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Fine Art-A Rare Painting-Stop The Molestation-Part 1

by Angela Willingham  
6/30/2009 / Self Help

I am blessed to have a son that I can talk to about anything. The other day we were talking and the subject of molestation came up. He was sharing that there are so many individuals that have been molested and he finds himself in situations where he is forced to deal with this issue, as it is one that is affecting his female friends. I shared with him that one weekend alone I spoke to 5 women and of the 5, four admitted to having been molested as children. The truth is this happens more than we may want to know and while we use to think it happened to little girls it also happens to little boys. Molestation is an equal opportunity threat to the safety of our children and as they grow up it is a threat to their emotional health, choices, relationships and families.

My son shared an analogy with me that I thought was very profound and had biblical and spiritual significance. Most people that have been molested do not know their true value. They believe they are less than or do not deserve more because of what they have been through. The truth is that every one of us is special. The truth is that we are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of Jesus Christ. Psalm 139:13-14 says, You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marveloushow well I know it. The bible is saying, we are special and we are a marvelous workmanship. My son gave it to me this way. He said we are all rare works of art. Rare works of art are kept in a museum so that people can see them and they can be taken care of, but when you enter the museum there is always a sign that says, "Do Not Touch the Art." The art is valuable and the sign is there because it is inevitable that someone will want to touch it. The sign is placed there by the museum to let people know that touching is not allowed. The museum is the caretaker of the art. They may not be the owner, but they are responsible for it in the owner's absence. We are rare works of art and God has placed us in families to be watched over. He is the owner, but He has given someone else responsibility for us, to put up the do not touch signs.

Unfortunately, some people have a natural bent to touch the art and some of our children have been touched when they should not have been. Some of you have been touched because someone failed to heed the do not touch signs. Maybe that someone was a trusted family friend or a member of the family. The truth is that it happened, it hurt and it affects the way you look at everything and every one around you, but there is a new beginning for you. When art is touched and marred in some way, the caretaker has to take it off of display for a while, so that it can be taken to the art restorer to be restored to it's original state. You have been touched and it may be time for you to be taken off display for a while so that you can go to the Restorer (Jesus Christ) and be restored. It is important that you not try to just press on in your marred state, because the blemish will just get worse as time goes on. One relationship after another will be ruined or destroyed because of the flaw in your canvas. When there is oil on the canvas it will draw dirt and dust and it has to be cleaned to keep it from getting embedded in the canvas and the same thing is true of us. The flaw will draw the very thing you don't want. The flaw has to be cleaned and healed to keep it from becoming infected and oozing all over everything. You might ask what I mean by oozing all over everything, I mean oozing all over any hope for a healthy relationship. Oozing all over your children. Talk to any person that has received healing in this area and they can tell you it has an adverse affect on relationships. You also need to be able to forgive, because forgiveness frees the hold the person and the situation has on you. Will it be easy, probably not, but nothing that is worth having is usually easy.

Were you molested?

What are you feeling right now? Anger? Distrust? Like a victim?

Is your behavior affected by what you went through? Are you promiscuous or bent toward same sex relationships, because the person that touched you was same sex, now you think that is what you are supposed to do, it seems natural? Are you attempting to get back at everyone because of what that person did? Do you operate out of anger and mistreat every good person that comes into your life? Are you always suspicious? If you have children of your own you may not trust enough to leave them with anyone.

What about your attitude towards the people that should have protected you, your caretakers and the person that molested you?

What kind of people do you attract, people that take advantage?

If you find yourself flawed by molestation, know that you are not alone. You can be healed. Like the art you can be restored. Don't avoid it any longer. Don't hide it from yourself and everyone else. You feel it eating away at your insides. It affects every relationship you attempt to get in. The truth is that in some cases it has caused you to get into relationships that are not normal and natural according to God, but to you it looks normal because that is all you know. It is what you learned. You may even find yourself tempted to do the same thing that was done to you. You blame yourself for what happened. You know that your family will be angry if you tell. The thought of even being around that person disgusts you and the truth is you have a right to feel the way you do. The question you have to answer is do you want to be restored and healed? Do you want the cycle that has become your life to stop so you can live the life God intended for you? Do you want to be able to have a good, godly relationship with a member of the opposite sex?

Stop today and pray for healing and restoration. Seek the Lord for direction to the people that can help you, a pastor, a recovery group or good Christian counselor. Don't just go to someone seek God's guidance. The truth is that God can heal you without the help of anyone, but if you need help get it. Don't let shame stop you from seeking help, because you are not alone. What happened to you should not have happened, but it did and God loves you anyway. You are still fearfully and wonderfully made. You are still His, His own beautiful creation. Find someone that you can confide in that will listen and pray with and for you, someone that will provide wise counsel and support. Stop listening to the devil's lies. What happened is not normal and you are not to blame. Allow the Lord to heal you so that you can be put back on display, without the flaw.


Scripture Refererences:

Genesis 1:27:

27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Psalm 139:13-14:
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marveloushow well I know it.
2 Corinthians 5:17:
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!


For further discussion contact [email protected] or write to us on the message board http://mynewtemple.org/aMessages.html

Angela Willingham, CEO New Beginnings Holistic Fitness Ministries, Inc.
www.mynewtemple.org
Copyright New Beginnings Holistic Fitness Ministries, Inc.

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