Beauty for ashes: receiving emotional healing by Joyce Meyer Page A
Authors: Joyce Meyer
Tags: Religión, General, Family & Relationships, Spirituality, Christian Theology, Abuse, Child Abuse, Christian Life, Spiritual Growth, Religious Life, Christian Life - General, Adult child sexual abuse victims, Meyer; Joyce, Adult child sexual abuse victims - Religious life
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shame. I suggest that every time you suffer from verbal or emotional abuse, simply pray and ask God to keep you from the shame that tries to build up within you. Use this word in Psalm 25:20 as a double-edged sword against the enemy (which in this case is shame).
Following is an example of how this approach will work for your benefit. I know a pastor's wife who has no problems at all in her sexual relations with her husband, even though relatives sexually abused her for many years. On the other hand, as a result of my sexual abuse, I had many, many problems to confront and overcome in my sexual relations with my husband.
What made the difference? While questioning my friend, I discovered that throughout her childhood she had maintained a strong faith in God. The abuse began when she was about fourteen years of age. By that time she had already enjoyed many years of good Christian fellowship and an active prayer life. She prayed each time her abusers molested her, asking God to cover her so it would not affect her sexual relationship with her future husband. She knew that one day she was going to marry a pastor because the Lord had already revealed it to her. Her prayers protected her from shame and bondage in that area.
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In my case, I did not know enough about God to activate my faith through prayer. Therefore I did suffer from shame- until I discovered that I was shame-based and learned about God's promise to deliver me.You can also be delivered from shame, which is the source of many complex inner problems, such as:
Alienation
Compulsive behaviors (drug/alcohol/substance abuse; eating disorders; addiction to money, work, or other objects or activities; sexual perversions; excessive need to be in control; lack of self-control or self-discipline; gossiping; judgmental spirit; etc.)
Depression
Deep sense of inferiority ("There-is-something-wrong- with-me" thinking)
Failure syndrome
Isolating loneliness
Lack of confidence
Neurotic behavior (A neurotic person assumes too much responsibility; in times of conflict he automatically presumes that he is at fault.)
Perfectionism
Timidity (fear of all types)
Inability to develop and maintain healthy relationships
Depression
What we believe in our heart about ourselves deeply influences how we act: "For as he [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7, paraphrased). If we think poorly of ourselves, we will be depressed.
Extreme numbers of people suffer from this terrible condition
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of depression, which has many complex causes, one of which is shame. If you are prone to depression, it may be a sign of a deeper problem-a root of shame.Those who are shame-based think and speak negatively about themselves. Such wrong thinking and speaking places a heavy weight on the spirit. This is a major problem because God created human beings for righteousness, love, and acceptance. God is always pouring forth these virtues upon His children, but many of His children do not know how to receive them.
You cannot receive love and acceptance from God if you are against yourself. If you have a problem in this area, do not just sit by and allow the devil to destroy you. Confront your spiritual enemy with spiritual action. Change your thinking and your speaking. Begin purposely to think and say only good things about yourself. Make a list of your best qualities and what the Word says about you, and confess it several times a day.
Meditate on truths from God's Word such as: "For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that inandthrough Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Then say, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ."
Say out loud "God loves me" when you read, "For God so greatly lovedanddearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique)
Following is an example of how this approach will work for your benefit. I know a pastor's wife who has no problems at all in her sexual relations with her husband, even though relatives sexually abused her for many years. On the other hand, as a result of my sexual abuse, I had many, many problems to confront and overcome in my sexual relations with my husband.
What made the difference? While questioning my friend, I discovered that throughout her childhood she had maintained a strong faith in God. The abuse began when she was about fourteen years of age. By that time she had already enjoyed many years of good Christian fellowship and an active prayer life. She prayed each time her abusers molested her, asking God to cover her so it would not affect her sexual relationship with her future husband. She knew that one day she was going to marry a pastor because the Lord had already revealed it to her. Her prayers protected her from shame and bondage in that area.
93
In my case, I did not know enough about God to activate my faith through prayer. Therefore I did suffer from shame- until I discovered that I was shame-based and learned about God's promise to deliver me.You can also be delivered from shame, which is the source of many complex inner problems, such as:
Alienation
Compulsive behaviors (drug/alcohol/substance abuse; eating disorders; addiction to money, work, or other objects or activities; sexual perversions; excessive need to be in control; lack of self-control or self-discipline; gossiping; judgmental spirit; etc.)
Depression
Deep sense of inferiority ("There-is-something-wrong- with-me" thinking)
Failure syndrome
Isolating loneliness
Lack of confidence
Neurotic behavior (A neurotic person assumes too much responsibility; in times of conflict he automatically presumes that he is at fault.)
Perfectionism
Timidity (fear of all types)
Inability to develop and maintain healthy relationships
Depression
What we believe in our heart about ourselves deeply influences how we act: "For as he [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7, paraphrased). If we think poorly of ourselves, we will be depressed.
Extreme numbers of people suffer from this terrible condition
94
of depression, which has many complex causes, one of which is shame. If you are prone to depression, it may be a sign of a deeper problem-a root of shame.Those who are shame-based think and speak negatively about themselves. Such wrong thinking and speaking places a heavy weight on the spirit. This is a major problem because God created human beings for righteousness, love, and acceptance. God is always pouring forth these virtues upon His children, but many of His children do not know how to receive them.
You cannot receive love and acceptance from God if you are against yourself. If you have a problem in this area, do not just sit by and allow the devil to destroy you. Confront your spiritual enemy with spiritual action. Change your thinking and your speaking. Begin purposely to think and say only good things about yourself. Make a list of your best qualities and what the Word says about you, and confess it several times a day.
Meditate on truths from God's Word such as: "For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that inandthrough Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Then say, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ."
Say out loud "God loves me" when you read, "For God so greatly lovedanddearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique)
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