So let me tell you about a girl who loved the Lord, a girl who did everything right. One night evening as she was walking home and was grabbed and raped in a park. I think for any woman this must be the worst thing that can ever happen. God immediately spoke to her Spirit heart, and she could not even drink the morning after pill. She did not understand why, but she just knew God was clear on what she should not do.
Though she was in love with a Godly man and was raised by Godly parents, all of them tried to encourage her to have an abortion. Not only did she experience pressure from all sides, but she also felt devastated and as if she was going through hell. She had mixed emotions and conflicted within herself as she heard one thing from God, and at the same time was being “forced” to have an abortion. Her mom took her to an abortion clinic, but she could not see it through. What must have hurt, was that she thought her Godly boyfriend would support her, but to the contrary, she ended up losing him because of her decision to keep the child. Although many voices were milling in her mind, she chose to listen to God’s voice above her doubt, fear, confusion, hurt and probably anger.
Think about this for a moment. An unknown person invades your space, and force sexual contact upon you. That to me is such a personal invasion of your innermost privacy. Going through such an ordeal leaves the person with excruciating pain, vulnerable, fearful and feelings of dismay and little self-respect. No reason, no understanding and I am sure that can result in a woman not ever wanting to trust a man again. Working through such a traumatic ordeal, could result in anger, hatred, fear, unforgiveness and thinking that you simply can’t and won’t ever forget what happened.
However, despite all that could have happened and could have been triggered negatively, this girl was persistent in listening to God’s voice and do you know what she did? She forgave and released that man who raped her. She realised that half of that child that she was carrying was her own and that the baby (a girl) had no say nor any part in what had happened that night of the rape. She ultimately moved away from home and decided to have the baby
Was any of this easy? My goodness, off course not! Her whole life was tossed upside down. She was away from her loved ones, lost the man of her dreams, was alone in a new place and had to work hard to make a living in preparing to have and raise her baby girl. But do you know what? She was obedient in listening to God’s voice and because of that, He sent people who loved, helped, encouraged, and supported her. When the baby was born, she looked just like her mommy.
So many things could have played out differently for this girl. She could have taken the morning after pill and just worked through the trauma. She could have had the abortion, which would have probably left her feeling depressed, guilty and if anything had gone wrong with the procedure, she might have ended up never being able to have children again. If any of the above options were taken, she would have still had to deal with the knowing that the family and the man she loved, wanted her but not her baby. How do you deal with those emotions, and will a romantic relationship survive it?
On the flip side, she chose the voice of God and the life of her baby above all else. Yes, it must have been hard. There must have been emotions such as fear, anxiety, doubt, and a number of other uncertainties. However, with God, she took a STAND and stood firm in her faith (Isaiah 7:9) that He would never leave nor forsake her (Joshua 1:5) and that her obedience to His voice, would be rewarded.
The story above is from a book by Francine Rivers, entitled Atonement Child. It is a must read!
It is clear from this story, that very difficult and painful experiences when placed in God’s hands, can lead to forgiveness, healing, and new beginnings. Never allow your challenges to control you but take a STAND in Christ and allow Him to turn the situation around from sorrow to joy.
Love in Christ
Princess K