Despite the lack of acknowledgement by the medical and psychological fields, Post-Abortion Stress Syndrome (PASS) impacts many women (and men) after an abortion. While some certainly feel immediate relief, eventually the guilt and shame of their abortion choice begins to seep in. It could be weeks, months, or years later, but women (and men) find themselves anguished over their decision. Depression sets in, anxiety becomes heightened, anniversary dates bring on intense emotions. The pain becomes all-encompassing. Much of the pro-abortion realm will tell women it’s no big deal. It’s not a baby, it was the right choice, and it’s for the better in the long run.
However, women and men find themselves left wondering about the what ifs. What if I really didn’t make the right choice? Who would that child have become? The years pass by and the reality of a child who would be another year older isn’t there. The heartbreak of missing a child that could have been but isn’t. Left wondering – will God forgive me for what I’ve done?
One of my favorite verses when contemplating the redeeming power of the Lord is Lamentations 3:58 (NIV) which reads, “You, Lord, took up my case; You redeemed my life.” Then in Ephesians 1, we are reminded that through Jesus’ blood, we have redemption, forgiveness of our sins, and as it states “according to the riches of His grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight”
Our Heavenly Father graciously provided His one and Only Son for the redemption of our sins. He sees us, He takes up our case and provides a new life. Not with questioning or hesitation, but with all wisdom and insight. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent – He saw the abortion. He saw the heartache. He saw the tears – but despite our choices, He takes up our case and redeems our lives. He provided a way through Jesus.
Statistically speaking, 1 in 4 women will have an abortion in their lifetime1. The numbers are staggering and heartbreaking. Over 60 million abortions have occurred since the inception of Roe vs. Wade in 1973 2. Chances are, with those statistics, you know someone who has had an abortion.
But as a Believer and someone who has come a long way in their own abortion healing and someone who loves the church; a study completed by Care-Net leaves me equally heartbroken. The study reported that 4 in 10 women (43%) who had an abortion identified as a ‘churchgoer’ by attending church at least once a month at the time of their abortion. However, only 7% of women felt like they could go to someone within the church to discuss their abortion decision 3.
When we look at these statistics as a collective whole, I believe, it’s hard to not see that we likely have women (and men) in church pews who hold onto guilt and shame surrounding past abortions. During this Abortion Recovery Awareness Month, may we hold those women and men who may be silently suffering and hiding behind the guilt and shame of a past abortion close to our hearts.
May we, as the Church, be beacons of light to those who may be struggling with forgiveness. May we share the Gospel with the reminder that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of all sins. That the Lord sees them, has taken up their case, and can redeem their lives.
If you have had an abortion and struggle with forgiveness and healing, Precious Life offers one-on-one sessions to help you process symptoms related to your abortion and find healing through our Abortion Recovery Program. Visit plinc.org/abortion-recovery/ for more information. To make an appointment call us at 814-944-2669 or submit an online inquiry at plinc.org/contact-us/
1 Guttmacher Institute (September 2024) One in Four US Women Expected to Have an Abortion in Their Lifetime, https://www.guttmacher.org/news-release/2024/one-four-us-women-expected-have-abortion-their-lifetime#:~:text=One%20in%20Four%20US%20Women%20Expected%20to%20Have%20an%20Abortion%20in%20Their%20Lifetime,-13%25%20of%20women&text=A%20new%20analysis%20from%20the,2020%20abortion%20rate%20remains%20constant.
2 National Right to Life Committee, Inc. (January 2022) The State of Abortion in the United States, https://www.nrlc.org/uploads/communications/stateofabortion2022.pdf
3 Focus on the Family (June 2024) Women Go Silently From Church to Abortion Clinic, https://www.focusonthefamily.com/pro-life/abortion/survey-women-go-silently-from-church-to-abortion-clinic/