Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

After an Abortion: Steps Toward Healing

1. 
Recognize that the road to full recovery can take time and effort.
While God is always near to you, sorting out your life and your
feelings, overcoming the ever-present temptation to give in again to
despair and doubt–these take time.  

2.  Recognize that it is
normal and good to mourn the loss of a loved one. Just as mourning the
loss of a parent or spouse takes time, so does mourning the loss of an
aborted child. In the case of abortion, the mourning process is often
cut short and never completed because of denial or feelings of guilt
which block the mourning process. You must courageously allow the
mourning process to get back on track. Accept your grief as normal
rather than something which must covered up or pushed away. Recognize
that the pain of your loss will fade as your healing progresses. 

3. 
Recognize that you are not alone. Others have been through the same
experience and the same trials. Their experiences and understanding can
help you. They want to help you, just as you may want to help others
after you have finished going through the healing process. Finding a
post-abortion counselor or support group through our list of  Post-Abortion Healing Resources may be very helpful to you. 

4. 
Admit your personal responsibility but also recognize that others, too,
were involved. Pray for God's forgiveness for both yourself and
everyone else who either encouraged the abortion or failed to help you
avoid the abortion. 

5.  Forgive yourself. God does not want
you to live a lifetime in mourning. Your sin has been forgiven. You
have been made new in Christ. Rejoice in the knowledge that one day you
will be with your child in the arms of the Lord. 

6.  Forgive
others. Recognize that they, too, acted out of ignorance, fear, or
petty human selfishness. If possible, let them know that you forgive
them. Forgive even the abortion providers. 

7.  Give your
childen over to the care of God, their Heavenly Father, and the true
Parent of us all. Know that they are loved, happy, and well cared for.
They, too, desire your joy and happiness. They miss you, but they do
not resent or condemn you, because they live in the love and mercy of
Christ. Do not try to hold onto them by prolonging your grief; hold
onto them by sharing their happiness in heaven.