Physical Abuse
What is physical abuse?
Physical abuse is any excessive force that inflicts bodily harm or sets your health at risk of bodily harm. Any form of restrain against your will, plus shaking, burning, suffocating, hair-pulling, striking, slapping, kicking, and any sort of injury with an object or weapons like a knife or a pistol are all examples of physical abuse. Physical abuse is a leading source of trauma in both children and adults.
God’s thoughts on physical abuse
1 Corinthians 6, verses 19 to 20 says ‘Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body. It is important not to condone physical abuse. You have to understand that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit – which means you are sacred by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and as such you should not allow anyone to abuse your body in any way or form. In Psalm 139, verse 14 says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. It is therefore important that you seek help, as compared to other abuses, physical abuse is one of the leading causes of death in victims of abuse. Your life can be at risk and therefore it is important not to underestimate the high-risk dangers associated with physical abuse.
What are the signs of physical abuse?
The following are signs of physical abuse:
- Scars, black eyes, red marks
- Facial injuries, head injuries, and rope marks
- Broken bones, open wounds, cuts, pricks
- Untreated injuries in various stages of healing, broken eyeglasses/frames, or any other physical indicators of being punished or restricted
- Burn marks especially cigarette burns and grease burns
- Individuals describe being punched, slapped, kicked, or abused by a vulnerable adult
- A caregiver’s unwillingness to let visitors see a vulnerable adult alone.
What are the Impacts of physical abuse?
- Mixed unpredictable emotions of anger, despair, anxiety, perplexity, and guilt
- Long-term psychological effects like depression and personality disorders
- Feelings of self-harm or suicidal tendencies
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Alcohol, drugs, or substance misuse
- Chronic health problems such as back pain and headaches
In conclusion, do not ignore the signs and impacts of abuses in your life. Doing so limits God’s best for you and your life aspirations. Find ways to start your healing process. Whilst not speaking to experts may not be readily available to you, however, you can begin to take steps towards effective self-healing Christian options like meditation, prayers, scripture declaration immersion, identity in Christ refocusing and retreats.
Meditation combined with prayers are very important parts of dealing with the effects of abuse and trauma in our lives. A good Christian meditation opening prayer can be one of thanksgiving or acknowledgement. Simple repetitive phrases like “Jesus is Lord” or ‘Thank You Father” with breathing exercise are good ways to calm the mind and refocus. Try and spend at least 5 minutes daily before bed and in the morning doing this. As you do so, you will discover an improved mental, emotional and physical resilience and calmness that enables you to heal and face life with renewed strength.
Remember, life is not a rehearsal. God always wants you to choose freedom in Jesus Christ. To be free, you have to decide to be 100% responsible for the change you want to see in your life, even though you may be 100% blameless for the life challenges you find yourself facing. As such, be ready for change. As the solution to overcoming life challenges will usually involve a combination of spiritual insights and practical professional skills, on things God will show you to do to surge ahead. As always, remain blessed with divine health and wellbeing.
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