6 Steps to Heal from Abuse

Look to the Lord

• I will read God’s Word and pray regularly – looking to Him for strength.
• I will get involved in a local church to grow in my relationship with God.

“Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always” (1 Chronicles 16:11).

Process your emotions

• I will be honest about the pain and difficult emotions I’ve felt because of the abuse I’ve experienced.
• I will talk with God and trustworthy individuals to help me process my thoughts and emotions, as well as journal my honest thoughts.

“In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help” (Psalm 18:6).

Find support

• I will reach out to my loved ones, family members, and friends for support or just to talk.
• I will consider, if needed, talking with a counselor or finding a support group at a local church or in my community.

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 NLT).

Replace lies with truth

• I will identify the lies I’ve been led to believe about myself, about others, about life, and about God.
• I will look to God’s Word to replace those lies with the truth. (See here for a helpful exercise on this.)

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

Set boundaries

• I will set healthy boundaries to protect myself and others from further abuse.
• I will enforce repercussions and maintain those boundaries when they are crossed.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23).

Help others

• I will trust God to use me, even the pain of my past, to help others who have been impacted by abuse.
• I will look for opportunities to share my story, listen to others, and point people to the Lord.

“The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort … comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).