SURVIVOR TO OVERCOMER

****MAY TRIGGER****
I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to post this.

Someone needs encouragement besides me.

I believe the hardest and delicate part of my journey to healing has been the sexual abuse from my older brother. The more I have been open to the Holy Spirit in this area, the more He is revealing some deeper issues into my sexuality. He is not rushing this process of healing though.

The extent of damage both emotionally and physically to me has been tremendous.

Emotionally my mind still has trouble wrapping itself fully around the extent of God's wonderful plan for a healthy sex life within the confines of marriage. My idea of love has been compromised. Will I ever be capable of love?

Physically because of the physical pain that my little body endured from the abuse which resulted in the unbelievable fear, confusion and panic later on in life that would rise up in me when I would be in an intimate relationship. Even having a female gynaecologist did not reduce any of my anxieties, fears and pain.

The excerpt below taken from All About Life Challenges (a Christian organization) does share how we as survivors can one day become overcomers. The author also stated the process to healing does take time. Sometimes years. Yeah, did not like hearing that. But worth it in the end! Because of hope in God!

As a sexual abuse survivor, you may be asking, can I really move past just surviving and have a life worth living? The answer is YES! YES you can!

Yes absolutely, survivors of sexual abuse can have hope and healing! However, as a survivor, it does not happen overnight. Sexual abuse causes physiological complications that need to be dealt with.

As a sexual abuse survivor, you have been through a lot. Learning to live as a new creation is like a toddler learning to walk. The toddler takes it one step at a time.

If the need or void is not dealt with proactively, the abuse often survives in the survivor. Shadows of the abuse live on in various forms, because the abuse victim looks for satisfaction in the wrong ways or places. Having never known genuine love, the abuse survivor can only imitate love in return.

Physically, we remain injured and will carry the scars as long as we live. But God promises He is there and will never leave us. "…Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). He is there when our minds recall situations, and when our mind, will, and emotions are in darkness and despair. When we suffer mental anguish and condemnation, God is there.

As sexual abuse survivors, we'll find it difficult to reconcile thoughts and feelings regarding love and acceptance. Because of our past, we'll know feelings that combat, tear, and rip the heart and soul apart. No one should have to experience what we have been through. But there is hope.

Because God sent His Son to die for us (John 3:16), we can know that we have value and worth. As a sexual abuse survivor, this concept is hard to wrap the mind around - but it's necessary if we're going to move from a survivor to an overcomer.

The essence of overcoming is realizing that love and acceptance are essential to our healing. We can't do this on our own - in fact, it's impossible! Matthew 19:26 says, "…With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

The main source of help for those who have been abused sexually as a child is God. An adult recovering from sexual abuse says, "God is the one who ultimately loves and cares for us. He is our rock and our shield; He is our peace in times of trouble. Those of us who are adults recovering from child sexual abuse can remember that God can calm the storm of hurt. He can help us realize it is not our fault. Psalm 121:1-2 has been a help to me: 'I lift up my eyes to the hills -- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.'"