He's in Charge (Intern Insights)
Unfortunately, in many African countries more than half of all females have at some point experienced violence at the hands of a partner or spouse. The hopeful counterpart to that fact, though, is that many of these women are also seeking help to either escape domestic abuse or to deal with its emotional repercussions. Praise God! In the U.S. so many victims keep quiet out of fear, but in West Africa more and more women are finding their voice to stand up against this widespread problem.
The hurdle is found in the lack of laws being implemented to curb the problem. To provide a few examples: in the Ivory Coast, despite progressive legal action on behalf of women, there are still no specific regulations geared exclusively towards domestic violence. And what’s more is that the enforcement of laws that do exist continues to be extremely weak and ineffective. In Liberia, there are rules in place for rape but none dealing with all the other multiple forms of female abuse.
Let me be really honest with you for a moment. Right now, even as I sit here and pray for this issue and for African administrations to step in and aid women, I harbor doubt. I find that it really tests my faith when I take on the challenge of praying for an entire government or for those in authority over a whole country. It’s intimidating. I quietly question, God, will you really change this situation? I’m sure many others could hop onboard this honesty train with me and admit that you too have fallen in to the temptation of thoughts like this from time to time.
Thankfully a pastor recently reminded me of something that I obviously needed to hear. He said that many times we completely miss out on what God wants to do because we don’t have enough faith in His power that He will actually do it! We pray, but in the back of our minds we still question. We doubt that change will result from our small petitions for such large requests. But what would it look like if we started talking to God as if He was fully capable (which He is) of doing or changing absolutely anything or anyone? Scripture reminds us time and time again that our Savior is sovereign and in total control of this whole world and its rulers:
For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.” Psalm 22:28 (ESV)
“The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” Proverbs 21:1 (ESV)
Take heart in those words and rest in the fact that the Maker of the universe created everything! He formed all that was and is and is yet to come. And if His power can conceive life from nothing, let’s not doubt His vast ability to move the hearts of our earthly, government leaders. Break free from whatever reservations you may be holding and boldly ask the Heavenly Father that domestic violence laws would be established in West African countries, trusting Him to hear and answer.
Finally, let’s also pray that medical and counseling resources would become available and that authorities would enforce all new as well as existing laws. Pray these things without forgetting who it is that reigns over this whole world. The Lord God does, so trust Him to take care of His daughters.