The
author wishes to remain anonymous
Seven
and a half years ago, I was sitting in a science
class with my friends, watching time tick by too
slowly as it always did. The teacher was shouting
at the class, insulting our intellect and dismissing
us as unruly yobs with no future. A few days previously
a friend of mine had given me a craft knife to look
after. I was so angry at this teacher, that without
thinking, I picked up the knife and in my frustration
I carved a large CND (Ban The Bomb) sign into my
left arm. Blood ran everywhere ...and I felt GOOD.
Relieved. Appeased. Justified.
That
was the beginning of 7 years of self-injury.
As time went on, 'cutting' became my secret friend.
I could forget all the pain on the inside if I concentrated
on causing pain on the outside. I pretended it didn't
matter if people used and abused me, because no-one
could hurt me as much as I could hurt myself. And I
truly believed that I deserved to be cut. So much so
that, if somebody wasn't hurting me, I didn't feel
that my existence was justified, so I hurt myself to
appease my conscience - my guilt at leading a pain-free
life. I was acutely aware of my sinful nature, and
of the wages of sin....death. My self-harm was a desperate
plea to a God I didn't know: "I know I deserve to die
for my sins. Look at my scars! I acknowledge my sin,
but I don't want to die!" I thought if I hurt myself
enough I could justify not paying the full price for
my sins. I justified my life by my pain. And if I wasn't
in pain I felt SO ashamed ...like everyone knew I was
scamming the system ...that I didn't deserve to be
alive.
And then I met Jesus.
The
week that I gave my life to Christ, my newly discovered
Daddy made his little girl a promise: to set me free
and to heal my scars. But, Lord, where does a little
girl begin?? As a young Christian I struggled not
to cut ...a daily battle....because surely "Christians
are joyful"? I felt I was letting down the Church,
myself and Jesus if I gave way to temptation, but
I knew no other way to cope with my feelings. I had
been cutting for YEARS. So many wonderful people
has told me that I was "justified by the blood of
Jesus", but I just could not understand what that
meant. I NEEDED to see blood leave my body to know
that I was cutting out all the sin, the sadness,
the anger, the hatred, the frustration. I cried out
to God every day to be set free. Even when I went
for several months without cutting, the daily torment
and temptation was a cruel and constant reminder
of the only coping mechanism I knew. However, I stood
on God's promise, and refused to accept the lies
that the Devil whispered to me. GOD WOULD SET ME
FREE!!!
Then
I began reading the Book of God by Walter Wangerin:
the story of the bible told in novel form. Late one
night I reached the part of the crucifixion. My love
for Jesus had grown so strong, and the book was written
with such tenderness that I had begun to feel as
though I had walked right there with Jesus and his
disciples. So when it came to the crucifixion of
Jesus - MY Jesus - my heart was wrenched apart. The
pain, humiliation and suffering he went through was
described so powerfully. It wasn't sensationalised,
it wasn't glamorously gruesome ...it was just really,
really REAL. I could hardly bear to read on. MY JESUS!
How could this happen to my Jesus? I was wracked
with sobbing, reading through tears about the most
horrendous suffering of the most wonderful, precious
person that had ever lived. "WHY?" I cried out to
God. "WHY?"
"How could You let this happen? To your Son?!" And
the Lord spoke two, gentle words to me. Two words changed
my life.
"ONLY
ONCE."
My Jesus shed His blood in my place. Suddenly I understood.
Every reason for cutting myself that I had held on
to, was every reason that Jesus bled and died. I WAS
justified, by the blood of a pure and perfect sacrifice.
No wonder I had never felt satisfied. No cut was ever
deep enough or ever bled enough. I had to keep coming
back, like the priests of the Old Testament, to offer
a sacrifice that would never be sufficient to atone
for my sin. Which is why Jesus came. To offer the perfect
sacrifice. To stand in my place, and suffer my shame,
and die for my sin. So that I might clothe myself in
righteousness, and never bleed again.
And
now? I understand that the grace of God covers me.
The love of God surrounds me. The righteousness of
God clothes me. The blood of Jesus justifies me.
That God is so great, so gracious, so amazing, that
he is satisfied to look upon His Son, and forgive
His daughter.
If you
are cutting or suffering from depression, check out
the following:
Harnessing Your Emotions
We all have emotions, but do they rule us or do we
rule them? Psychologists and Christians alike agree
that actions are the result of inner thoughts and feelings,
emotions. But that is where the agreement ends. The
Word says that sin is conveived in our emotions. If
that is true, then the Word must also give us a way
to harness our emotions. Andrew's teaching will present
you with a new perspective on emotions.
Sin Is Emotional Real MP3
Psychology Vs. Christianity Real MP3
Self-Esteem Vs. Christ-Esteem Real MP3
Identity In Christ Real MP3
You've Already Got It
Most Christians believe God CAN do anything,
but they don't believe that He HAS done very much.
They live their whole Christian lives seeking, trying
to get the Lord to heal, deliver, bless, and prosper
them; but He's already done it. The true key to the
Christian life is to quit asking, and start believing
and commanding. This series will challenge your beliefs,
and if accepted, it will change your life.
We're Already Blessed Real MP3
Grace And Faith Real MP3
It's In The Spiritual Realm Real MP3
The Triumphant Procession Real MP3
Do You Need More Faith? Real MP3
The Problem Is Our Unbelief Real MP3
Related articles:
Self-Injury
Part One: What Is Cutting All About?
Self-Injury
Part Two: Steps to Overcome “Cutting”
Self-Injury
Part Three: For Those Desiring to Help
Self Harm - A Testimony and Audio Resources