Can You Ever Be Free From What Happened to You?

Can You Ever Be Free From What Happened to You?

For 22 years he kept the secret, until a chance encounter in a shop aisle with the person who abused him caused his life to "unravel." He sums it up bluntly: "If you do not deal with your emotions, your emotions will surely deal with you." Speaking to those who feel weighed down by past hurts and wonder if Jesus can really help them move forward, Dean describes years of Christian counselling, the hard questions about God, and his struggle with forgiveness.

How do people find hope in the darkest times? This conversation on The Call with Nancy Sabato centres on that question through the story of guest Dean Sikes, who shares how buried trauma shaped his life for decades. Dean explains that he was sexually abused at 15 and vowed never to tell anyone. When asked if he would forgive his abuser, his first reaction was, "No, I won't.

It's not fair." The turning point came as he wrestled with the question, "Was the cross fair?" Months later, he woke up "fully, completely, totally free" because he had forgiven, saying, "When we forgive, the result of forgiveness is freedom." The style is open, candid, and gently challenging. Dean talks about shifting his focus from himself to Jesus, learning obedience, and finding what he calls "the intangible asset of hope" that gives faith something to hold on to.

He shares a striking encounter with a 78-year-old woman who had carried her own abuse secret for 63 years, showing how long pain can linger if left unspoken. Throughout, the message is clear: you matter, your hurt is real, and you don’t have to carry it alone. The conversation points towards practical steps—bringing one hurt honestly to Jesus, seeking counselling or a trusted friend, and starting to speak what’s been hidden.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your past has to control your future, this story might be the nudge to ask, "What hurt could I start to bring into the light today?"