We previously noted that abortion is wrong because of the painful and long-term PSYCHOLOGICAL effect it can have upon the woman involved. With that in mind, consider the issue of GUILT. Guilt has a normal and healthy function within the human heart. (We are speaking of actual guilt, in contrast to false guilt feelings – another very important thing to understand, but not here.) A rightly functioning conscience will blow the whistle when violated. Sometimes conscience will prevent one from aborting.
But too often, that is not the case.
Consider the person who made such a drastic choice, and continues to live with guilt and remorse because of it. There may have been no guilt during the actual event, but now there has been time to think, regret, grieve. The pain and permanence of that decision hover overhead like a dark cloud. Nobody mentioned the emotional overload that can follow. What can be said or done about that?
The most important thing to know is that one can be FORGIVEN. The apostle Paul assures that all transgressions (sins) are forgiven in Christ – Colossians 2:13. It has been said that, if Jesus’ death on the cross did not cleanse all sin, then it did not cleanse one sin. Think on that. And that includes the “unforgivable.” The need for forgiveness is very real in every human heart. The certainty of forgiveness is equally real. Nothing addresses guilt and self-hate as does the amazing grace of God in Christ. If I turn my wrong turns over to Him, He will forgive me and help me to forgive myself.
Being forgiven is not the same as being healed…I won’t FEEL forgiven but I still AM forgiven.
That brings up the second aspect of psychological abortion-recovery. Being forgiven is not the same as being healed. I may have trouble forgiving myself! Sin has consequences. King David of the Bible committed grievous sinS, and thought the whole episode to be a done deal. But the harvest he reaped was very bitter for a very long time. He buried four sons because of those sinful choices! The 32nd Psalm reveals David’s anguish of heart and loss of health during the time he refused to come to terms with his wrongfulness. Post-abortion emotional suffering can have the same effects or worse.
The good news is that the king came to terms with his wrongness toward both God and man – Psalms 32 & 51. And, the even better news is that the Lord fully forgave David and later used him mightily in His kingdom plans. After dying 1,o00 times because of his short-sighted decisions, David found life again in the God of beginning-again!
Where the wandering and painful path of my grieving intersects the Interstate of God’s forgiveness, healing begins. And it does so from the outside in! That is, emotional healing starts with knowing the eternal forgiving love of God for me – I John 4:10. As I lay claim to (believe) that, emotional healing begins on the inside of me. Now, it may take time. Relapses into doubt and regret may occur. I won’t FEEL forgiven but I still AM forgiven. The feeling will follow the fact, as railroad cars follow the engine.
These words are no bandaid. The post-abortion bleeding heart needs a tourniquet. In all this about one of the heart’s most wearisome burdens, I thought it critical to spotlight a very present hope for those who hurt over the past. If this is you or someone you can perhaps help, memorize the truth of Psalm 103:12: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
robert
