our blog: How to Have a Christian Family | Pursue Community
3. Bible Verses for Comfort and Healing: Dealing with a traumatic death can make all of the wrong things in the world feel larger than life. Renewing your mind with scriptures for comfort and peace can help you heal. Bible based trauma healing incorporates the scriptures to help bring healing and restoration to our minds when we experience traumatic events. Here are some of our favorite posts for helping you heal and restore your mind after witnessing a traumatic death:
Where is God When I’m Hurting?
21 Bible Verses for When You Feel Anxious or Worried
11 Bible Verses for When You Feel Far From God
How to Have Hope When You Are Grieving
How to Have Peace in An Angry World
13 Bible Verses for When You Feel Alone
Resources for Dealing With a Traumatic Death
Dealing with a traumatic death is no small ordeal. It takes time to experience true healing. Through Bible based trauma healing, Bible verses about faith and trauma, Christian community, and faith-based counseling, you can experience peace and healing from grief.
Should you or someone you know be processing traumatic death grief, please point them to our resources below for immediate help, hope, and comfort. Remember: you’re not alone, and you will overcome the pain of trauma.
Trauma Healing Institute | Free Bible based trauma healing resources
Focus on the Family | Resources for healing from traumatic grief and loss
National Alliance on Mental Illness | Call: 1-800-950-6264 or Text: NAMI to 62640
988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline | Call or text: 988
Conclusion
Our team at the Everyday Faith podcast is praying for you to experience healing from trauma. We are with you in the spirit and believe that God will bring restoration and redemption to your story. Here is a prayer to help you during this time!
A Prayer for the Grieving
Father of mercy and God of all comfort, I pray that you would bind up my broken heart and heal all my wounds. By your Holy Spirit, I pray that you would renew my mind and restore what is broken. I thank you, Jesus, that you understand the pain I’m in. I ask that You would heal me with Your love and bring light to all the dark places.
By the water of Your word, I pray that You would wash my mind from the death I’ve seen and restore to me the joy of my salvation. Thank you that I do not grieve as those without hope. Please bring peace to my mind, strength to my body, and give me sweet sleep during the night. I praise You for You are with me. Show me that You are near as I heal. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
