We are into the heat of the summer. In Michigan it is amazing and wonderful. It is a time to listen to the birds, watch the new born deer run across the lawn, sit on the porch and enjoy looking at the loon on the lake and taking in the light breezes when they come along. I wish our survivors could enjoy every moment of the beauty around them. Unfortunately they are caught up with their memories and pain of the past.
There are days when I hear -“I am almost to the bottom of my programming,” “I feel like I am close to finishing my healing” – a mantra that I have heard for 27 years of doing this work. What does a healed person look and act like? These and many more questions I have wrestled with since entering into this work.
What does healing mean? According the dictionary the word healing means settle, reconcile, restore, rebuild, rectify or recover spiritually or emotionally. With ritual abuse or trafficking our cliental are stripped of their identity. They are used and abused sexually, instilled with fear and terror, have no voice or choice. Often they are robbed of their families, children and loved ones. They have learned to become a messiah for themselves and their loved ones. As long as they do what they are told to do their loved ones will be safe (lie). They are controlled by their fear.
Healing is recognizing they are a child of the Almighty God, and His beloved, His Bride. They learn that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and all they have to do is trust and obey while Jesus did the rest by taking away their sins. They learn when they are afraid they can call on Him and He will hear them. We remind them how much He has already done for them and because they belong to Him He will be their provider.
“If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:4
They are made to feel they are a messiah for their friends and family. But there is only one Messiah
I Chronicles 30:7-10
7 Do not be like your parents and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see. 8 Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the LORD. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that 8 Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the LORD. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 If you return to the LORD, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”
I believe that as the programming comes down, the rest of their walk will be healing. But do we heal completely? I don’t know about you but I still sin and fall short of the glory of God. I have issues that I still deal with therefore I suspect our clients will also. But as they begin to understand the basics of healing – trust in Jesus and His word, I have been forgiven and I must forgive myself, I have an identity in Jesus – I am His beloved, even when I fail and fall short, I cannot protect my children and friends – God created them and it is up to HIM not Satan what will happen in the future, I cannot save them. Those messages will continue to pull at their hearts but they have to stand on truth. Only then will they be able to mature into the people that God created.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing that He who has begun a good work in you will COMPLETE it until the day of Jesus Christ.
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