Spiritual Wellness for First Responders: Put Your Armor on Now.
By: Ashley Wright, LCMHCS, NERPSC
“Therefore, put on the FULL armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all of this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Eph 6:13-17
Understanding First Responders
First Responders encounter a great deal of trauma on the job. The number of calls they respond to, images they see, sounds they hear, and even smells they take in can all create small and big levels of stress and/or trauma. Everyone experiences trauma at some point, but responders take in about 200x more than the average person (National Library of Medicine, 2024). How does this affect the brain? The body? The soul? Work and relationships? While responders receive training to prepare for these hardships it also takes a big toll over time, so responders need intentional care to stay healthy and build emotional resiliency around the job.
In addition to trauma exposures, responders also deal with shift changes, long hours, promotional processes, workplace betrayal, politics, and more - the stress can be in many areas at once. Police officers specifically face more of a risk to losing their life on the job and suicide rates are higher than actual line of duty deaths. The statistics are staggering (Police1, 2025).
Most responders also tend to have more personal struggles too. Marriage hardships, relationship struggles, or times when holidays with family are missed and being at work can feel lonely, but going home can feel just as hard. Managing stress without proper preventative care and tools for the future is common. Worries of retirement whether forced or chosen can bring anxiety. I’ve seen it personally and professionally for the past 15 years. The common message is either suck it up and move forward (don’t be weak) or in more recent years, take care of yourself by looking at your own wellness (preaching this, but easier said than done). Put your oxygen mask on and take steps to build your resiliency levels- but also continue to tolerate all of the stress as best you can because we need you to do your job. Do these steps really make a difference? The stress and trauma can seem to flood whatever feels hopeful at times.
Finally, first responders are unique in that they are always aware of the possible threat, and they are ready when the crap hits the fan. Entering this career field leads one to realize it is nearly impossible to see the world like it used to be. Evil is everywhere and you need to be ready and take measures to stay safe. It’s a special calling and it can be mentally tiring to always have your “scanner” running for possible threats or risks both on the job and off. And yet, any responder will say whether they are law enforcement, EMS, fire, or dispatch, they wouldn’t change this part of them. It’s worth the effort to serve and protect.
When Idols Threaten Spiritual Wellness
Wellness in the first responder world has many parts, but I believe the spiritual piece is most crucial and often not given the attention it really needs. When you’re consistently involved in risky, hard situations and showing up to care for others or lessen the threat, it can affect the way you see yourself and the world quickly. Spiritual armor is available to everyone, and it is a great defense when accessed. Without it, we are much more vulnerable to failure and attacks (Eph 6:13-17). Responders often will say, “it’s only a matter of time”. Truly, until Jesus comes back, we need to keep watch as it says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” It doesn’t just say he “might”. Satan is actively looking to destroy you, your marriage, your family, and everything you care about.
Charles Surgeon put it this way:
“He can never be content till he sees the believer utterly devoured. He would rend him in pieces, and break his bones and utterly destroy him if he could. Do not, therefore, indulge the thought that the main purpose of Satan is to make you miserable. He is pleased with that, but that is not his ultimate end. Sometimes he may even make you happy, for he hath dainty poisons sweet to the taste which he administers to God’s people. If he feels that our destruction can be more readily achieved by sweets than by bitters, he certainly would prefer that which would best affect his end.”
When we talk about spiritual wellness we must consider warfare as well. While we are given a choice every day to choose what is best, Satan is working extra hard to tempt you otherwise. This includes idolizing which means putting anything above God as the most important thing. Many responders are very passionate about their jobs in a good way. Initially it was a very exciting and rewarding career. As a responder you get to be someone’s hero by helping them at their absolute worst moments. When an individual engages in this amount of high priority situations both good and bad, it can become very difficult to decompress and release the experience in a healthy way. It can also become an identity or idol. It can be hard to “put work on the shelf”. The Bible warns us that nothing should be first except God.
“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth.” Exodus 20:4
It is a discipline and truly it can be very hard, but with continued work and boundaries, the Lord can be the main focus and when this happens, it is so good! He promises us that He will satisfy all of our needs not just personally, but professionally too! God cares about the work of a responder. He wants to bless you and He knows the evil which exists more than we can comprehend or imagine. We need our spiritual armour.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6
Defining and Living-Out Spiritual Wellness
How do we define spiritual wellness? Spiritual wellness in a biblical context is simply described as:
“An active, engaging relationship with God, characterized by meaning, purpose, and peace”.
