By: Lakeview Health
For Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, their lives have completely changed again. About a decade ago, these girls’ lives and the lives of their families were turned upside-down when they were kidnapped and held captive in Cleveland. They endured years of abuse and lived in deplorable and inhumane conditions. Although they were rescued by a kind Christian man and are reunited with their families, they face a whole new set of challenges. Surviving a trauma is a great feat. It takes faith in God to get you through a difficult time. But that is only half the battle. Moving on in your life and not into sin like drug and alcohol addiction is difficult. Many people who go through a crisis become angry and depressed because they feel they are being punished or abandoned by God. However, when they turn away from Him, they are vulnerable to sins like substance abuse. No amount drugs and alcohol can relieve the pain, anger or emptiness in your heart. In 2 Corinthians 1:8-10, Paul writes “…We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.” Keeping faith in God and allowing Him to guide you helps you get past the pain and hardship.
