Written by: HCC Pastors 5/1/2007 12:46 PM
Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse; THE HIDDEN DILEMMA Have you experienced physical, emotional, or sexual abuse now or in the past? Do you have intense internal shame and aren’t sure why? Our common background is a history of abuse and our goal is to enter into or maintain recovery. Recovery for us is a two-fold issue. We need healing from the traumas done to us at sometime in our past; and we also need healing from the influence these past experiences continue to have on our present lives. If you have experienced abuse in your life, particularly as a child, you may experience some or all of these symptoms that most survivors develop. They: · Are hesitant to identify themselves as victims of abuse. · Feel isolated, depressed, worthless, shameful, and helpless to change. · Are struggling with feelings about God in relation to their life experiences of being abused. · Condemn themselves, trying to deny that being abused in the past somehow affects present circumstances. · Feel out of control; defeated in areas of compulsive behaviors. · Feel angry, bitter, rebellious, have trouble with authority figures. · Feel a lack of self-worth. · Are preoccupied with thoughts of what it means to have a “normal” relationship with others: men, women, friends, and family. · Question their own sexual identity and may experience confusion regarding their own sexuality. · Desire to regain their sexuality and feel safe intimately. · Question self-reality; “Who am I?” · Question whether their life has a purpose. · Feel “at home” in crisis situations. · Struggle with perfectionism or “all or non thinking.” · Desire to have victory through Christ over the life experience of abuse. If this describes you in a general way, what can you do? Here are some suggestions that may be helpful as you walk through the healing process. We can recognize that we are powerless to heal the damaged emotions resulting from our abuse, and we look to God for the power to make us whole. This leads us to acknowledge that God’s plan for our lives includes victory over the experience of abuse. We come to understand that the persons who abused us are responsible for the abusive acts committed against us. We will not accept the guilt and shame resulting from those abusive acts. We look to God and His Word to find our identity as worthwhile and loved human beings. We believe what God says about us instead of what our perpetrators may have told us. We are honestly sharing our feelings with God and at least one other person to help us identify those areas needing cleansing and healing. Talking and bring the “secret” out of the dark into the light releases us from the burden we have been carrying alone. We accept responsibility for our responses to being abused. We are not responsible for what was done to us, but we are accountable for what we have done to ourselves and others as a result. We become willing to accept God’s help in the decision and the process of forgiving ourselves and those who perpetrated against us. As we move forward, we are willing to mature in our relationships with God and others. We do what we can to set matters straight with those we may have harmed, including ourselves. As we move into freedom, we see that we can be used by God as an instrument of healing and restoration in the lives of others. We take an active role in carrying the light of God into the dark rooms where others are still hiding their own guilt and shame over their own abuse. This is a practical fulfillment of the Great Commission. Call us at heritage Christian Center. Ask to speak to the Celebrate Recovery Office. We would be delighted to walk with you on your journey into healing, peace, and new life! For more information, please contact us at 303-369-8514 ext 1645 or visit our Celebrate Recovery Page on this site.
Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse; THE HIDDEN DILEMMA
For more information, please contact us at 303-369-8514 ext 1645 or visit our Celebrate Recovery Page on this site.
Copyright ©2007 HCC Pastors & Ministers
3 comments so far...
Re: Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse I have been there and continue to find myself experiencing this in my present. I was in my past marriage which resulted in divorce in 1992. I just remarried 11/06 and I feel like Lord, not again. I was lead to make a comment on a blog after reading comments earlier regarding Juanita Bynum and Bishop Weeks. This is how God works, what I was lead to write helped ME in my spirit I was feeling and fighting defeat and the spirit was speaking to me. If you don't mind I would like to share my blog with you.
Re: Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse
I have been there and continue to find myself experiencing this in my present. I was in my past marriage which resulted in divorce in 1992. I just remarried 11/06 and I feel like Lord, not again. I was lead to make a comment on a blog after reading comments earlier regarding Juanita Bynum and Bishop Weeks. This is how God works, what I was lead to write helped ME in my spirit I was feeling and fighting defeat and the spirit was speaking to me. If you don't mind I would like to share my blog with you.
Re: Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse How do you get help when you have divorced someone that still keeps yelling at you over the phone, in an angry tone, while your 12yr old listens? Let me know how I can get some assisitance! As I will continue to pray over this sitiuaton.
How do you get help when you have divorced someone that still keeps yelling at you over the phone, in an angry tone, while your 12yr old listens? Let me know how I can get some assisitance! As I will continue to pray over this sitiuaton.
Re: Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse It's easier said then done.
It's easier said then done.