Almost 60% of American adults say they had difficult childhoods featuring abusive or troubled family members or parents who were absent due to separation or divorce. Nearly 9% say that while growing up they underwent five or more “adverse childhood experiences” (ACES) ranging from verbal, physical or sexual abuse to family dysfunction such as domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, or the absence of a parent. This data was reported in the Dec 17th, 2010 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the report, Dr. Lee M. Sanders, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine said that “There is a connection of these events to lifelong implications, not just for mental health for adults, but also for physical health.” Valerie J. Edwards, team lead for the Adverse Childhood Experiences Team at CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, says that a person who has several of these events is more likely to become obese, (see the article below under Related Resources) get cancer or have heart disease. In the report, Edwards said. “This is serious and it’s not just a quirk of statistics. It’s a real relationship.”
The Faith and Health Link
As the experts have indicated, if left unaddressed, issues like these childhood traumas can likely affect one’s emotional health in adulthood. Over time, these emotional issues can affect one’s physical health. Deep-rooted emotions and beliefs associated with such trauma such as anxiety, resentment, shame, low self-worth, rejection and unforgiveness can play havoc with one’s endocrine, cardiovascular and immune system resulting in a host of chronic diseases.
In general, medical practitioners do not care for these issues of the soul that are at the root of these diseases. This is where faith in the healing power of God and his Son Jesus comes into play. Jesus’ compassion, love and power expressed through his followers and accompanied with prayer, can bring inner healing to the soul of these traumatized individuals. This inner soul healing then favors improved physical health.
The sooner a child or young adult can come to experience the deep love and healing power of God, through Jesus, the more likely they will not succumb to these long-term emotional and physical health problems. Healing and restoration is part of the life transformation that God desires that his children experience in this life on earth.
Such experiences of healing and improved personal wholeness can be a witness and encouragement to others of God’s love, grace and power. It can also enable healed these healed individuals to better give their life away in service to others. In all this, God receives glory.
It’s sad that the statistics in this report are what they are, but it’s Good News to know that God is still in the business of healing and restoration of his children. Our role as believers and followers of Christ is to be a conduit of this message and his love.
Related Scriptures
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Proverbs 14:30
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:12
Related Resources
Additional Healing Scriptures
A Biblical Perspective on Wholeness
The ACE Study on the Center for Disease Control website
ACE Study 101 – Frequently Asked Questions
A Primer on ACES – A five minute video by JPJR Films, also producer of the film Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope
The article doesn’t say how God heals. He does, but for someone of the 9%, knowing how is key.
9% had 5 or more ACEs, which is so difficult for me to grasp. I know so many people with high ACEs, it must be that I need to meet new people in different circles.
There are many ways Jesus heals. Scripture is full of ways. The single most important way is by the Scriptures inherent power. Meditating or mulling over words of healing is good, but you have to find the ones that deal specifically with the hurts you’ve had.
Was your identity marred by sexual abuse? Reciting the proclamations of who you are in Christ and how God feels about you are great.
Do you have deep shame from childhood? Verses about forgiveness and the depth of sacrifice Jesus provided can help you grasp your value. But if that deepens that would with guilt, spend time in proverbs and pattern your self to your highest and best conduct. If that is hollow, worship and praise until you can feel His arms comforting you. Maybe you just need to read about the people of the Bible. King David, Paul the apostle, Peter, and so many more had big issues. We learn so much from them and their relationship with God.
Let God show you how He will heal you, but we have a part. In developing our relationship with God, we receive the grace we need to live well. Of course, the author’s closing comment about believers extending compassion is essential too.
The Cross is both vertical and horizontal. We connect with Him and with people.
Thanks so much for your comment Darlene. Sounds like you have great insight into this matter. Keep helping others through your efforts! ~ Dale
I am currently reading a book, Childhood Disrupted. Great book but I cannot recommend it because it does not support my Christian belief. I am a Christian Therapist. I believe in the concept of our childhood affecting our health as adults. So I googled ACE a Christian Perspective and got this article. I would like to explore further the Christian Perspective. What do you suggest?
I enjoyed reading your article. I have written a book that tells the story of how I was raised from a deathbed, in 1975, at the age of 28. I spent 2 months in the hospital and 5 weeks of that time was in ICU. I was admitted to ER with acute ulcerative colitis: toxic megacolon. I had three surgeries in 19 days and was not expected to survive. In one of those surgeries, twenty pounds of Peritonitis was vacuumed from my abdominal cavity.
After friends and family members fasting time and food on my behalf, people praying, with my names on prayer lists across the country, a breakthrough finally came. The Lord sent my aunt, who was a minister, to travel to come to my bedside. On the third day, as she prayed, I began to experience a deliverance. Hatred literally began to manifest as it left me. It had gained root in me through emotional and mental abuse from my mother.
We had become born again Christians a few years before my dis-ease, but the root was never dealt with and it festered within me until it almost caused me to die.
My mother and father were in agony for those months that I lay in the hospital between life and death. My mother was at my side every morning by 6 a.m. But, it was the divine timing and intervention of the Lord that caused me to be delivered and healed.
I was removed from ICU three days later, released from the hospital within a week and have lived on to raise our two sons, seen five grandchildren born, pastored a church for over 12 years and am now writing the book to tell the story of His glory! I hope to ‘find’ the end to complete the book and get it published asap. God is good!
Hello,
I am glad you were able to get deliverance from the hatred you had in your heart for so long. It really looks like you had your community behind you praying and fasting.
I do believe that I have some deep rooted lies about myself and possibly rage/anger/hatred as well. However, o do not have a community behind me to fast and pray for me. I think it is partly because I don’t have people that involved in my life (I have some serious trust issues and insecure attachment) and people not understanding how to help others being free.
I guess my question is how can i help myself without a strong support system?
Thanks.
Marie
Hi Marie, Can you tell me, what kind of a relationship do you have with God? Many people attend church and serve others and may call themselves a Christian, but do not have a one-on-one relationship with God. This is the first step.
Beyond that, I encourage you to prayerfully identify a woman who you can build a relationship with. Do you attend church? If so, perhaps a woman on the staff or someone who is heading up a woman’s ministry can help you identify someone that you can condo in a slowly build a trusting relationship with.
What do you think about my ideas?
~ Dale