There are some wounds that don’t show on the skin.
Some betrayals that don’t leave bruises but leave a person feeling hollow, confused, or ashamed.
And some kinds of spiritual harm — the kind done in God’s name — cut the deepest of all.
If you are someone who has lived through that…
or if you are someone still trying to find your way out…
this is for you.
Because you are not alone.
And what happened to you was not your fault.
There are people like Janie’s mother, Karen — people who survived things they never should have had to face.
People who carried pain quietly, but carried faith even more quietly.
And when she didn’t have answers, she held onto one verse like a lifeline:
Romans 12:19
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath:
for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
She didn’t cling to that verse because she wanted revenge.
She clung to it because she needed relief — the relief of knowing she didn’t have to carry the weight of justice on her own shoulders.
And neither do you.
If you’ve been hurt by someone who claimed to speak for God
You may feel:
- angry
- confused
- ashamed
- afraid
- numb
- or like you’re “supposed” to forgive instantly
But hear this clearly:
God is not the one who hurt you.
God is the one who saw it.
God is the one who will deal with it.
Romans 12:19 isn’t a threat.
It’s a promise that you don’t have to destroy yourself trying to make things right.
If you’re still in a harmful situation
You deserve:
- safety
- clarity
- support
- and a life where fear is not normal
You don’t have to stay silent.
You don’t have to pretend it’s okay.
You don’t have to carry the burden alone.
And stepping away from abuse is not rebellion.
It is wisdom.
It is survival.
It is honoring the life God gave you.
If you’re healing from the past
Healing is not a straight line.
Some days you’ll feel strong.
Some days you’ll feel broken.
Both are part of the journey.
But you are not defined by what was done to you.
You are defined by the fact that you are still here, still breathing, still trying, still hoping.
And that is strength.
A final word — from Karen’s heart to yours
Janie’s mom’s verse wasn’t about letting people “get away with it.”
It was about letting God carry the part that was too heavy for her.
And maybe that’s what someone else needs today:
To know that justice is real.
That God sees.
That God remembers.
And that God repays — in His time, in His way, without you having to destroy yourself trying to make it happen.
