And I know you're now giving me a list of reasons a mile long.
And - some are very valid reasons. It truly may threaten your survival if this info. gets in the wrong hands. Or you may be surrounded by people whom you know could never possibly understand or accept you again, if you could even get them to believe you in the first place.
But most of you have at least ONE safe person in your life whom you could confide in. And whom you NEED to confide in. I promise you - that person is not perfect, and he/she will not react perfectly to you all the time. But you've got to give that person a chance to walk with you through all this - imperfectly, but most likely faithfully. Now this will take serious courage on your part. I know you are completely petrified to trust another human being with your most sacred earthly secret. O.K. - so you ask - Why? Why on earth is it so necessary to tell someone else? I'm glad you asked.
1. You need to be loved. You need warmth and concern and support - not only from God, but also from someone you can SEE - after you've been so terribly mistreated.
2. You are overwhelmed by emotions. Mostly, you're FEELING, not THINKING. And there are alot of decisions to be made that need THINKING. So, another person sometimes can temporarily help you think things out.
3. Or, maybe you're feeling nothing at all. It will help you to watch another person model feelings for you 'til some of your feelings come back.
It is true - you must be very careful who to trust with this info. Test the "waters" with someone first - tell them a "minor" secret and see if they're trustworthy with that. Or, just evaluate - do they keep their commitments to you? Are they mature in other situations? Someone who just "stood you up" or a "friend" who completely ditched you for another more popular person at the last party is probably NOT a good person to tell.
Eventually, you may have to tell some "official" people. You may not be ready for that today. But confiding in that one friend today may be just the "practice" you need for the hard work of finally reporting the crime, or getting psychological help from a counselor you just met.
YOU CAN DO THIS! YOU ARE NOT ALONE! QUIT PANICKING AND HYPER-VENTILATING! Take slow, deep, easy breaths. Drop your shoulders. Unclench your jaw muscles. Un-tighten your tummy. Your friend is the same loveable, though imperfect, person she/he was before this happened to you. No magic wand to make everything fixed, but a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and a glimmer of light in what is a deep, dark tunnel for you.
Let someone else in on this crisis.
"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2)
