Spiritual Abuse Harms our Bodies
How does the aftermath of spiritual abuse affect us physically? In our bodies? There are times when I need to reflect on my own questions, which means I’m asking myself this particular question as much as I’m asking you. These are some of the physical sensations that I remember from the abuse that was heaped upon me:
- I remember feeling like I’d received a punch in the gut. Like I wanted to double over in pain.
- I didn’t know it at the time, but later realized that I wasn’t breathing like I usually did. My breathing was very shallow, and there were times when I actually held my breath.
- Another sensation I remember is having hunched up shoulders, like I was having to suddenly carry a really heavy load, and my shoulders ached under the strain.
- There was actually a moment in time when I came down with shingles because of the stress.
Psalm 139 helped my stress to lighten up enough to “make it.” Words such as these from verses 22-23 of that Psalm:
Search me out, O God, and know my heart;
try me and know my restless thoughts.
Look well whether there be any wickedness in me
and lead me in the way that is everlasting.
In other words, I took great comfort in knowing that if/when the Lord would search my heart, what he would find there would not be the desire to spiritually abuse anyone (although for a fleeting moment I did want to take revenge). What I mean is, I would never intentionally and with malice initiate spiritual abuse on anyone. What I wanted in the lengthy aftermath was for the Lord to know me and my restlessness intimately and to bring me a sense of direction.
Is there a Scripture that has meant a lot to you? Would you mind sharing what those verses are? You can type them in the Comment Section below. I would love to know what you think.
Leave me a comment.
And remember, you're awesome! May God bless you and hold you in the palm of His hand.
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