I’m speaking on a subject that is extremely serious and one in which I have no personal experience except walking with people through this horrifying experience. There are things that I don’t understand fully and I’m thankful for trained domestic violence therapists who are helping women every day move to freedom.
But what I do want to talk about today is what to do when fear overcomes a woman who is or has dealt with a violent man in her life. When “he gets out of jail” or when “he moves back”. When you realize a violent pattern has begun but you’re too afraid to get out of the situation.
There are clear first steps that need to be taken. Tell someone if you are being hurt or taken advantage of in a relationship. Make that call to a Domestic Violence Shelter. Share with one person and seek wise counsel. It is never okay for a man to hit you or harm you or your children in any way. Never think, “It only happened a few times and I deserved it because I provoked him.” That is victim thinking and will only foster a continued cycle of abuse making it that much harder to stop.
But while you’re taking action I want you to know there is hope as one puts their trust in Jesus Christ. Scripture is full of truth and advice for when we are in desperate situations. Life and death situations. Situations that suck the life out of us but aren’t killing us physically. For when we are being pursued by the enemy and feel there’s no way out. God has us covered with truth for these times in our life. Here are just a few promises we can all cling to during desperate times. Knowing we are not alone in our struggles helps. Never think you are the “only one.” People have gone before us with similar struggles and God knew we’d need counsel and advice from his word to help us.
Psalm 17:7-9 Show me the wonders of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.
Psalm 18:16-20 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
Psalm 18:29-30 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 18:32-35 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
These are just snippets of powerful truth that are at our fingertips. God’s word is powerful in times of struggle and in times of ease. We must run to it for our strength. The more we do this the less we look over our shoulders in fear and trembling.
I’d like to pray for in general but specifically for women dealing with domestic violence today.
Father, for my sisters in Christ and those who don’t know you yet, who are in the middle of a domestic violence battle, I pray for their rescue. I pray they would take refuge in you. This takes action on their part. They must run to you. So I pray you would help them run in your direction and Father meet them when they can run no longer. Let them find shelter in the shadow of your wings and to find comfort knowing they are the apple of your eye. Be a shield to them and let this truth sink in and give them a new sense of strength. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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