Is self harm a sin?

[Galatians5:22and23]

I understand what you're going through. When I was about 14, I became bulimic and began to cut as well. I didn't think it was wrong at the time. I thought everyone did it. My mom found out I was throwing up and got me help with that, but no one knew I was cutting. I got better from bulimia, which was a long hard road. But I was still cutting myself. One day in 2003 I couldn't take it any longer, so I told my mom. She took me to a counselor, who just told me I was doing wrong, that I was suicidal(which I wasn't) and that I should be ashamed. It didn't help at all. I began running from everyone, including God. I did lose some friends because of it, they didn't know what to say to me anymore I guess. About 7 months ago I realized that I needed God's help again. So, I haven't cut in almost 7 months. It was so hard, but its so worth it in the end. I just did it with God's help. Sometimes when I think about cutting again, I just pray or read my Bible and somehow He helps me through it. Hang in there, God will help you through this.
You're in my prayers,
~Galatians5:22and23~

 

[oceana]

Hi to this thread.

I am a newbie on this site and it was the last place I was expecting to come across a thread about SI so I am really pleased to have found it. There are some very good comments here about SI. I have been SI'ing all of my life except for when my children were young, but it has got much more serious in the last 5 years. I became a Christian about a year ago and I still SI but perhaps less and less as time is going by in God's Love . I think God is teaching me so many things and in order for Him to fully heal me I need to be healed at other levels first before we actually get to the stopping of Self injurious behaviour. God is like the ultimate Therapist. I certainly do not believe it is a sin per se, allthough God loves me and doesn't want me to hurt. But God knows that in order to stop SI'ing He has got to do some other works in me first. It will happen in time, I KNOW that God will do it, but not until HE is ready to heal me FULLY and not until I am READY to receive his full healing. I mean he wants me to be a whole person and in order for that to happen he has to do some more subtle works in me before attacking the big issues, otherwise it will be like sticking a bandaid on - there will always be a scar, but he won't do that, he wants me to be FULLY healed. In the meantime I have learnt so much about myself from our heavenly Father to the point where allthough I still do SI, I ammore conscious of my behaviour at the time of injuring. I fully belive to be completely healed of this in God's own timeframe. I probably SI less since I was born again and less dangerously too. It;s like I feel like I am a little child (I am 41!) peeping out from under a blanket...I am learning to trust God with this issue little by little, as I learn to trust him more and more I am coming further out from under the blanket, and when I am finally out is when I will be healed of it.God is preparing me to be ready to receive it. Does this make sense to anyone? I hope so as it is a bit garbled lol!!

My personal belief is that only God can FULLY heal us of this behaviour. God has healed me of alcoholism first which is awesome! I am just working with God on this SI behaviour, I am trying to give it all over to Him but I am still a bit too much under that blanket, but I am coming out!! Praise GOD!!

Love Oceana

 

[InvisibleExistence]

Hey Oceana!! Thank you for replying to my thread. I needed to start one about it really because I needed an answer... I always ask God to help me talk to people at my church and to let them help me with the big self harming and sinning debate. It's interesting to see how many answers there are.. I think the fact that being mentally ill isn't a sin... so why should self harming be? Smoking isn't a sin, but it is still harming yourself. I don't know if i'm making any sense. Sin or not I shouldn't do it but it's difficult to stop. I can be going days without it and then i'm in the bathroom and i've had a bad day and it just happens, just like that.

I will try to trust God with it.. I did have quite an emotional time at church recently... hopefully it's the first step.

I'm really glad you're learning to trust God. Take care xxxxxxxxxx

 

[heavenliejediofthebeach]

Hey, heavenlieisland. Well done for resisting for a whole two weeks! I'm trying as well but it's not as easy as I hoped. I can do it though, maybe.. I had a whole long prayer time to talk to God yesterday because i've been neglecting that for a while. I have never actually told Him what's going on even though he knows already. It helped to talk. Maybe you could try? Just tell Him absolutely everything that's on your mind, and not leave anything out because you don't want to talk about it. That's where I had problems I think. But it made me feel a whole lot better. But hey! Maybe you've done that already. Merely a suggestion!!

Take care xx

thx..yea i do try to talk to the holy father but sometimes when im so derpressed..i cant seem to try to reach him..but if i seem like hes unvailable..i talk to my bf..he is the most unjudging guy i kno and thats why i love him..anyhow...ill be praying for you

 

[bonniea84]

Hey all,

This is an interesting thread because I'd done something like this once. My
attempt to hurt myself was an attempted suicide 12 years ago. I sure hate
to admit it, but life was really bad at that time. I couldn't make ends
meet, I was working in a part time job I hated, I was a student enrolled in
too many classes, in debt big time, and my fiancée was living almost 500
miles away from me.

It was so strange; because I called my fiancée to let him know how depressed
I was and that I wouldn't be available to talk for a while. I was thinking
about cutting myself with a razor in total desperation, then my friend
Dottie shows up at my door. She tells me that my fiancée called her to have
her check on me. It was a good thing she did because who knows what I would
have done. I wound up in counseling a couple of months later, not just with
your average counselor, but an excellent Christian counselor who reminded me
to that I needed to give my problems over to God, and to trust him.

If it weren't for my fiancée who is now my husband, and my friend Dottie . I
'd hate to think of where I'd be now. In any case, I don't really know if
hurting ourselves is a sin; if anything it's a cry for help. It's a part of
mental illness and depression in some cases. But then again, no one WANTS
to hurt him or herself . it just happens.

Bonnie

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

No offense to any of you, because I myself am I christian. BUT, I do not believe God alone is the answer. I've been cutting myself for 4 years, and unless you do it and understand what a person feels like to have to do this to themselves, I believe they have no room to talk.

Dear Friend, I'm sorry for your pain. This situation is a very difficult one, to be sure. But my concern is that you feel the Lord alone isn't enough, and I do hope it isn't because you're cutting yourself off from the source of healing, which is scripture. It isn't an act of unkindness to tell someone the truth that SI is a sin-in fact, it may be the only way they can come out of it. I'd really think twice about joining each other for the purpose of telling each other SI is okay-this isn't going to heal anyone. In fact, it solidifies the very habit you're looking to break. In the end, each person can only make choices that will lead to healing. It's good for SI sufferers to connect with others who have that objective in view. I used to think people who weren't depressed didn't understand depression and so I disregarded their advice when I was a teen. Then it occured to me: these people aren't depressed. Does that mean they don't know what they're talking about...or does it mean they know precisely what they're talking about? I so pray everyone here who struggles with SI will be healed.

Blessings,
Whitehorse

 

[avouer]

Hi!
Just a note here, some good stuff posted already....I personally wouldn't be moralizing this issue friend, it would be counterproductive and add to your already high anxiety. Rest in the knowledge that Jesus Christ is your righteousness, He took care of things....and then....take good care of yourself and find someone you trust in the helping profession, ok? contact me anytime....

Joan

 

[Greyshade89]

Well the problem isnt "God hasnt taken you very far" its "Your not drawing near to Him" The things you mentioned are spirits and the bible says resist the devil and he shall flee..so theres what ya do! lol
Praying For Ya!