Emotional Pain and How to Heal it

Emotional pain is one of the worst types of pain we can have. There is no doubt that each of us have experienced our very own dose of emotional pain, but we also know that we have some good ways of dealing with it, and some not so healthy ways of dealing with it.

Drinking, drugs, smoking, eating, and other addictions can often lead to a life much worse than the one we thought we already had. Can you think about a time when you have done something to cover up your pain, and it wasn't a healthy way of doing so?

There are tons of ways to deal with our emotional pain in a healthy way, and I want to share with you what they are. There is a way to overcome all things, and of course with God all things are possible. Let me tell you a story.

Facing Emotional Pain Head On

To help you understand how you can deal with the tough stuff in life, I want to share a story with you that should resonate with almost anyone. 

Seven years ago, a friend of mine went through a tragic event in her life, and at the time, she just wasn't sure how she would ever see the good in it, or deal with it head on to help her live her life. She had been violated sexually, and naturally, this is one of the hardest things to overcome. 

It's so personal and so private, but during the healing time, she ended up drinking and using drugs to help her eliminate the pain from her life. The emotional pain from being sexually assaulted is something that even psychologists will tell you is very difficult to overcome without intense counseling and therapy. 

She avoided getting professional help, because she didn't want to be labeled as someone that had something wrong with her, because she was the one assaulted and not the other way around. What she didn't understand at the time was that yes, she was right! 

She was the victim, however, what she would learn later is that she didn't have to be in that state of mind, or be a victim for the rest of her life. She discovered that "being the victim", left her in a captive state, and without freedom to live her life. 

What allowed her to exit from the cage of pain? It was forgiveness! 

Forgiveness is the Key to Releasing Emotional Pain 

While some of you may feel this is a completely inaccurate way of healing emotional pain, I can assure you that the ultimate in doing so is forgiveness. It doesn't make what the offender did okay, by any means, but it does release you to heal. 

This also doesn't mean that you have to talk to them or be friends with them. Forgiveness is all about letting go, and detaching what they did from the idea that they did this to you because you have no value. 

I can prove this in a few ways:

1. Those that have been sexually assaulted have low self worth
2. Those that take their life tend to love others and reach out to them more than they do for themselves 

This is a sure sign that these individuals seem to believe that they have no significant value in life, and they feel as though they don't fit in anywhere. This is a lie! You are valuable, and you do matter! In fact, studies show that when kids are raised with this outlook in life, they grow up with less emotional strain and they are ultimately more successful. 

Forgiveness is NEVER easy, but it takes courage. The easier path in life is to be angry and stay that way, but that life won't bear any fruit. If you are experiencing emotional pain, seek help from someone that can provide you with sound and Godly counsel, and live courageously! 

Choose Life

Choose life, choose abundant life, always. This doesn't even have to do with the Bible folks, it's just a thought and it's a good one. Whether you are a Christian or not, it's time that you think about what life has to offer, how short life is, and what you can do each day to help someone else.

There are so many things I think about each day like; I still want to go the Grand Canyon, and I still want to go to Diamond Crater with my husband. Why wait? Carpe Diem, right? There is no reason we should ever wait to do the things we want to do.

If we really want to make them happen, they will. If something is important to us, we will make it come to fruition. Life is beautiful, so why don't more people embrace it? Why are people choosing to die? Why are we not placing value where value needs to be placed?

Choose Life Because it's Beautiful! 

Have you wondered why some folks are so hard on themselves? They cut themselves down, they doubt their gifts in life, and they NEVER seem to think they are worth believing in or listening to. They feel stupid, they feel lost, and they just don't percieve their life to hold any value. Why?

Who is telling them this? Why do we NOT make it more of a point to teach our children that they are so loved, valued, and precious? How could we NOT teach them this?

It has been said, that we should teach our children to build themselves up so strongly that nothing could ever poke holes in their self esteem, EVER. Their self image should be strong, bullet proof and they should never feel as though they aren't enough.

Life is a gift from God, as He is the giver. What we do with it is up to us, and when we choose life, we glorify God completely. We are sharing God with others when we:

1. Show love
2. Care for others 
3. Care for the sick 
4. Care for the poor 
5. Give to the church 
6. Give to charity 
7. Hug a child and more 

How long has it been since you have done any of these things? Has it just been since yesterday or one year? Every time we go out and explore nature, or share a cup of coffee with a friend and listen to what is on his or her heart, we choose life. 

Think about what you can do right now to encourage someone, share your love, and be a friend to someone in need. Love is always right, and stepping out to teach others that they can be more, do more, and have more is living courageously. 

Choose life, it's precious. 

You ARE Enough

It has been said that courage doesn't mean you ever get afraid. You are only human, and so it is that you will experience thoughts and feelings that are human. You just have to know that fear cannot stop you,.

If you look at this photo, you are going to see two amazing individuals that look as though they might be missing something.

Are they actually missing something? Not really,. They have their minds, their hearts, their faith in God, and they still have bodies despite the missing limbs.

Courage is something that Nick Vujicic and Bethany Hamilton know all about.

You Are Enough, Always 

Did you know that most folks in life experience the thought that they are NOT enough? Men, women, and children have all had this thought, and sadly, it repeats in their mind like a broken record.

This is half of what is wrong with people in general, and is linked to their depression and self esteem issues in most cases. It has been said that when others find something wrong with you, it is because they have a problem, or they need to feel better about themselves.

What say you?

The reality is that there is NOT one thing wrong with you, and you are enough no matter what. That only disability anyone has is when they don't try or just flat out refuse to. God is our maker and the reality is that it all comes down to living for an audience of one.

If we are really living for an audience of one, why is it we struggle so much? Let me share a story.

You Are Enough Even When Your Mother Says You Are Not 

At the end of the day, we all think and feel based on what we grow up with. There is no doubt about this, right?  When you are a young woman, what your father has to say about you is critical, and your mother can make or break your feelings too.

A young woman grew up hearing her father call her, "princess", while her mother was constantly obsessed with her makeup, and any imperfections on her face. "Why do you have acne?" "Why do you look puffy?" "Why are you overweight?"

The barrage of comments never seemed to end. It was always appearance based which didn't help. Women try to cling to the fact that they are princess, but this young woman hit rock bottom when her parents split. Her father had an affair, and then he moved. No phone number, address, or any clue to his whereabouts.

She wasn't enough. In her mind, he didn't want her either, or he would have made it easy for her to contact him, find him, see him. For seven years she chased her dad, and she finally found out one day that he left the state in which they lived. She begged his previous employer to tell her, and because the gentleman knew her and how sad she must have been, he gave her the information.

She called, and when she said, "Dad!", there was silence.

"What do you need?" Was the only question he had for her. Pointed, stern, as if she was asking for something. All she wanted was his love, to be his little girl. She wasn't enough in her mind, he sounded bothered by her call.

Princess, if you are reading this, here is the good news; you are enough. In fact, you are MORE THAN ENOUGH! The little girl is still inside you, and that will NEVER go away. However, the thing is, you have a Heavenly Father, and HE will always be there.

Not asking you for anything. He doesn't need any good will from you, no makeup, no sex acts, nothing from you as a person but your love. That is all God has ever wanted from you-PERIOD. You can guarantee that its courageous to reach out to God in a time of need instead of the human help.

• If you have a physical disability, you are still enough.
• If you have been told you aren't smart, you are enough.
• Adopted? Yes, you are still more than enough!

Just be sure that you pass on the love that God has for you. All you ever need to be is, "JUST BE LOVE!" Period. That's it. Love God, love others, and serve.

Live Courageously!