Emotional abuse is harmful

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. " Corinthians 13:4 NIV

In an article posted yesterday by U.S. News, it was reported that distance runner Mary Cain filed a $20 million lawsuit against a former coach and their employer, Nike, accusing them of inflicting years of emotional and physical abuse. Mary Cain, 25, said she suffered long-term and permanent injuries, "loss of dignity, pride, self-esteem, developed an eating disorder, major depressive disorder" and post-traumatic stress due to training under coach Alberto Salazar at the sports giant's Nike Oregon Project, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Salazar callously controlled every aspect of Cain's life for four years and Nike should have warned her about the coach's "emotional and physically abusive behavior with female athletes," Kristen West McCall, a Portland lawyer representing Cain, said.

And you know, while the Bible doesn't actually use the words emotional abuse to describe what Cain suffered, the Bible is very clear that love the way God intended it to be is patient, kind, and humble among other things. Emotional abuse then, which can be difficult to measure and even more difficult to talk about, is behavior contrary to the godly love Paul described in 1 Corinthians. Additionally, emotional abuse can take many forms, including recurring verbal assaults, threats, and insults; and recurring non-verbal rejection, neglect, and isolation. And since emotional abuse is as detrimental to our health as physical abuse, you and I must refuse to either practice it or accept it. 

So if you're like millions of other people in the world today who have emotional scars from this type of abuse, take heart my friend. God is in the business of healing all those who are brokenhearted and binding up the deepest of wounds. Simply cry out to Him and watch what He can do. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that You can heal any wounds, even the ones that aren't visible on the outside. Lord, remind us that our words and actions have the power to build up or to tear down so that we would always be kind, loving, and patient. Lord, if there's someone reading this today that is suffering from emotional abuse, I pray that they turn to You for discernment, strength and guidance. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!