Why am I still struggling when what happened was so long ago?

If you have ever asked yourself this question, you are not alone.

Maybe you've tried to move on. Maybe you've prayed, gone to counseling, read the books, or told yourself that you should be over what happened by now. But deep down, you still struggle with shame, self-worth, trusting others, difficult relationships, anger, or patterns you can't seem to break.

In this episode, I share part of my personal story as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and talk about something I wish I had understood earlier in my healing journey:

Coming to faith and beginning a relationship with Jesus was life-changing—but there were still wounds from my past that needed healing.

Healing can happen in stages.

Sometimes we don't realize how much our childhood experiences are still affecting us until something triggers an old memory, emotion, or pattern. And when that happens, we may wonder, “Why am I still struggling?”

In this episode, we're talking about one of the first steps toward healing: acknowledgment.

Acknowledgment doesn't mean living in the past or allowing your trauma to define you. It means giving yourself permission to honestly recognize what happened, how it affected you, and where you may still need healing.

You will learn:

• Why childhood sexual abuse and trauma can still affect your life years later
• Why feeling stuck doesn't mean you're failing
• How shame can keep us from facing what happened
• Why healing is often a journey that happens in stages
• How acknowledging your story can become the first step toward freedom
• Why you don't have to carry your pain alone

Friend, what happened to you was not your fault.

You are not weak because you still struggle.

And you are not stuck forever.

God is not afraid of your story. He sees you, He loves you, and He can meet you in the places that still hurt.

This Week's Reflection

Take some quiet time and ask yourself:

“God, what areas of my life have I been avoiding because of my past?”

You don't have to have all the answers today. Simply be willing to take one honest step forward.

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You are not alone, and healing is possible.

Scriptures Mentioned

John 8:32 Psalm 34:18

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