How to Break Free from Abuse
Capazin Thornton
Myles Munroe said, “If you don’t know the purpose of a thing, you will abuse it.”
Abuse is the perverse use of power to dominate, control and subjugate another person.
Abusers have a desperate need to dominate and control others. They will play mind games, spew out threats, use physical force, control finances, and withhold or neglect something someone needs to accomplish their goal. Some even pervert Scripture, lording it over their spouse or others.
In the mid-1990’s I developed and taught a 12-week series entitled “Woman of Worth.” During that season, layers of abuse were exposed and broken off many women, including myself.
Today there seems to be an epidemic of abusive people. Hopefully, some will read this article and take steps to break free from this vicious cycle.
Diminished, Blamed, Discounted
Emotional abuse is the worst kind of abuse and at the center of all others.
A child is no match for an adult who rages, yells, curses, and hurls criticism, insults, blame, put-downs, and accusations at them. Barring intervention, the fragile soul of a child growing up in such an environment will be damaged. Indeed, this behavior will significantly erode their sense of self-worth and self-confidence.
Emotional scars like these can lie dormant for years before showing up and out in destructive words and actions.
Thank God there is hope for the abused and the abuser. And the keys to breaking free are virtually the same for both.
5 Keys to Break Free from Abuse
- Realize you are God’s unique creation.
Unique means one of a kind, rare, uncommon. You are one of a kind. God made you different from others in a way that makes you unique and worthy of note.
While billions of people live on the earth, there is not now, never has been, nor will there ever be anybody exactly like you!
Unique in personality and purpose, you are God’s property, bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. No one has the right to abuse God’s property.
- Realize Christ came to heal the brokenhearted.
Christ came to heal the brokenhearted. If you are emotionally down-and-out, crushed, broken, shattered to pieces, you are Christ’s project, the object of His love. He came to reconcile you to God and restore you to wholeness.
- Forgive.
If you are the abused, forgive the abuser. If you are the abuser, ask God to forgive you. Forgive those who harmed you.
- Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
Read the Scriptures, especially the New Testament letters. You will discover more about the resurrected Christ, and who you are, what you possess, and what you can do in, by, and through Him.
- Seek Godly Counsel.
If you need help, make an appointment to see your pastor or other godly counsel.
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Are you free from abuse? Please feel free to post your comments or testimony.
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