Abuse Survivors, Their Need of Compassion

Many, many people have had better lives than we have. All the same, many, many people have had it worse (much worse) than we have.

It is too easy to overly simplify matters of faith and healing. It’s not an irony that those who have little grasp on suffering contexts are also those who fly off into praise for clichés that not only don’t work, but actually damage lives that are reaching out for credible help – yet fail in getting it.

Not Limiting Our Compassion

Healing is of God so none can claim it as theirs,

Though we help by our dignifying compassion,

When we understand about these cares,

Our compassion is not limited to ration.

Compassion is limitless, and, with the leading of the Spirit, together with an imaginative creativity, we can bless people’s lives by being of use to God in augmenting their healing – that they may actualise themselves and live out more of God’s gorgeous plan for their lives.

The Survivor is an Inspiration

How is one to be healed having been abused,

The survivor of reprehensible trauma?

No easy answer exists for those who are confused,

No cliché is appropriate to contend with things former.

All we can do – and this is enough –

Is pour out our hearts of compassion,

Our intent is to smoothen that which is rough,

And make inspirations of the abused by our action.

Does ‘just believe in Jesus and be healed’ really work? Sometimes. Most of the time, however, we must enter a process for healing – so we may be healed ongoingly, progressively, eventually eternally.

Those who have been significantly traumatised need our compassion, not our well-intentioned clichés. Those who have endured travesties are inspirations – every single one – for what they have endured and for what they continue to endure. We can help them in their healing process with God when we attend to their sensitivities compassionately, ‘travelling with’ alongside them. They teach us about compassion as we travel with them practicing our compassion. By compassion we please our Lord.

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What are we if we’re not compassionate toward those who need us? Those in our midst who’ve been dealt sharp blows in life deserve the compassion of God through us. If we can meet their needs somehow, we should. We can be situational mediators of the new covenant of grace – providores of healing through the power and provision of the Holy Spirit. We are blessed to play a role – any role.

© 2013 S. J. Wickham.