Article Summary
In this personal reflection, June Hunt shares how painful words spoken in childhood shaped her sense of worth – and how God’s truth brought healing and freedom. Growing up in a broken home marked by secrecy and emotional abuse, she internalized lies that left lasting wounds. Yet Scripture revealed a different reality: our past may impact us, but it does not define us. Through verses like John 8:32 and Deuteronomy 31:8, she discovered that God’s presence, love, and promises can replace pain with hope. This article encourages readers to confront emotional wounds, reject destructive lies, choose compassion over bitterness, and embrace the life-changing truth of God’s Word.
By June Hunt, Founder & Chief Servant Officer of Hope for the Heart
Some pain leaves scars we visibly see. Other pain settles quietly inside our hearts.
For years, I didn't talk about my past. I honestly didn't know how to form the words, I just knew I felt unseen and uncertain of my value.
I grew up in a bizarre home marked by brokenness. My father lived a double life, maintaining three families at the same time. (We were the 3rd family off to the side.) I had a fictitious last name and learned early what it meant to keep secrets simply to survive. Though my father was successful in business, he was emotionally absent and often cruel with his words.
I remember hearing my father saying phrases to me that no child should hear.
- “You're the cause of all the problems in our family.”
- “You're a bad influence on your mother. After dinner you will have no contact with her.”
And I didn't. That was my teenage reality.
Words like these shape our hearts. And they don't disappear just because time passes. For years I did not feel valuable … in fact, I felt invisible. Yet, I've come to realize: while our past may impact us, it doesn't have to define us.
The Hidden Impact of Emotional Pain
Emotional abuse typically goes unnoticed because it leaves no bruises. But the Bible reminds us of its impact: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). A crushed spirit can be the result of numerous causes: neglect, rejection, harsh treatment, or living in a loveless home. And the effects can linger long into adulthood.
I've met countless people who carry this same pain. Some were told, “You'll never amount to anything!” Others were rejected by the very people who should protect them. One teenager recently confided that her own mother said, “I wish you had never been born!” These words can never be forgotten!
Discovering Truth That Heals
I wasn't exposed to the Bible until high school. When I first encountered authentic Christians who lived with joy and confidence, I knew they had something I wanted, but I didn't understand what it was.
Eventually, I learned their belief in Jesus was more than acknowledging the historical facts about the life of Christ. Instead, they had a life changing relationship with Christ. And these students quoted Jesus who said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
Freedom came to me when I began to replace the lies spoken over my life with God's truth. Not all at once – but over time.
One verse, in particular, became deeply personal to me. “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Today this is my favorite Scripture in the Bible.
These words were not just comforting, they contained the promise that the Lord would never, ever leave me nor forsake me! (An assurance I never felt from my father.)
Choosing Compassion Over Bitterness
Later in life, I learned something that helped me understand my father more clearly. His own father would beat his mother. So, as a boy my dad would sometimes escape the violence by running into a church and sleeping on a church pew. (I had no idea! He never once talked about his father.)
This knowledge didn't excuse his own abusive behavior. But it gave me context about his early life and helped me feel compassion for him instead of bitterness.
When we understand that “hurt people hurt people,” it becomes easier to pray for them … not to excuse their wrong treatment, but to pray they would allow the Lord to heal their hearts.
Scripture calls us to “pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). This kind of prayer doesn't deny pain, instead it releases painful people into the hands of God.
A Word of Encouragement
If you are carrying wounds from your past, I want to encourage you with this truth: you are worth more than you know. The Lord says, “You are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you” (Isaiah 43:4 NLT). Realize this … painful words spoken to you don't determine your worth or your future. God Himself has the final word.
As Hope for the Heart celebrates 40 years of ministry, I'm reminded of the countless people who have found freedom and hope by replacing lies told to them with God's truth … and by seeing themselves through God's eyes.
And this is my prayer for you … that God's Word will set you free and give you hope for your heart. The Lord even gives you His promise: “I know the plans I have for you … plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). What a promise – you are given a hope that endures forever!
