This blog post is based off of Genesis 34:1-31 from the "New Women's Devotional Bible".
Jacob had one daughter, born to him from his first wife, Leah. Her name is Dinah and she has a tragic story found in the Bible. Her story is short, but it has a ripple effect on Jacob's family.
Dinah decided to go visit the town one day. She is met by a powerful man, Shechem, who is very fond of Dinah. He decided that he will defile her. Making it so that no one else can, or will, marry Dinah and he will have her all to himself. After Dinah's family finds out, her brothers decided that they will murder the abuser and his town. And so they do. Jacob, their father, curses them at the end of his life for what they've done. No one in the story has a happy ending from this tragic event.
I have been lucky in life and have never encountered any form of abuse. However, I know plenty of people in my life that have. The effects of abuse, whether it be sexual, physical, or emotional, are extremely hard to overcome - if not impossible. I'm not sure if you ever fully recover.
On the other hand, there have been many times where I have suffered from unfairness, cruelty, selfishness - all characteristics of abuse. I know the feeling of being taken for granted and unworthy. These are terrible feelings to have and very hard to overcome.
When someone is hurt to this extreme, it isn't just one person who is affected. Many people that surround the hurt are devastated as well. Family members, close friends, and others who love and know the abused.
God promises that He will restore you and give you a full life. It is time that we focus on God's promises and know that He will prevail! We don't have to live our life completely affected by those who hurt us. God can, and will, show is how to live new, full lives with Him.
"Ask God to heal you hurting heart and restore you. He is the only one who can restore your soul."
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