Why Do We Continue to Abuse Ourselves?

Why Do We Continue to Abuse Ourselves?
By Wynn Cameron Thompson

1 Corinthians 6:18-20

19 “Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own…”

These scriptures are focused on a command not to sin sexually and why. As I read this passage again I realised that as children of God we do not have the right to criticise or continue to abuse ourselves in any way.

I have personally experienced this self hatred/loathing, sabotaged my success, and have continued to abuse myself, not only emotionally, but sexually and physically. That’s of course until I came face to face with God the Father’s Truth about how He thinks of me!!!

Emotionally – I continued to criticise myself by saying things like, “Can’t you ever get it right?!” “You stupid thing!” “You idiot!” and “You see, you’ll never change”. With thoughts like this I sabotaged any success I began to experience – proving that I must have been right all along.

Sexually – I continued to run to those things that comforted me. Pornography, masturbation and falling every now and then in some kind of sexual activity with a person of my desire. A person I think will meet my need. That is until the Holy Spirit confronted me with the truth that only He could and wanted to meet me at my place of need.

Physically – I ran myself in the ground by over working, trying to get some kind of approval and acceptance from what I did. I burnt my candle at both ends! I became burnt out because I could never satisfy the real need that ached in the deepest part of me.

What I believed about myself, in the deepest part of me was what had been cemented in me as a child. Critical words from authority figures (for some of you it could have come from parents), which came from their own brokenness, affected me. The wounding and pain that resulted caused me to find something that would ‘comfort’ me. They became my secrets. The words that cursed rather than blessed, drove me to try and prove myself, over and over, with little to no real success.

Here is what God’s Holy Spirit led me to read, understand, believe and trust in. I suggest you look up each scripture and memorise them as best you can – It’s what your Father God sees in and believes about you!

We are children of God, the Father, and He sees us as objects of His love (1 John 4:9-11),
totally justified in His sight… (Romans 5:1),
holy, blameless, beyond reproach… (Colossians 1:21-22),
and absolutely complete in Christ… (Colossians 2:10).

For us to judge ourselves or anyone else, in any other way, is sin. Invite God into your place of need – He desires to be your Source!

The moment we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, accept Him into our heart and give Him our committed life, we belong to Him. He makes us a New Creature and we step off into an awesome adventure of healing, growth and destiny!