Inner Storm Healing – Fascia, Stress, and the Peace of Christ
- John D McLaughlin
- Oct 4
- 4 min read
Updated: 9 hours ago
When the Storm Hits Inside
We all know what it feels like when stress takes over. Our chest tightens, our breath shortens, our minds race. Sometimes it feels like we’re in the middle of a storm we can’t control. Scripture tells us about storms on the outside, like when Jesus calmed the waves in Mark 4:39. But what about the storms that rage inside of us, the ones no one else can see? This is where the journey of inner storm healing begins.
This is where fascia, the body’s connective tissue, gives us a vivid picture. Fascia responds to every stress, every trauma, every fear. Just like water rippling after a stone is thrown, fascia remembers and reacts, tightening and holding. The result? Our inner storm doesn’t stay just in the mind, it lives in the body.
And yet, Jesus speaks the same word to us as He did to the sea: “Peace, be still.”
What Is Fascia and Why Does It React to Stress?
Fascia is a continuous web of connective tissue that holds the entire body together. It surrounds and weaves through muscles, organs, blood vessels, and nerves. Think of it like a full-body sweater, if one part gets pulled, the whole garment is affected.
When stress hits—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—the fascial web tightens. It does this as a protective reflex. On the outside, that looks like stiff shoulders, shallow breathing, or a clenched jaw. On the inside, it can look like restricted blood flow, digestive trouble, or a “traffic jam” in the craniosacral rhythm.
In Craniosacral Fascial Therapy (CFT), we often see clients arrive with what we call a zero-second brain cycle. That means the natural expansion and contraction of the craniosacral system has shut down, like a sea without waves. Why? Because the fascial web has been pulled so tight by stress and trauma that it can no longer flow freely.
The Bible’s View of Inner Storms
Stress is not new. The Bible is filled with people who faced overwhelming pressure. Elijah fled in despair (1 Kings 19). David cried out from the depths of anguish in the Psalms. Even Paul wrote of being “pressed out of measure, above strength” (2 Corinthians 1:8).
But the clearest picture comes in Mark 4:35–41. The disciples are panicked, waves are crashing, and Jesus is asleep. When they cry out, He rises and rebukes the wind and sea: “Peace, be still.” Instantly, the storm calms.
Notice something:
The storm was real. It wasn’t imagined.
The disciples’ fear was real, too.
But Jesus’ authority was greater than both.
Our inner storms—tight fascia, racing thoughts, surging stress—are real. But Christ’s peace is greater.
How Stress and the Flesh Work Against the Spirit
Romans 8:5–6 reminds us:
“They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh… but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Stress drags us into the flesh:
We hold our breath instead of receiving the Spirit’s breath.
We tense our bodies instead of surrendering.
We strive instead of resting.
The fascial web mirrors this truth. A life lived in the flesh builds layer upon layer of tension. The Spirit invites us to life and peace, but the flesh resists. Bodywork, when done with Christ at the center, can help peel back those layers and remind the body how to rest again.
Fascia Therapy as a Picture of Christ’s Peace
When I place my hands gently on a client’s head, I am not forcing healing. I am creating space for the fascial web to release slowly, in its own timing. Often, the body trembles, unwinds, or shifts as years of stored tension begin to let go.
This is a picture of what Christ does for us spiritually:
He doesn’t force. He invites.
He doesn’t shame. He restores.
He doesn’t just silence the storm outside. He brings calm to the storm within.
As the fascial system softens, the craniosacral rhythm returns. The “waves” of the brain cycle begin to flow again. What was frozen in tension now moves with freedom. That is a physical testimony of peace.
Practical Ways to “Still the Storm”
Here are a few ways you can invite both fascia release and Christ’s peace into your daily life:
Practice Nasal Breathing – Slow, steady nasal breathing supports the parasympathetic nervous system and gently relaxes the fascia.
Body Awareness in Prayer – As you pray, notice where your body feels tense. Place a hand there and invite the Lord’s peace into that very spot.
Scripture Meditation – Use verses like John 14:27 (“Peace I leave with you…”) and let them wash over you as you breathe slowly.
Gentle Movement – Stretching, walking, or fascia therapy helps reset the body so the Spirit’s whisper can be heard more clearly.
Peace That Goes Beyond Bodywork
Fascia therapy can help still the storm physically, but true peace comes only from Christ. John 16:33 says: “In me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Your fascia may hold tension. Your body may hold stress. But your soul is held by the One who overcame the storm. Healing is not about perfection on this side of eternity—it is about experiencing the Prince of Peace in both body and spirit.
Let Christ Calm the Storm Within
Stress will always try to pull us under. But like the disciples in the boat, we can cry out: “Lord, save us.” And He will. Sometimes He calms the storm outside. Sometimes He calms the storm inside. Always, He is Lord of both.
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