For those of us who have lived through difficult times, often it requires courage for us to desire and build a relationship with God.

Let me say clearly here that God never moves away from us; our Creator’s love is steadfast, eternal, unchanging. It is not based on whether we act like good people. It’s based on the fact that we are God’s beloved creation, and that will never change.

But when we suffered deep abuse and trauma as children, something was broken inside that does not change the way God sees us but often changes the way we see God. This is one of the worst effects of child abuse: it puts up a barrier that makes it hard for us to seek, believe, and feel Divine Love. It takes true bravery for a survivor to decide that they want a relationship with our Source.

I want you to be aware of this as you work with survivors. You cannot know the extent of our pain and our burdens, but you can make an effort to honor and respect the courage and persistence survivors show in wanting to walk with the Lord. (Even though we are frail and our attempts are imperfect.) I believe God honors and respects that courage, too.