I love that word engaging because to me it means active. When we actively seek God and all His righteousness on a regular basis, we are putting on our armor, we fight better, and we are less likely to idolize. How do we do this practically? Here are a few important disciplines:
Read God’s Word.
Pray (just have a conversation with Him).
Find a church that preaches from the Bible and get involved.
Be in community with other believers through a Bible study.
In marriage, connect with your spouse daily and pray together.
If you’re a resource nerd like me, seek podcasts, books, counseling, etc.
The Brain and Spiritual Wellness
When you engage with Jesus, things are just better plain and simple. If you’re new in your faith or not sure of this whole “Jesus” thing – that’s okay! Ask questions. Talk to a friend or chaplain. Don’t give up. Going back to the amount of trauma responders take in, it’s important to understand the need here for relief. When I am doing EMDR with my responders, a form of trauma therapy, we often discuss images seen on a call. Typically, there are pictures that come to mind immediately. When we start processing the image or anything connected to the memory, more starts to surface. This can often feel uncomfortable. Why would anyone want to remember a bad call and talk about it again? Why face that pain again? Well, in therapy we discuss the importance of safely allowing the brain to heal by lessening the irritating symptoms connected to the memory before it gets worse and in doing that, we have to face our pain. You must face what is hard. Pain is inevitable, but the struggle doesn’t have to be. A trusted, skilled clinician who is culturally competent can help you with this process. Don’t compartmentalize, face it.
The brain is amazing, it will literally try to heal on its own. How does the brain even do this? Well, we have to think about WHO created our brains- God. He created our bodies with the ability to heal, but when a responder takes in too much, at some point the symptoms can spill over. Thankfully, when we engage in spiritual wellness daily, we can rely on the One who made us because He is our healer (Exodus 15:26). He is Jehovah-Rapha meaning, “The Lord who heals.” Spiritual wellness leads us to healthy training of acknowledging and releasing in a space that feels supported. I love John Eldredge’s benevolent detachment method from his book, Resilient (2022). He shows us how to gently pray, “Lord, I give everyone and everything to you”. It is simple prayer that can do wonders.
As a responder, why would you limit yourself to the best Healer? The One who can train you the best and guide you into dealing with the worst scenarios or cumulative stress over time? Get to know Him more like David says in Psalm 144:1,
“Praise the Lord, my Protector! He trains me for battle and prepares me for war, my fingers for battle.”
He Fought and He Won
Spiritual wellness is available for everyone and it is necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle both professionally and personally. Spiritual wellness is not just about making sure we are checking the boxes or integrating it into our life when we have a free minute. Spiritual wellness is about prioritizing God and putting on your armor. It is about a lifestyle of inviting Jesus into everything we say and do daily.
In addition, spiritual wellness offers hope. When you taste and see how good it is to be close to Jesus, your longing for Him grows. Any responder would be wise to seek the hope that is found in Jesus because when you see messiness on a regular basis, hope can seem distant. Living in the light of eternity pulls you out of the despair of tragedy and into the joy of what Jesus did on the cross specifically for you. He experienced everything and is the perfect example of what it means to be spiritually well. He set the bar for responders, our heroes, by fighting the absolute toughest battle and as a reminder- He won.
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57
Take some time and think about your own spiritual journey. Maybe there has been a past hurt? Maybe you have questions? Maybe it feels overwhelming and you’re not sure where to start? Wherever you are, know Jesus died for you, He loves you, and He is waiting. It’s not about religion, it’s about a relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Savior.
“I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
References:
Santre S. Mental Disorders and Mental Health Promotion in Police Officers. Health Psychol Res. 2024 Feb 17;12:93904. doi: 10.52965/001c.93904. PMID: 38375073; PMCID: PMC10875161.
Police 1, 2025, Police1.com
Blue Letter Bible; 2025, commentaries; https://www.blueletterbible.org/help/citation.cfm
Eldredge, John. Resilient. 2022.
