“Jesus of the Stripped Loyalty with Green Tunic” (10th Station of the Cross), Source/Author Aendomekio3 (CC BY-SA 4.0 International)
We continue our examination of sins against the self to which abuse victims are prone [1].
Self-Pity/Self-Hatred/Self-Harm
We hate ourselves not only for the sins against us, but for the sins we have committed, and the mistakes we have made – sometimes wallowing in self-pity, sometimes consumed with self-contempt [2][3]. This manifests as a harshly self-critical inner dialog or continuous stream of negative thoughts. We may even contemplate self-harm [4].
Self-Reliance
In fleeing from a God we hold responsible for our abuse or believe abandoned us, we may choose extreme self-reliance [5]. This is a brittle defense which fails to take into account the fact that all we are, and all we have, is from God. Endurance, itself, is a form of His grace.
Suffering as a Gift
Whether we realize it or not, we are engaged in a lifelong spiritual battle. Not because we were once victimized, but because Satan wants all of us (abuse victims or not) to feel victimized for the rest of our lives. He wants us focused inward on ourselves and our wounds, rather than outward toward God and others.
That is not, however, God’s plan for us. Which is why He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us – for our sins, the whole long list. And to offer us instead an abundant life. Continue reading
A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse and More 