Abuse: The Storm

A few years ago I wrote some devotions on the subject of abuse. I thought I'd post them here this week.


The rain lashed down as I sat at the window gazing out into the storm that surrounded the house. I curled up tight as I blankly looked out into the night. Would this storm ever cease? Would the sun ever rise? At ten years old I could see only storms.

Every day I feared what would happen after school. We’d go to our friend’s house till Mum got home. For four years I was subjected to various forms of physical and emotional abuse in that house. Although I managed to smile on the outside, on the inside I had already died.

Now I am eighteen. Recently, God touched my heart with his love. It was amazing – Imagine walking around in the dark for many years and then one day someone came along and turned the light on. That’s exactly what God did for me. I went to Church and a Pastor prayed for me. As he prayed God just flooded my heart with pure divine love. The hardness I’d built up and my resistance to love was broken down as God swept through me in the most gentle and loving way possible.

That night the storm began to disappear. I devoted my life to God that night and change began to happen. As I read my Bible and spent time with God in prayer I was quickly touched by God about letting go of the past and looking forward to the future. At that time it was like standing at the edge of a cliff and being told to jump off. I was terrified of moving forward, yet because I trusted God, I decided to take a step of faith and face up to the pain of my past. So I jumped.

Now I am thirty. As I sit at the computer writing this devotional my heart is overwhelmed by how much God has done for me. Having taken a step of faith to face up to the abuse I endured I can say today that my life is filled with hope and joy as God has brought healing to my wounded soul.

What is your step of faith? Some of us may need to begin by putting our trust in God. For some, we may need to talk to someone about our experiences. For others it may be the step of releasing forgiveness. Whatever steps you need to take we can ask God to guide us through the storm. Let us pray together.

Loving God, whatever storms of life we face help us face them with you. Where our lives feel dark, turn on the lights and reveal the path we must walk towards healing and hope. In Jesus’ name, Amen.