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The following comes from the devotional book “What Now?” by Ashley Akers. To learn more, go to www.whatnowdevo.com.
Abuse
Abuse. A 5-letter word that makes us cringe every time we hear it. Abuse can be physical, sexual, or emotional and leaves you feeling completely helpless to ever recover. You feel bound by a chain and every hurtful thing that is said or done adds yet another link to that chain that seems to grow as long as the sea is wide. You feel there is nowhere to go and no way for the chain to be broken; that you have lost your battle – and maybe even yourself.
If abuse hovers over your life, how might you be reacting? Maybe you grab some paint and try to make your chain look different or prettier, hoping nobody will figure out what your reality is. Or maybe you hide behind a fake persona, but fear that somebody will discover your double life. You worry. What if they found out? Will people look down on me or still like me? Am I worthy enough of help or am I a lost cause? Will I be the talk of the town? Your list of questions runs through your mind and goes on and on. The suffering seems unbearable at times.
How do I know? These thoughts were mine. I was bound by abusive chains, and I lived that double life as a child/teenager. I wanted people to think that I had the perfect family, but our reality was far from it. Walking on eggshells every single day hurts. The emotional abuse I endured and witnessing the physical abuse of my mother left me grasping for hope and asking “why”?
Did you know that Jesus himself was abused?
In Matthew 26:67-68 it says, “Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?'”
Jesus was publicly humiliated by being spit on, struck, and even mocked. The abuse He endured only got exceedingly worse when He was crucified. He did nothing wrong to deserve it. He knows and understands your pain and your struggles. He wants you to know that there is hope. And that hope is found in Him. He is the only one who can break those chains Satan put on us, removing them link-by-link.
Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.'”
Being abused can be a lifelong burden if you choose not to surrender your life to the One and Only Healer, Jesus Christ. He wants a relationship with you and He can break the chains once and for all. How was I able to break free from my chains? First, I surrendered my life to Christ. I realized that I cannot do anything apart from Him. Secondly, I earnestly sought God by reading my Bible and praying. Lastly, I opened up about my past to someone I trusted and confronted my pain.
- Have you ever been a victim of any type of abuse in your life? What were/are the circumstances?
- How have you worked through it?
- Are you ready to release your burdens and allow Jesus to cut the chains by taking the steps described in the last paragraph?
Copyright © 2024 by Ashley Akers @ whatnowdevo.com. No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org