Reclaiming SanitySample

Pain - Nancy's Story

Despite an abusive childhood, Nancy exuded joy. She still needed help from time to time to get a refresher on what she had learned after years of therapy to recover from the sexual abuse she experienced at the hands of her father. But she had recovered sufficiently to where she enjoyed life again. She had suffered as a result of her past far too long and decided she would not give any more time to anger, sadness, and worry over a past she couldn’t change. For Nancy, faith was a major part of her recovery. Her pain could only be released through prayer. She spent a lot of time crying out to God for healing, and while she still faced some negative thoughts and feelings from time to time, she was able to focus on her present life rather than her destructive past.

What made her journey so challenging was that her abuse came from the very hands that were designed to love and protect her most. When children are abused or neglected by their caregivers, the scars run deep and last a long time. Nancy was older by the time we met. Her husband had passed away and her children had long since become adults. An empty nester who lived alone, she still had to work extra hard to deter upsetting memories of serious trauma from the past and the resulting negative consequences from creeping into her mind. She had also experienced the sweetness of reprieve from her emotional pain. Each day she intentionally chose which memories she would keep and which she would release through a mindfulness approach to her thinking.

Nancy refused to allow her abusive father to have continued control over her, and she came to rely on Abba, her heavenly Father, for the love and support she needed and desired. Of course, it would be easier to give in to anger, bitterness, and depression; it takes great strength to not let these undeserved emotions consume you, but it is possible. You can stop searching for that one thing that will make it all go away. While you may not experience 100 percent relief from your pain, you can reclaim sanity, clarity, and peace—even from the tragedies that have plagued you from childhood. And you can begin now to experience a decrease in pain after whatever trauma, stress, or overwhelming life events you’ve been through.

The process of recovery is not easy, but it is worth it. Instead of being a prisoner to your past, you can learn to cope with it in healthy ways. The next three days, we’ll take a look at what the Bible has to say on this topic.