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Family Ministry

Healing from Abortion

By Richard D. Dobbins

Every year, over 3 million American men and women are confronted with the gut-wrenching dilemma of an unwanted pregnancy. Because abortion is legally available to these couples, more than 1.5 million of these pregnancies tragically end in abortion.

Forty-three percent of American women have had at least one abortion by the time they are 45. This makes it very likely that someone in your family or among your close friends has had to deal with the spiritual and emotional aftermath of abortion.

Aggravating the pain for church-related men and women is the Bible's uncompromising position that an unborn child is a human being. No other way exists to view what the Bible has to say. Psalm 139:13, 14, Jeremiah 1:5, Luke 1:44, and Psalm 51:5 make this abundantly clear.

Few other sins shatter the conscience like abortion, but it is not an unforgivable sin. God does not want a person to carry the guilt of this sin for the rest of her life. "If we confess our sins the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins…" even the sin of abortion (1 John 1:7-9).

Spiritual recovery from abortion frequently involves dealing with:

Self-Condemnation

Even though a woman has confessed her sin to God and believes God has forgiven her, she often continues to condemn herself for having the abortion. Sometimes, refusing to forgive herself seems to be an unconscious attempt to persuade God of the degree of sorrow she feels for this sin.

God is not impressed by our self-condemnation nor can the pain we inflict on ourselves add anything to the suffering Christ bore for this sin. Calvary is more than enough for abortion and all our other sins! If the blood of Jesus Christ is adequate for satisfying the holy nature of God, it should be enough to release us from our own self-condemnation.

Loss of the Child

Mourning the loss of the child is an important step toward recovery from abortion. Naming the child and marking her death on the day of the abortion often helps the grieving process. Writing a letter to the child expressing regret and asking forgiveness seems to help many women. Determining to meet the child in heaven introduces hope for reunion, which often provides a powerful incentive for faithfully serving God in the future.

Loss of the Lover

In most cases, the woman not only suffers the loss of the baby, but is also abandoned by the baby's father. Dealing with the love and hate she feels towards this man becomes a real spiritual challenge, often consuming her for several months.

No woman should try to bear the burden of abortion recovery alone. Even with the help of a skilled and compassionate pastor or Christian counselor she is looking at a recovery period of about two years. Taking the time to heal from her losses, before rushing into more potentially life-complicating decisions, is essential if she wants to discover God's best for the rest of her life.

Reprinted from Caring magazine.

Used with the permission of Dr. Richard R. Dobbins of Emerge Ministries, www.emerge.org.

DR. RICHARD D. DOBBINS is an ordained Assemblies of God minister and psychologist.