New Pathways
Mental anguish is a hallmark of child sexual abuse. Adult rape victims also experience the devastating effects of this core violation. The idea that a child can agree to engage in sexual activity is ridiculous and extremely self-serving.
Our bodies are amazing and can accommodate great injustice or survive many abuses, but we can also heal and be restored.
The most important key is in our minds. Our minds are open to our spirits, which may be connected to the Spirit of God. Our creator has given us His likeness. He is a triune being. We, too, are a spirit. We have a soul, also known as, our mind, will and emotions and we live in a body.
Our spirit is the part of us that is eternal, created to be able to live with God in heaven forever. Our mind connects our spirits to the natural, physical world. Our minds also control our bodies, if we decide to by an act of our will.
Instead of submitting to all manner of whim, we can decide to control ourselves in many ways. Now, I am not speaking of getting taller or changing every physical condition. Although some people believe this is absolutely the case, I am talking about changing our brain structure to heal wounds from abuse.
When we are overcome by thoughts or memories or a story in the media triggers fear, torment, anxiety or grief, we have the ability to build new thoughts that will help us to overcome those emotions, so that we are victorious.
There are a number of strategies that we can use. Some require assistance and some require a trained professional. Many of these can be done on your own with practice.
Begin a thought library. Do this in peace. Try to find a time when you are not stressed already. Set aside a time that you won’t have outside distractions. You will probably have enough to fight your internal distractions.
Develop affirmations that address the issues you have. If fear is a factor in your life, get some note cards, record your self and even journal affirmations based on the fact that God has not given us a spirit to fear, but of love, power and a sound mind.
Take one issue, just one thing that bothers you and start putting thoughts to redirect that process. For example, if you are perpetually late, you can set your clocks forward or add time to the appointments that are made, you can plan ahead and prepare what is needed to leave. Whatever the strategy, you’ll probably need more than one component to be able to overcome a habitual problem.
Take time to think of the one thing that you want to change and just work on that one thing. You are doing a good job.
If you try to do too many, you’ll be set up for failure and that is a self-depreciating problem for survivors. We all need to win sometimes. Create a winning strategy by taking on only one problem thought.
If you think that you are not good enough, find every Scripture about how much God loves you. Look up the fact that you are a treasure. Look up how God felt about His people, especially King David. Take notice of how tenderly Jesus treated people in the Gospel of John.
If you don’t know your Bible at all and you need help, you can just google questions or reply here. I will help you find the passages that will create new pathways in your brain to help you deal with thoughts that are destructive.
We decide what to think. Thoughts do come at us from every direction, but it is within our power to entertain them, redirect them or delete them by replacing them with positive, life affirming thoughts. Our memories are subject to our direction too.
We’ll look at memory specifically next week.
I will be employing affirmations of physical healing this week. What about you? What direction will you take?