Struggling with Grace...

[Timahani]

The pain of the rape still remains well in my mind. Stronger than any other thought that runs in my mind. I am left devestated and feeling so violated. The nasty names that he called me "prostitute", overweight, unworthy, lesbian (because I was saving my virginity for the person God had for me). Its aweful. The depression has worsened. How can I ever show my face in church again...Im not concerned about what others Think, it is MY own inner thoughts and Judgements that are affecting me........................The Bible can be awesome.....but when there has been major sin in ones life it can be so condemning.....at least thats how I feel.:o. and not to mention the violence that I endured.......how can a young women ever lift her head after such a thing?

 

[Johnnz]

Rape brings about a spiritual defilement, a sense of dirtiness (some women wash often after a rape, trying to feel clean again). There can be spiritual influences from the other person that lay behind his rape of you that will continue to demean you as he did to you physically.

It's common for a woman to feel beyond repair, worthless, guilty, sin stained, unforgiveable. Wonderfully, that's not how Jesus sees you. Allow him to teach you that.

John
NZ

 

[Coire]

but u shouldn't feel guilty or unforgivable because u didn't sin. he did. God wants to heal u. He wants u to come to Him and trust in His love. u can lift ur head because u hav a strengh inside u far greater than u could ever imagine.
listen to this:
"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you." John 14:16
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self disipline." 2 Timothy 1:7
"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Don't hide from God. He will give u the strength to rise and and face the pain. u might find that u will actually grow closer to God thru this.

 

[Spunkn]

It takes time, and a lot of healing which will probably be painful. Don't beat up yourself too much by saying "I should be over this by now". It may take years for you to get through this. Don't rush yourself too fast. Take it slow.

If you can find someone you can trust, a friend, a counselor, a family member or someone. Talk to them about what happen, and about how you feel, the things you are going through. But make sure it's someone who's not going to judge you and that you can trust them.

 

[Copperhead]

Keep in mind one thing. The true expression of forgiveness. It is NOT just forgiving, in total, the individual, it IS not requiring a just punishment to be doled out. And I am not naive to think that the governments justice system is reliable or even just. The Lord will make things right one day. Leaving it up to him to do it is true forgiveness. It is not acting like nothing happened. Once turned over to the Lord for him to deal with, the question then becomes, "what is there to be guilty of, or feel the need to hide, as it were, from others?" Those that do not see things as they should, will always have their problems with seeing individuals as yourself as being whole and normal. Those that have a right perspective, will see a person that is worthy of respect and dignity as any other would be. Now you just have to appropriate that into your life. The Lord sees you as one worthy to die for. It doesn't get any better than that! And one day, all tears will be wiped away and all things made new. It is the hope all of us in the Lord have.