If you are enduring ANY type of abuse in your life, hope and healing can be found. It doesn’t matter if it’s physical, emotional, verbal, or sexual abuse, I want you to grasp this reality. There are helpful ways to find healing from abuse, move forward, and have joy in your life again and the best biblical way is to let go and let God handle it for you.
I’ve been where you may be finding yourself right now. One of the hardest feelings you’re enduring is loneliness and despair that no one understands and that you have no one in your “corner,” right?
However, in all honesty, like myself, you are never alone! You’ve got someone walking beside you every step you take. His name is Jesus Christ.
MAKE SURE TO PIN FOR LATER
I recently heard Zack Williams’s new song titled “There Was Jesus” The Chorus is a beautiful reminder of the truth that no matter what’s going on in your life, whether it be pain or suffering Jesus is there.
When I was at the lowest point in my life I didn’t believe this was true. I was suffering big time and I thought Jesus left me to handle my abusive situation on my own.
Looking back, I can see God working and moving on my behalf. That being said, now I use that part of my life to help others in abusive situations find healing too.
How Do You Find Victory And Healing From Abuse?
If you’re a victim of Domestic Violence, there are numerous emotional abuse healing you have to face and deal with before you can start the process of becoming FREE from the pain.
I want to be completely honest (abuse from my ex-husband) when I say healing doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to work through and it can be more than a little scary.
In some ways, I still struggle today even though I haven’t been in that environment since 2000.
Furthermore, certain days will spark a memory, and I become angry and have to pray and ask God to help me not hold that resentment.
With this in mind, here are 7 helpful ways to find healing from abuse.
1. Don’t Deny the Abuse that Happened to You
For the longest time, my abuser made me feel like I “asked for” or “made him” physically hurt me. In other words, I walked on eggshells all the time because it was as if I was living with Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde.
And let’s not forget about the “covering up” and making excuses for why “YOU” are the ones to blame for their actions. In reality, it’s their insecurities being forced on you.
More often than not the “abused” desperately wants to think they can “fix” their “abuser” or help them “change their ways.” However, the question remains…Can the abuser change their ways? It’s possible, but they must want to. Your priority is taking care of yourself…YOU MUST FIND SAFETY!
2. Seek Counsel from Your Pastor, Christian Counselor, or Friend
Finding someone you can completely trust is crucial because if you don’t all the feelings you’re trying to keep buried inside will lead you down a path to destruction. How do I know this? This is exactly what happened to me, sweet friend.
I kept things bottled up to the point that I didn’t want to live anymore because I didn’t see any way of escaping the pain I was in.
What did I do?
I tried to take my own life by downing an entire bottle of narcotics. If it were not for God’s grace I would NOT be here sharing my story with you and how to find healing from abuse as well.
3. Let Go of Any Blame and Guilt
If you have been or are being abused IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. There is absolutely nothing that you did or didn’t do wrong to “make” them abuse you. I was forced into doing things I wanted no part of and then made to feel that I wanted it.
I have lived years upon years over the guilt, shame, and remorse concerning this. If you can relate to this do yourself a favor by letting go and letting God carry the burden. You can’t beat yourself over past mistakes and choices that were coerced upon you.
4. See Yourself as God Sees You
God sees you as his beautiful beloved child so STOP believing the lies upon lies of negativity that have spoken to you. I’m going to keep it real when I say this area is one of the hardest for me to achieve.
My self-worth, confidence, and self-esteem were hammered with false words. Remember your “identity is in Christ!“
That being said, try your best to start seeing YOU as God sees YOU. God sees YOU as beautiful, YOU are chosen and loved, and YOU have hope in Christ to live an abundant life for His glory!
5. Use Your Testimony of Abuse to Help Others Through Theirs
Your testimony has the power to help others with a particular issue. When you use your pain and suffering to help others through theirs, lives are changed.
To start with, when you’re a survivor of abuse YOU can relate on a level that no one else understands. All the feelings you experienced more likely than not, others are feeling them as well.
