Prayer While Reliving Abuse

This is a prayer to be said by those who are re-experiencing the traumas of abuse: physical, sexual and emotional. This prayer borrows language from “Prayer after Abuse by Clergy.” Thank you to Rabbi Paul Kipnes for suggesting this topic for a prayer.

Prayer While Reliving Abuse
Those memories.
Those unwanted memories…
They come rushing back,
Unbidden and undeniable,
Haunting my days and stalking my nights.

G-d of Old,
How could you have let this happen?
How can this exist in Your world?

Yet, in the shadow of this grief,
Even with the return of this suffering,
Yearning for healing
And with a heartbeat of despair,
I turn to You, Ancient One,
To show me the path to wholeness and consolation.
Teach me to trust,
To love with fullness of heart.
Teach me willingness to surrender to awe and beauty.
Teach me to treat myself with patience and kindness.
[Help me to _______________ (add your personal prayer).]
Let me live fully, with zest and zeal.

G-d of compassion,
Heal all who have suffered physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
Bring us from darkness to light.
Bring justice to those who commit these crimes.
Heal all in need of Your loving shelter.
Make us all, now and forever, whole again.

© 2018 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

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