Domestic Violence Happens To Christians Too

Many people in church are victims and/or survivors of domestic abuse, yet most don't even realize that about the person sitting right next to them or somewhere near them that is either being hurt or has been hurt and now out of that. Many times the evidence of the abuse is hidden behind smiles and laughter, under clothes, etc. If they are still being abused they don't want others to know the shame and humiliation they are feeling and if they are out of the abuse and still haven't gotten to where they no longer feel ashamed and humiliated they may still not tell others of hat they went through. Their spouses may or may not go to church with them. There have been times while at church that God had me to looks around at someone out of the blue for me to see the pain in their eyes and has had me to go talk to them and I find out they are in an abusive relationship/marriage and I pray for them and I listen to them. I have met and talked with people at church, on the streets, in a store etc. I would love to see churches preach on Domestic Abuse and use such scriptures that show how a man should treat his wife and how a wife should treat a man ( should the man be being abused) to include buy not limited to the following:

• I Peter 3:7, NIV
•   ⁷ Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
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• "The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked." ~Proverbs 10:11, NKJV
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• "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." ~James 1:19-20, NKJV

The Bible also exhorts fathers not to provoke their children to wrath (Ephesians 6:4) and to see children as a blessing and "heritage" from the Lord (Psalm 127:3).

Ephesians 5:33

King James Version (KJV)

³³ Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Ephesians 5:33

King James Version (KJV)

³³ Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband
  
I would like to see churches with programs/classes for those in domestic violence situations that need support and those who are out of those situations and yet still need support.  They think that they have to keep it silent so others don't see what they are going through and sometimes that is more for their and their children's safety than anything else. You may wonder how do I know about Christian's being in such relationships/marriages, because I was once a victim of DV while a Christian and now I am a survivor of DV as a Christian. I would go to church smiling and laughing as if nothing were wrong (even though I was being abused in both DV marriages), and after I was out of those marriages and living as a survivor I would smile when I felt like breaking down crying which sometimes I still do, There are times the memories come flooding back but then God reminds me of this

 2 Corinthians 10:5
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (KJV)

So he is there even when I feel overwhelmed with the past, we can't forget the past, but we can forgive those in our past that hurt us and forgive ourselves. It can be done one day at a time...

 Victims of abuse should consult with the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233