Hi there, and welcome back to my kitchen. Today’s topic is about finding personal freedom after abuse. I said it before and I will say it again: after abuse, the victims are left to deal with the destruction. Finding Freedom in the heart is one of the ways we rebuild.
Think of it like this. After a natural disaster such as a hurricane or tornado, buildings lie in ruin. The owners must look at the destruction on their property and make decisions that will lead to restoring the property. We must do the same with our hearts in particular and our lives in general. We need to look at the damage, and assess what happened and most importantly what to do about it.
This reminds me of the story Jesus told about building houses on good and bad foundations. (Matthew 7: 24-27) He wants us to build our lives on him so that when storms come, we can stand firm. But why bring up God in a conversation about healing? Because ultimate healing comes only through Jesus Christ. Counselors can get you so far, and they can do great work. God uses them too. But I don’t know of anyone who reaches so deeply into the heart and makes all things new and truly takes hurt away.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
So how do we find freedom?
Well, we can follow what property owners do as an analogy. After the storm, we need to assess the foundation of our house. Is it solid? Was it damaged? What about the structure itself? Are some rooms still standing? Or, is the whole thing wiped out? Similar to our hearts, we have a foundation which our parents laid, and later, we took over. We fed ourselves with things like lies and truths. “I’m not worth much. I only matter if I contribute to society.” Or “I have great worth. Even if I take a break today, I am well rested for serving my church or working my shift tomorrow.”
What about the rooms in our heart?
For simplicity, look at the heart as one big room with lots of stations. Do you have sin exposed but covered up partially with a blanket? What about the Bible that’s still there? Maybe you really do have some good stuff going on that needs to be acknowledged. Trials come to test our hearts and show us what is there. The trials of abuse and the trials of recovery are no different.
The bottom line is this. Find freedom by assessing what is in your heart and determine what needs to be fixed, and then pursue doing those things that will help you find your freedom. Is it an attitude adjustment? Do that. Is it finding a different career? Make a plan to change careers. Include everything including finances and a timeline. Most of all, know when the work will be complete. Define what complete means. It does not mean you will feel wonderful all the time, but it does mean you have chosen a way to be happy and content when you are done rebuilding.
Assess the damage. Look at your foundation and the condition of your heart. Make a plan to move forward. Keep an open mind.
Finding freedom does not need to be difficult. Ask God to show you the way, and he will. Find people to encourage you in your endeavors. Never ever give up. If a plan collapses or produces unintended results, salvage what you can and adjust your course.
~Leisel
