---

Will I ever get over the pain of the child abuse I suffered?

God has a special place in His heart for all little children, but I cannot imagine the way He grieves over an innocent child who suffers at the hand of a parent.

If you are reading this and have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord, Savior, and true Father, I can understand that. How difficult it must be for a person who suffered abuse to believe in a loving Father. The heart wants to believe, but the mind shouts, “No, No, protect yourself.” Right? Just imagine, though, that God, in His loving mercy, wants desperately to be all that your earthly parent was not. He wants to surround you with love and security, with hope and a future—all that your earthly parent robbed you of. Receive it from Him.

Romans 8:28 says: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." If you are reading this and you already know the Lord, then you know that, no matter how tragic life’s events are, He works them into His perfect plan. He will never leave you to your own devices or to suffer in pain, alone.

While God does promise to carry your burdens and to work all things together for good, it is not unusual for victims of abuse to carry the emotional scars and memories with them for a very long time. These emotions then result in unwarranted feelings of guilt, fear, and low self-esteem. Counseling can be very helpful in overcoming or dealing with these feelings.

Trust the Lord. Lean on Him. Let Him fill the need you have to be nurtured and cared for.