Moral injuries are defined as a deep violation of one's own moral or ethical standard which can affect mental health. There is a range of associated feelings, such as guilt, shame, betrayal, disgust, contempt, helplessness and regret. Injury can occur from being victimized or taking part in something immoral or unethical. When we violate our conscience by doing something that goes against what we believe, we suffer. When our conscience is violated by someone or something being forced upon us, we suffer too. Moral injuries can be inflicted upon us or we can bring them on to ourselves. What if you are victim of something that would make you feel ashamed, betrayed, disgusted, helpless or fearful? What can be done to heal the pain and suffering that too often happens to good people and to God's own chosen ones? Many would like to think that God would never allow a converted person to be a victim of some crime like rape, torture or some circumstance of evil that others bring upon them.
First of all, it is important that our moral or ethical standards are good, healthy standards. That is to say those standards must be the standards God sets as morally right. The Bible tells us that God draws people to Him as He chooses and adds them to the church which is the body of Christ (Acts 2:47). We also read in the Bible that God has blinded most of mankind to His truth for the time being (John 12:40). God does that for the good of the person because once that person is given understanding, they are responsible to obey God. God has also allowed Satan to blind the eyes of all who do not believe (2 Cor. 4:4). God opens the mind for people to see His glorious light of truth, but as Paul noted, we hold this truth and His way in an earthen vessel (2 Cor. 4:6-8). An earthen vessel can be broken when enough pressure is exerted on it and earthen also means made with some flaws. Paul noted that life for a converted person is a struggle since they are hard-pressed on every side and he knew how various trials and encounters with those Satan leads can be discouraging. He encouraged people not to lose heart because the inward man is being renewed every day (2 Cor. 4:8-18).
God is deeply interested in the response we give under pressure. We can be obedient and faithful while things are "green" about us in our lives, but how do we react when the tests come? Tests such as illness, the death of a loved one or an attack on our morals. Job was a man who God proclaimed as blameless, but God allowed Satan to test Job "morning, noon and night" (Job 7:18-21). There was a point in Job's life when he wished he had not been born and wanted to die (Job 3:3,11). But Job had a strong faith and belief in God that there was a purpose in all that happened (Job 14:13-15). That helped Job from slipping into a depression from which there was no way out. David wrote Psalms expressing his grief at times and feeling that God had left him (Psalm 2:1,2). Jesus also said: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46) God had not forsaken Him, though God turned away for a moment. That sort of feeling seems to happen to us as well.
Paul wrote about the great people among the chosen of God. Great does not mean they did special feats that earned a special place, it simply means people who in all circumstances lived through trials and troubles and were always true to the Almighty. There is a faith chapter in which Paul writes about people who had accomplished great victories and who God helped, but in that same chapter are people who suffered terribly for their beliefs due to the evil in this world and God seems to have allowed that suffering. Paul states that some were tortured, had trials of mocking and scourging, of chains and imprisonment, were stoned, sawn in two, tempted and slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, but all obtained a good testimony through faith (Heb. 11:34-40).
When we pause to think of these people and consider the situations they were in, we might ease our minds by thinking that God did not let anything evil happen to them. That would be naïve. The range of feelings that may result from being a victim are very real to the people of God. The range of associated feelings, such as guilt, shame, betrayal, disgust, contempt, helplessness and regret can occur from being victimized or taking part in something immoral or unethical. We may feel we have no choice, we may not really believe it is happening or we may blame ourselves and suffer. The account of the lovely daughter of David who was raped by her half brother is such an incident. King David had consented for Tamar to visit Amnon, but Amnon was planning to rape Tamar. He had convinced himself he loved her, but in truth he lusted after her. Tamar seemed to have had a high standard of behaviour. She was a princess and knew what was right and wrong. She did resist up to a point and suggested marriage, but after the rape, she felt the sting of Amnon's rejection and loathing. Tamar's moral standards that originated in the word of God were broken. She felt deeply ashamed, betrayed and feelings of disgust and contempt washed over her. Tamar was heartbroken and put away the lovely clothes of the virgin daughter of the king and was desolate (2 Sam. 16:12-19). Tamar was a victim of a plot and scheme that pushed her moral beliefs aside and she became a victim. In history there is no doubt that more than one of God's women met the same difficult situation. No doubt she felt guilty thinking she may have done something wrong. Tamar had been forcibly raped against all of her beliefs. In her sad words, a deep inner hurt is obvious. People with high standards fear that somehow they have been responsible and fear that God has forsaken them. Amnon was guilty and hurt her deeply. Tamar suffered since she was the victim.
In history, the rage of Satan against God's people has gone on unabated and suffering results. It seems God does not always step in to prevent this sort of evil. We may be faced with shame and guilt that wells up from within. We feel unworthy to come to God with our pain and suffering. Sometimes we feel our life is threatened and so we give in to an act that we would normally never allow. That always has a backlash in a feeling of shame and we wonder if God will forgive us. If we are not to blame, we can be angry, but still not sin (Eph. 4:26). But our own helplessness and feeling of weakness can bring about depression even when we are the victims. Not everyone is brave and courageous until death, and Satan is quick to strike.
The way to mental health is in acknowledging the hurt we have suffered - whether from others or from our actions and turn to God as David did in Psalm 51. David asked to have a clean heart, the presence of God in his life and a restoration to joy (Psalm 51:7-12). It is in the belief of the love and mercy of God through Jesus Christ that our sins can be forgiven and we can move on from the suffering we may endure from others. We can know that our enemy is Satan and our personal feeling of guilt, shame and betrayal can be healed. We may feel God has betrayed us in thinking that nothing evil can happen to God's people - but that thought is what makes it hard for us to believe we are forgiven and cleansed in God's sight. Some believe if we forgive those who abuse us we will be well, but even God does not simply forgive. He waits to see true repentance. The path to healing lies in coming to His throne and not running from it. It is God who can restore a clean and pure heart and hope for the future. Trust in God to heal and He will not fail you. God will heal the broken hearts of those who are constant in their trust and faith (Isa. 26:3). There is no peace for the wicked, but there is peace for the good (Isa. 57:19-21).