If you are constantly exposed to emotional and physical abuse in your marriage, then you are probably humiliated and and criticized often. You may not be able to change the abuser, but you can make positive changes in and for yourself. Emotional abuse can only hurt you and hold you back if you allow it to. The Lord has a way of using the most difficult times of our lives as the greatest time of growth.
No one wants to be in an abusive marriage, but if you are a Christian woman the decision to leave or stay is not yours alone. The Lord has a plan for you and if you seek His wisdom, He will show you the way. Just know that if He leads you to remain in the marriage, He will be your strength. Abusive situations are disconcerting enough, but when an abused woman is also required to figure out what God would have her to do, the result is an overwhelming entanglement of spiritual discernment, hermeneutics, theology, faith, trust, devotion, spiritual discipline, eternal rewards and judgement, divine intervention, hierarchical authority, angels and demons, sacred vows, and spiritual-mindedness which thoroughly complicates and convolutes and radically reorients the perspective of literally every practical consideration.
PAUSING FOR A MOMENT AS AN ABUSED WOMEN ASK YOUR SELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS;
"He is hurting me, but God loves me and He knows what is best for my life - if I take matters into my own hands, am I really trusting the Lord?
Does God have a greater purpose for my suffering? Does God want to use my patient endurance as a witness to draw my husband to Himself? What is more important - my immediate personal safety � or the eternal salvation of my husband's soul? Is self-preservation godly � or am I seeking instant gratification and the comfort of the flesh? How will I ever be made pure in the refining fires if I remove myself from the heat? Does the clay say to the Potter, what are you doing with me? Is there any biblical justification for leaving my husband after our marital vows? Have I prayed enough? Is my heart right with God? Is Satan deceiving me into destroying my own family? What future would my kids have? What would be the effect of my action on the psychology of my innocent kids?
Maybe I just need to have more faith and to be long-suffering and try to submit more wholeheartedly and sincerely? What would Jesus do? Would he defend himself? Would he give up and walk away? Would he withhold his love and forgiveness? ... and on and on and around and around ...
God loves you so very much and you are of great worth to Him. You must look to Him who created you as the unique and wonderful person that you are; to Him who has a plan for your life. First, trust Him by claiming the promise of Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV), "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not." Then trust Him to see you through with the words of Philippians 4:13 (KJV), "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". My dear sunnysmile after the night comes the rising and the setting of the sun. It is only a cross
