HOW DOES ONE RECOVER FROM SPIRITUAL ABUSE? This is emotional and abuse of power and spiritual knowl?

I've had several clients who are ex Evangelical Christians who are emotionally scared from their experiences. Any abuse experienced at the hand of a spiritualist, be they a priest or preacher is extremely damaging. Usually a person in spiritual authority is very magnetic and engenders a persona of trust.

When the trust element is used as a tool to destroy the spirit of a person, this is extremely difficult to undo. There is the element of feeling deeply loved by that church authority. When you open yourself to trusting a spiritual elder, and this trust is then abused in a gross manner, a person can go into very deep levels of abandonment and betrayal.

Undoing the damage is not a quick process. The abused person needs to be able to reclaim some sense of self respect and in many cases a sense of reality. The client can be confused by what is seen as right and wrong, deep senses of guilt and worthlessness are common.

Trust becomes a major issue for clients and the ability to open to another person is difficult.

I know that pain! It has happened to me on more than one occasion in my ministry and walk with Christ. It takes time, prayer, forgiveness, and more forgiveness.

I think the hardest part is the feeling that you lose trust for people. I am assuming the person you are talking about was in some kind of leadership position. When our leaders abuse us its like having a parent beating you.

You don't know who to turn to because they ARE the ones you are supposed to be able to turn to! I think the stronger you become in your own identity in Christ, the quicker you can recover because you know it is their problem, not yours. Remove yourself from their presence and allow God to heal your heart!

First you need to get that person out of your system - everytime you think of this person say - I am grateful for my healing. This changes the focus and sooner than you think you are able to forgive and move on. Do not dwell on the past.

Learn from it and be thankful you are not there anymore, you are here!

We are the ones we are waiting for. You are your own leader, when you realise these things you will not allow yourself to be spiritually abused for you will then not be abusing yourself spiritually by seeking others instead of your self. NamasteLinda at UNIVERSAL LAWS.

I believe the best way to recover and find healing is to ask God for it . Next release the pain and any negative feeling left from this experience . Forgive those who have done you wrong .

It releases you from carrying the pain and staying stuck in it . Next seek a safe place that nurtures healing and growth . Avoid small church's that make their own rules and beliefs up as they go .

Large church's have board's of believers to help guide and direct everything . There is safety in numbers ;).

Thank you for your answers. There have been several persons that I have encountered who have experienced this. The hurt is so deep and yes some people remove themselves from organized Churches.

I say that removal from the individual (s) who were the source of the pain, rather than the entire orgaization or Body of Christ as I have seen. I believe that this behaviour is a strategy of the enemy who seeks whom he may devour through isolation from the fold. Healing the soul wound is a lengthy process for most.

The rejection, isolation, shame of being used and abandoned and the feeling that one was not "mature " enough to be more descerning of this kind of Jezebel spirit. This experience could also be a test of one's trust in Christ as saviour, shepherd etc. It also tests the true position of the heart, how we can move from a posture of love to one of hate. Constant prayer for ones recovery as well as the recovery of the perpitrators of spiritual abuse is also a healing remedy.

There is indeed much to be learned by both parties and much growth and progress in the Christian walk. God's grace is extended to overcome in this area as well.

I am one of those people. I used to be in the ministry; I have had very powerful spiritual experiences with Jesus Christ. I belonged to a church for three years.In one day the church was split down the middle.

Torn in two; the head pastor had sexual relations with somebody and for some strange reason the church just couldn't come to grips with what to do about it. Half of them said "crucify him"....the other half said "forgive him..." So herein began the holy war.It shook me to my core. I have never revered another Christian, pastor, bishop or otherwise as God.

For me it was simply a matter of where the pastors heart was regarding what he did. If he was repentant and was willing to take steps to confront those issues I had no problem with having him reinstated at some time in the future. It was extremely hard to get any accurate information to make this assessment.

It appears many of my brothers and sisters in Christ when confronted with the unthinkable didn't know to do. The pastor of his own accord stepped down. As if to add insult to injury the succeeding pastor did the same thing; namely had sex outside his marriage.

I watched people whom I had ministered with who had brought many people to Christ. I watched them verbally abuse one another for about a week; half left to form independent churches. The other half stayed.

My heart was broken. People who I called my brothers and sisters in Christ yelling at each other. I had never seen them like this.

The experience has left me cynical. For the last 13 years I have walked alone with Christ; renegade and maverick. Clinging to the things he showed me personally.

My relationship is good with Jesus but not so good with Christians. Irony upon irony....i'm not the only one though.

Get yourself away from 'churches' as fast as you can, for you will never heal whilst you attend. Then give yourself time and then more time and then more time after that. Wait on The Lord and then wait on The Lord and wait some more until you are very sure that He is guiding you.

You need the peace that passeth all understanding to fully return to you and then you will heal, but time is the key. I know, I have been there, worn all the lousy religious t shirts and some. You are in my prayers.

Put it behind you. Study Jeremiah 23 and you will quickly see God's displeasure with those who abuse their position. Let God deal with it.

Put it in He can tap one on the shoulder a lot harder than we can. He also knows exactly when and where. Armour Bearers often bear the brunt of the overinflated egos of self-styled individuals as they recognize the eagerness to please and so they use it to their advantage.

You weren't dealing with a real leader. You were dealing with some chump with an attitude problem. Ain't nothin' but a thing.

Blessings and Love Sister,Your question is a question that I have heard many times, as a spiritual counselor. This what I think, the Divine spirit you pray to will be your guide, if you ask your divinity to help you understand the lesson from this experience. Allow yourself time to reflect the lessons and lean on your own understanding that should be supported by research and study of books and websites that support your CBS (core belief system).

Use those feelings of abuse, betrayal and hurt to guide your spiritual exercises, prayer, study and write down your question for your divinity. The answer for your question will unfold and you will be free of the feelings, you will master a life lesson and you will begin to heal. Blessings and Healing,Queen Mother Reference Olomo, A.(2002).

The core of fire a path to Yoruba spiritual activism. Brooklyn: Athelia Henrietta Press.

Trust in others is, effectively, a reflection of trust in self. If you permit someone "passing over you" to be perceived as a "rejection", it will be that. Try simply saying "we simply didn't connect, through no fault of anyone"; and tie that in with a daily count of blessings (affirmations).

It is a practice that all have to work at daily, but it's rewards can be boundless-- and you may find yourself feeling better about yourself, projecting that and attracting like minds/spirits to you. It's a basic law of attraction. We were all born with a beautiful light-- practice letting yours shine, whether it connects with others immediately or not.It will!

Stay open to the light of others. It'll help guide you. Best wishes!

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.