Is it wrong to hurt myself when I’m upset?
Here's the answer:
God loves us and wants us to give our worries and upset feelings to Him so He can help us.
Sometimes in life things happen that make us upset. Some people choose to deal with these difficult emotions by hurting themselves. They may cut or scratch their arms, pull out their hair, hit or burn themselves, or do other things that hurt or damage their body in some way. This is often called self-harm. Once a person starts harming himself, it can be hard to stop.
God created our bodies, and He wants us to take good care of them, not abuse them. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, "Don’t you know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? The Spirit is in you. You have received him from God. You do not belong to yourselves. Christ has paid the price for you. So use your bodies in a way that honors God."
If you are someone who practices self-harm, it’s important that you talk to a trusted adult about it right away—maybe your mom or dad, teacher, counselor, or pastor. They will help you find safer, better ways of handling the difficult feelings you’re having.
It’s also very important to pray and tell God about it all. He understands why you’re doing what you do, and He wants to help if you will let Him. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:7, "Turn all your worries over to him. He cares about you.” And in Psalm 34:17 we read, “Godly people cry out, and the LORD hears them. He saves them from all of their troubles."
You don’t have to go through this alone! God is with you, and the trusted adults in your life care about you and want to see you healthy and safe. It might be hard to imagine now, but God wants you to have a wonderful future!
Bible Truth
"[Jesus said,] Come to me, all of you who are tired and are carrying heavy loads. I will give you rest. Become my servants and learn from me. I am gentle and free of pride. You will find rest for your souls. Serving me is easy, and my load is light" (Matthew 11:28–30).
"Let the person who walks in the dark trust in the LORD. Let the one who doesn’t have any light to guide him depend on his God" (Isaiah 50:10b).
