* Pour out your heart to God. Don’t be afraid to talk with God openly and honestly about all your thoughts and feelings related to the abuse. Know that when you cry out to God, He will orchestrate the right circumstances in your life to support you. Remember that, even though you’ve been hurt by people you couldn’t trust, you can trust God completely. Consider finding a support group, prayer partner, counselor, or mentor to help you as you face the truth about your past. Write out your thoughts and feelings in a journal if that helps you sort them out. Admit the truth of what happened to you, and present your anger, disappointments, hurts, and desires to God.

* Invite God to search your soul. Ask God to reveal the deception you’ve been living with, and the sin that lives in your heart. Face the true condition of your heart so you can see your need for God.

* Release your burdens. Let go of your burdens and give them over to God, trusting Him to sustain you. Ask Him to heal you from the effects of traumatic memories. Refuse to seek revenge against people who hurt you, and trust God to bring about justice in His way and time. Understand that holding onto bitterness poisons your life and blocks your intimacy with God. Know that you must forgive your offenders and yourself in order to fully experience God’s love. Ask God to help you through the forgiveness process, and know that He will give you the power you’ll need.

* Claim your new identity. Realize that, regardless of what others have said about you in the past, you’re now a new person if you’ve begun a relationship with Jesus. Understand that the moment you accepted Jesus as your Savior, you became a permanent member of God’s family. Forget about other ways you once identified yourself, such as stupid, worthless, shameful, sinful, unworthy, rejected, evil, or unwanted. Embrace your new identity as God’s beloved child, with His eternal Spirit living inside you. Remember that who you are determines what you do. So let go of self-abusive behaviors caused by your old identity – like alcohol or drug abuse, physical abuse, promiscuity, poor health habits, or threats of suicide. Keep your focus on Jesus and your identity in Him, letting Him help you grow day by day.