One of the things many post abortive women seem to get stuck on, is forgiving themselves. While they can believe and accept the fact that God forgives them, they cannot seem to get to the point where they can accept the fact that they aborted their child. A statement I have heard over and over again through the years is "I cannot believe I did that".
Sometimes it takes years to reach the point of being able to look our abortions honestly. We are besieged by such rhetoric and lied to so much, it is easy to fall into the trap of just assuming what others are telling us is true, but in our hearts, I think we always know what it true.
Just this past week I heard from three women who are in their 80's and have been suffering for over 50 years. It is so wonderful to see them courageously reaching out for healing, and to be able to speak to them about God's forgiveness and healing.
Some say the church lays on guilt, but the opposite is true, it is the church that legitimizes the feelings they were already having and helps them to work through them to reach deep peace. I know this first hand because I was there. The church did not make me feel guilt, killing my son made me feel guilt, the church helped me to forgive myself and accept forgiveness from God and my unborn child.
As we hear the story of Judas this Holy Week, it is a reminder that his ultimate downfall was not that he betrayed Jesus, but that he rejected the forgiveness that was his for the asking. instead of going to Jesus, he chose instead to condemn and hang himself. Jesus was always ready to forgive.
So, if you are stuck on self hatred or a lack of self forgiveness because of a past abortion, remember, it is and always has been there for the taking, you just have to claim it.
