I'm finishing up a class next week on psychopathology. It has been a tough class where we have read several hundred pages and gone over video sessions of lectures. The lecture that I recently watched was on disassociative disorder. The lecture was given from a lady who suffered from the problem and also overcame it. The disassociation was the result of sexual trauma that occurred when she was little from her grandfather.
One of the things that struck me, is that she said "Jesus can fully identify with being abused." Jesus was falsely accused. He was betrayed by all that knew him. He was spit upon and beaten. Most of all, as he hung on the cross he was forsaken by becoming sin for us. Being totally innocent, which is something that I can never claim, he was forsaken. So, he can identify with the one who has been abused because he was.
Matthew 26:67-68 "Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists, and others slapped Him, and said, "Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?" Who were the mean people who said these things to Jesus? They were the Sanhedrin, the spiritual leaders of the day. The very people who should have accepted him.
One other thing that the lady in the video said was "he still carries his scars". She mentioned that she still carries some scars of being abused. This let me to think that all of us to some degree have experienced some scars. And that in the midst of that that God wants to redeem those scars and use them for his glory. Not that he caused the bad things to happen. But, that God wants to redeem them. God is using this ladies story to help her now relate to those who have been abused. She is redeeming her story. God wants to use the dark places in each of our lives and hurt.
The last thing that she said in the video that I want to point out is "Jesus offers hope". Jesus doesn't condone or approve of people abusing other people. That is not a part of his will. Rather, Jesus offers his love and power to heal those hurts. Hebrews 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has bene tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin."
One of the things that struck me, is that she said "Jesus can fully identify with being abused." Jesus was falsely accused. He was betrayed by all that knew him. He was spit upon and beaten. Most of all, as he hung on the cross he was forsaken by becoming sin for us. Being totally innocent, which is something that I can never claim, he was forsaken. So, he can identify with the one who has been abused because he was.
Matthew 26:67-68 "Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists, and others slapped Him, and said, "Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?" Who were the mean people who said these things to Jesus? They were the Sanhedrin, the spiritual leaders of the day. The very people who should have accepted him.
One other thing that the lady in the video said was "he still carries his scars". She mentioned that she still carries some scars of being abused. This let me to think that all of us to some degree have experienced some scars. And that in the midst of that that God wants to redeem those scars and use them for his glory. Not that he caused the bad things to happen. But, that God wants to redeem them. God is using this ladies story to help her now relate to those who have been abused. She is redeeming her story. God wants to use the dark places in each of our lives and hurt.
The last thing that she said in the video that I want to point out is "Jesus offers hope". Jesus doesn't condone or approve of people abusing other people. That is not a part of his will. Rather, Jesus offers his love and power to heal those hurts. Hebrews 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has bene tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin."
