Did I say that? Lisa Freeman

Did I say that?
by Lisa Freeman

It’s strange how just one or two hurtful words can turn a relationship upside down. At times, we’re all guilty of bashing someone with our words. Unlike physical wounds, that will over time heal, these rude comments and crude cut downs thrown straight at the heart like daggers can fester for a lifetime.

Verbal abuse is one of the most vicious, deadly forms of abuse. A spoken word can ultimately kill or heal. There is power in our words. The Bible says that we can speak life or death with our tongue. We can encourage and lift others up, or we can cut them to the quick and disintegrate any hope they had of a future.

I’ve been in relationships where words flew like weapons until one person (usually me) was so badly pierced by the blows that it has literally taken years to recover from. I was told from the time I was 15 that I was no good and no one would want me. So, just wanting to be loved by someone, all through life I settled for anyone who even acted half way interested.

Settling will cost you. It cost me big time. I married a man who appeared to love me like none other. He opened the door for me, brought me flowers, and very rarely ever said a negative word. But I heard God firmly tell me not to marry him.

I didn’t listen to God’s VERBAL WARNING. I went ahead, thinking that after I got married I could just verbally repent and everything would be fine. I definitely repented, and God absolutely forgave me, but after 7 painful years of marriage I learned why God had forbid me not to marry this man—he was addicted to pornography and turned his dreaded addiction onto our three children! (You can read about this is my book: The Pictures That Destroy The Mind)

Thankfully, God gave me the strength to get out of that terribly abusive relationship and go on, but it wasn’t easy. I went through severe panic attacks, agoraphobia, trust issues, and everything else that years of verbal, physical, and even sexual abuse brought on.

It wasn’t until I quit believing the LIES that I’d been told as a young woman that my life began to soar and have new meaning. When I started believing that God loved me more than any man ever could, that I was beautiful in His eyes, and that I had a purpose in life, I began to heal from the inside out. I cannot tell you how awesome that feels. But I can tell you, that you can experience it too. All you have to do, is give it all to God—all the hurt, pain, and issues you’ve been struggling with and He’ll transform your life too.

Today, because of God’s healing I speak out about the abuse I suffered in my past to help others heal. Who knows, maybe He’ll do this in your life too. We all have a testimony. Every time before I speak I try to pray, Lord let your words come out of my mouth so it will be edifying to others. So, why don’t you stand with me and put a stop to verbal abuse altogether by encouraging others and sharing the good things God’s done for us.