This week, I have been focusing upon reprogramming your thoughts/mind to help you break free from the “programming” you experienced as an abused child. I have been adapting Beth Moore’s method from her study entitled Breaking Free so that those of you who are triggered by religion could also benefit. Unfortunately, those of you with religious triggers will have to bow out of the last discussion, but I fear it is unavoidable.
********* Religious triggers *********
If you have a faith or spiritual connection, your faith can empower you as you use the process I have described this week. Instead of needing to figure out what is true or have a therapist explain it, you can use your holy scriptures/tenets of your faith to help you embrace the truth.
For example, let’s say that you struggle with feeling fundamentally unlovable. Instead of just telling yourself over and over, “I love you” (as I did), you can choose a Bible verse (or text/tenet from your faith/spirituality) to use as your mantra, such as:
“I am the apple of God’s eye.” Zech. 2:8
I have been struggling a lot with anxiety and insomnia. I have chosen the following Bible verse as my mantra:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28
I quoted that Bible verse repeatedly last night and had a great night’s sleep.
The Bible (and I would guess most religious texts) have many of the truths we need to help us dismantle the lies. One of my favorites is from Isaiah 61:
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
I memorized all of this and would run it through my head when I felt like I was not worth anything. This scripture is a promise that God will heal my broken heart and release me from my internal prisons. He will comfort me, pull me out of the ashes, and make me beautiful “for the display of his splendor.” He will also “rebuild the ancient ruins” (my history) and renew me.
That scripture might not speak to you as it does for me, but find one that does. As you meditate on scripture, you are not fueling the lies that have held you captive. Give it a try – it really works!
Photo credit: Hekatekris
Blooming Lotus 
I really love this post this morning. Yesterday I found this song called “Come All You Weary” and it’s by a band called Thrice. It is almost a quote from the same Matthews bible verse. I have been listening to it nonstop. I have just started this “journey” of therapy and have been in a bad place the past few days, lots of anxiety, lots of doubt, really questioning why at 42 y/o I need therapy (I call it letting the elephant out of the shoebox I’ve been hiding) – if I’ve been able to keep it in a box for this long, why do I need to let it out?! But anyway, I have so enjoyed this blog and your post this morning was soothing in a way I really needed. Thank you!!!
Oh wow! What a way to say ‘religious triggers’. I always like the images you put at the head of your posts, but this one pretty much takes the cake.
It’s telling when you read someting in the bible that makes you feel homesick, like your missing something, but hadn’t realized it…
To be quite honest, Isaiah 61 made me think of you Faith, because I feel *He has sent YOU to bind up the brokenhearted*
I mean to say, this is exactly what you are doing for us with this blog; through it you help everyone who reads it. I think He’s working through you to fulfill this promise in such a way as we need it. And I thank God for you in my prayers.
Sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, but I do believe this a fitting passage for you, even if my ‘interpretation’ of it isn’t biblical. But hey, His Word speaks to us where we are.
Thank you so very much Faith!
Great idea! I use songs too. One of my favorites is Mahalia Jackson’s,
“In Jerusalem when I die” I’m not religious, much less Christian, but when you can feel and hear spirit so strongly through someone’s voice, the words hardly matter to me… although I do like the words to this also… it feels sacred and uplifting. Anyone who is interested, you can find it here:
Hi Faith and others. I am new to your blog (I think. lol.) I don’t believe in “false memory” but I do often question my dreams, and I did find the blog and comments on that here. Is it possible that in our dreams the “identity” of our attacker is hidden? And why? Mostly we are talking here about trying to mislead ourselves, but even with my “prophetic dreams” I have mistaken one person I know for someone else. I guess sometimes facial details are unclear…
I hope it’s OK to mention “prophetic dreams”. You have been writing about religious triggers and of course it is more comfortable for me to dream about someone else than myself! (not always. I don’t like to see trama involving anyone!)
I am dreaming more about myself as I am healing from childhood abuse. Years ago I only had a “choking sensation” as I dreamed about someone I just met that made me feel uneasy. Now I have had full body sensation dreams just lately; including a hand being put over my mouth as I called out. The weird thing is, whoever is bothering me, feels like a ‘phantom’. By this I mean that I have no idea who it is, and I am also considering what you have written about the preverbal stage.
Not to discount my memories or anyone elses, but there is another side to verses that protect us; love us.
I’m wondering if the “other side” sometimes uses our memories to keep us oppressed? Again, not saying that my memories are false, but possibly a “demon” is along to confuse?
I know this is a heavy subject on top of everything else. I know there are times when we have felt that our perpetrators were “possessed” by “something”. Any comments on this are welcome.
[…] Reprogramming Your Thoughts/Mind: Using Your Faith/Spirituality (faithallen.wordpress.com) […]