Born to Bloom, Heal From Sexual AbuseSample

Reprogram Triggers

Have you ever been absolutely infuriated and then acted in a way that you knew was wrong?

Perhaps you were confused by your actions, they came out so much stronger than you had intended. What has most likely happened is you were triggered to re-experience a negative feeling from a past wound. Our minds are programmed to keep us safe, so when anything looks or feels remotely similar to a past wound, we react to defend ourselves. The problem is that there often isn’t present danger causing a need to defend oneself and therefore the actions were out of context.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to "let go of every wound that has pierced us, and the sin we so easily fall into." What this means is that you were wounded, yes. The wound was not your fault! And God desires to completely heal you! Hurt people hurt others, and God knows that you do not want to go around wounding others, therefore He has designed a way for you to get the wound healed so it does not affect others by acting from a wounded place.

Begin to reprogram your triggers by becoming aware of them. Awareness is your friend. God has told us the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but God has come to give us life to the full. (John 10:10)

Using the scriptures in Psalm 139:23-24, which says; “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting,” go through each area of your life and ask yourself how the abuse impacted that area. For example, starting with your spiritual life you could ask yourself how the abuse impacted you spiritually. Maybe it caused you not to trust God. You could then begin affirming yourself with the words, “I AM trusting God.” Maybe in your relationships the abuse caused you to feel as if you didn’t have a voice or opinion. You could then affirm yourself with “I AM using my voice in a healthy way. I AM valued by God and my opinion matters."

Using this pattern continue to explore and to become aware of the impact abuse had on you in the areas of your emotional health, physical health, your career, and your finances. As you do so write a positive, godly affirmation for each area. This is how you take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) God desires for your thoughts to be healthy and life giving to you. He desires your mind to speak to you the way He intended, with love, goodness, wisdom, and direction. As you work on your godly narration daily, affirming yourself in your true-identity and reprogramming your negative triggers into positive ones you will find yourself filled with the peace of God that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7)

You have the mind of Christ my friend! (1 Corinthians 2:16) You speak words of life over yourself, the words that God Himself would say to you! Speak it now: I AM filled with God’s peace, I AM aware of the enemy, I AM choosing to listen to God’s Words, I AM healed and whole, I AM living the abundant life!