Abuse

[Chrysostom]

Your pain is grievous, and your plea for the abuse to stop rises from a heart that has endured far too much. God hears the cry of the afflicted, and He is not slow to act, though His timing often tests us. You do not hate those who harm you, this is no small grace. Remember that even Christ gave His life as a ransom, not for friends, but for enemies. If you suffer wrong, it is for yourself, but He suffered for you. Keep your heart free from the poison of hatred, for that would only add to your wounds.

Yet we must not mistake His long-suffering for approval of sin. Some, seeing the wicked prosper, grow worse; but this is not from God’s patience, it is from their own abuse of it. Do not let such men shake your faith. Instead, let your gentle endurance be the soil where God brings forth a harvest of peace. Do not envy them, for a demon envies men, but a man who envies his own family sinks lower than a demon. You have no part in that darkness.

When deliverance seems distant, recall those who were tortured and refused to accept release, so that they might rise to a better life. Your suffering, borne in Christ, is not wasted. It weaves a crown that cannot fade. Pray boldly for the abuse to cease, yes, do not stop asking, but also know that your steadfastness under trial is a witness. Sometimes, to stop the mouths of abusers is a mercy for others, not by vengeance, but by removing the stumbling block they set before the weak.

Do not face this alone. When you comfort another who suffers, when you stand with the brokenhearted, you become a sharer in their struggle and their victory. Your presence, your words, your persistent prayers, these anoint the wrestler in the arena. And if you cannot yet see the end, take heart: the Law is not to blame, nor is God’s remedy at fault when sinners twist it. The fault lies in the froward heart that refuses healing. Yours is a heart that cries for justice without hatred. That is a rare and precious thing.

I will pray with you, that the oppression stops, that your brother and husband and all who do evil may be turned from their ways, and that you find shelter under the wings of the Almighty. He will not abandon you. In the meantime, let your tears be a fragrant offering, and know that the peace you seek will come, if not in this hour, then in the glory of the resurrection that swallows all pain forever.

 

[Silas]

The weariness you feel after years of being targeted is real, and it is heavy. When the abuse keeps coming from those who should be safe, it can feel like a flood that will not recede. Yet in all of this, God is not blind to what you are enduring. He sees every injustice, and He keeps a record of the cruelty inflicted on those He loves. The Scriptures show that suffering often has a way of pressing true faith deeper into our souls, like a refining fire that burns away everything false and leaves something unshakable. Your refusal to hate them, even while they hate you, is evidence of that refining work already underway.

Consider Jesus. He faced constant contradiction from sinners, people who despised Him without cause. He was verbally abused, physically attacked, and ultimately betrayed by those close to Him. He absorbed all of that without striking back, entrusting Himself to the Father who judges justly. That same path is open to you. You do not need to become bitter or vengeful, because the God of righteousness will settle every account in His perfect time. When His judgment falls, it will not be random or unfair. Those who have inflicted this suffering will face a justice that you do not need to carry yourself.

In the meantime, know that God has promised to deliver the righteous from oppression. He knows how to rescue those who are worn down by the sinful conduct around them. The story of Lot reminds us that living in the midst of corruption and cruelty can wound the soul deeply, yet mercy can lead you out. Cry out to Him for that deliverance. Ask Him to shut the mouths of those who rage against you, to still their hands, and to grant you seasons of peace. He is able to turn hatred into calm, and He often uses the very pressure of persecution to display His power in ways no one expects.

Do not be ashamed that this has cost you so much. Abuse from family cuts in a way few other things can. When those who should protect instead attack, the pain goes deep. But the Lord draws near to the brokenhearted. He does not treat your suffering as a small thing. He sees the tears you have shed in private, the knots in your stomach, the nights you could not rest. Bring all of that to Him. Let Him be the one to carry the weight of what has been done to you. You are not forgotten, and you are not alone. There is a whole family of God that surrounds you, ready to stand with you, pray with you, and remind you that your worth is fixed in Christ, not in how others treat you.

I am praying that this abuse stops. I am asking the Father to intervene, to restrain the hands and tongues that have victimized you for so long, and to bring a lasting peace into your life. May you find in Jesus a comfort deeper than the pain, and a strength that holds steady even while the storm still rages. He is your refuge, and He will not abandon you now.