When We Are Abused
When we experience
abuse, it is natural to want to lash out at
someone—whether the abuser, another person, or
God. I would like to share some suggestions
for surviving an abusive situation and finding
wholeness.
Do not blame
God. God never instigates any kind of abuse.
To do so would be totally opposite of
everything He says. God tells us to love,
serve, and encourage each other. (John 13:34;
Galatians 5:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:11) If you
are going to blame somebody, blame the Devil
because ultimately, he is the one behind all
abuse. (Ephesians 6:12) Forgive the abuser and
anyone who allowed the abuse. This is
difficult, and I certainly do not understand
the pain of each situation. But this much I do
know: harboring anger, resentment, and
bitterness leaves us empty. An unforgiving
spirit is worse than a cancer on the inside.
Jesus went to the cross for every single sin
any of us could possibly commit. The Lord is
intimately aware of the power of
forgiveness—the releasing of hurts—in our
lives.
Choose the
truth about yourself. You may have heard awful
words aimed at you, but God knows those things
are not true. The best way to find out the
truth is to read the Bible. If you go through
the New Testament and write down all the
things that God says about you, I guarantee
that you’ll be standing on your tiptoes with
your hands straight up into the sky praising
Him and thanking Him for loving you the way He
does
