Blessing and Curse

"She did not know about blessing. Louise looked at her life and was convinced that she had been cursed. At a young age and for many years she had experienced incest. The man in her life who should have protected her was the one who hurt her most severely.

"The sad result was that Louise grappled with two contradictory messages. The obvious one said she was worthless, 'damaged goods.' The other came from deep within and said that regardless of what others had done to her, she was not a horrible person. The deep-down message usually lost." (from May 19, "I Have Been Blessed", Time Out. Daily Devotions for Workaholics)

Do you know anyone like Louise? Do you have a similar struggle? Louise experienced incest. Others have similar wounds from spouse abuse. Whatever the cause, the abused person alone can correct the problem over time, but they are not likely to do it alone. They need someone who cares, will listen to them with compassion, and who will gently help them change the way they think and speak about themselves.