If You Had An Abortion
After abortion nothing is ever the same. It impacts on women in ways they never anticipated. Feelings of guilt, hurt, regret, anger, shame – and more, come to the surface; and while family, friends and counsellors can advise, and mental institutions can administer pills, unless a woman addresses the core problem, there can be no true healing and peace.
Steps Toward Healing after an Abortion
1. Admit personal responsibility.
Whilst secular counsellors try to avoid suggestion of moral guilt associated with abortion, the reality is, abortion is indeed morally wrong; and deep down people know this is true. For those who have had an abortion, or been involved with abortion, there is only one path to true restoration. It is not in forgiving yourself, something for which you have no authority to do, it is in receiving the forgiveness of God.
The Bible tells us that no one is cut off from Christ because of past sin – any past sin. What cuts a person off from Christ and the fellowship of His people is the endorsement of past sin. For the repentant there is forgiveness and cleansing and hope. Corinthians 7:9,10 reads as follows:
“I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God … For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
Reconciliation to God, through the blood of Jesus Christ, is the only way to overcome the guilt of abortion (or any sin), and although the sorrow of past sins can linger, the penalty will be forever lifted. If you have received this forgiveness, tell others and be a voice of warning about the miseries of abortion. Your testimony can make all the difference in the world to those who come behind!
2. Recognise that you are not alone.
Others have been through the same experience and the same trials. Their experiences and understanding can help you.
3. Recognise that the road to full recovery will take time and effort.
God’s forgiveness can be had instantly, but sorting out your feelings and overcoming the ever-present temptation to give into despair and doubt – these take time.
4. Recognise that it is normal and good to mourn the loss of a loved one.
Just as mourning the loss of a parent or spouse takes time, so does mourning the loss of an aborted child. However, in the case of abortion, the mourning process is often cut short and never completed because of denial and feelings of guilt.
Having asked God to forgive you for aborting your child, courageously allow the mourning process to get back on track. Accept your grief as normal rather than something which must be covered up or pushed away. Recognise that the pain of your loss will fade as your healing progresses.
5. Give your child over to the care of God.
For the person who doesn’t believe in God, there can be no real healing and peace. But for those who have been reconciled to God, even with the tragedy that has occurred, they can be assured that their baby is in the arms of a loving and forgiving God.
6. Forgive others.
Just as God has forgiven you, so you too must forgive others who contributed to the death of your unborn baby. If possible, let them know that you forgive them.
7. Forgive yourself.
Remember that because your child lives in the love and mercy of God, he or she is beyond earthly malice. Your son or daughter does not resent or condemn you. Instead, your child, like God, wants you to be healed and restored to the fullness of joy and happiness through Christ Jesus.
For a further understanding of God’s forgiveness read site’s Amazing Grace
Please take your time to look at a number women's experience of abortion >> WOMEN HURT
Post Abortion Support Contact
If you had an abortion (women and men), support can be found through:
Pregnancy Help SA
Ph: 0403760200 (contact person: Robyn)
Website: www.pregnancyhelpsa.com
Pregnancy Help Australia
Ph: 1300 792 798 (from Qld, NSW, Victoria & ACT
or: 1300 655 156 (from SA, WA, Tasmania & NT)
Website: www.pregnancysupport.com.au/index.php?page=after-abortion-support
Pregnancy Problem House (Perth)
Ph: 08 9344 8110
Website: www.pregnancyproblemhouse.com.au
Open Doors (Melbourne)
Ph: 03 9870 7044
or: 1800 647 995
Website: www.opendoors.com.au
Priceless Life Centre (Brisbane)
Ph: 07 3219 4288
or: 1800 090 777
Website: www.pricelesslifecentre.org.au
References
1 , 2 & 6,7 of this material was adapted from Abort73.com
http://www.abort73.com/HTML/IV-B-post_abortion.html
Used with permission.
3 – 5 adapted from Canada Silent No More www.canadasilentnomore.com/
Used with permission