You can share these feelings and let others know they’re not alone and it will get better in time. Remind others that abuse is NOT ok and abuse is not showing love.
6. Forgive Your Abuser
Now I realize this one will be by far the most challenging thing you will EVER do. You may NEVER hear the words “I’m Sorry, I’ve wronged YOU, Forgive Me!” Furthermore, when you forgive your abuser you’ll realize the prisoner you release is YOU!
7. Do not allow your abuser to maintain control over you
I held a grudge for the longest time from abuse from my husband, but the person it hurt the most was ME! I also realize you will think this is an impossible task to do.
Trust me when I say I understand, and this will take time. The emotional abuse healing and the effects it leaves behind may take even longer. However, what does God’s word say about forgiveness?
God’s word says to forgive others for their trespasses against us if we want to receive forgiveness for our sins. It also says to pray for those who persecute you.
But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:15
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44
Healing from Abuse Quotes
Healing from Abuse: “Instead of saying, ‘I’m damaged, I’m broken, I have trust issues.’ say ‘I’m healing, I’m rediscovering myself, I’m starting over.'”
Horacio Jones
Healing from Abuse: “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
Alice Walker
Healing from Abuse: “Real confidence comes from knowing and accepting yourself – your strengths and your limitations – in contrast to depending on affirmation from others.”Judith M. Bardwick
Judith M. Bardwick
Healing from Abuse: “Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it with use.”
Ruth Gordon
Healing from Abuse: “You can recognize survivors of abuse by their courage. When silence is so very inviting, they step forward and share their truth so others know they aren’t alone.”
Jeanne McElvaney, “Healing Insights: Effects of Abuse for Adults Abused as Children”
Healing from Abuse: “By publicly speaking out against domestic violence, together we can challenge attitudes toward violence in the home and show that domestic violence is a crime and not merely unacceptable.”
Honor Blackman
Healing from Abuse: “No woman has to be a victim of physical abuse. Women have to feel like they are not alone.”
Salma Hayek
Healing from Abuse: “Psychological and emotional wellness is an ongoing process for everyone.”.
C. Kennedy, Ómorphi
Healing from Abuse: “Don’t judge yourself by what others did to you.”
C. Kennedy, Ómorphi
Healing from Abuse: “Do not look for healing at the feet of those who broke you.”
Rupi Kaur, “Milk and Honey”
Healing from Abuse: “From what I’ve been told, the scariest part of being part of a domestic abuse relationship is the idea that you cannot escape and you cannot get help, that feeling of being stuck.”
Kerry Washington
Healing from Abuse: “Domestic violence is any behavior involving physical, psychological, emotional, sexual, or verbal abuse. It is any form of aggression intended to hurt, damage, or kill an intimate person.”
Asa Don Brown
Help For Abused Women
Be sure to check out our resource page titled Help for abused women. It’s jam-packed and full of information to help you with physical abuse, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, and sexual abuse.
Rely on God and His promises to carry you through the painful times. To put it differently, memories may invade your mind and bring back old fears from time to time.
Be ready for this. Satan’s job is to lie and discourage believers from doubting God and His promises to His children. God’s word promises he will NEVER forsake you or leave you EVER!
Below is the single most common question abused women get asked. Please watch the video to gain knowledge and understanding of where abuse is concerned.
What Are The 3 Most Asked Questions Abused Women Get Asked?
Abuse from husband questions are:
- Why does the “abused” woman stay in an abusive situation?
- Why does an abused woman just leave?
- Should I stay or should I go?
Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
Can I encourage you to listen to Zach Williams’s new song “There Was Jesus” because it speaks to my heart and spirit? Do this one thing for me? Close your eyes and focus intently on the words of this song. Trust me? In all the times you think no one is there for you…There Was Jesus!
Your Next Step
Which of the 7 ways to find healing from abuse helped you the most? Know and cling to the fact that you are a child of God, chosen by him, NOT what your abuser taught you to believe about yourself! Rely on God and His promises to carry you through the painful times. Memories may invade your mind and bring back old fears from time to time. Do NOT believe what your abuser taught you to believe about.
