Words by Te-Erika
An Essence.com blog entry by CNN Correspondent Roland Martin reports that Juanita Bynum was beaten by her preacher husband Thomas Weeks III, in a parking lot in Atlanta late Wednesday night.
We watched her as she proclaimed NO MORE SHEETS. We rejoiced with her as she fought the demons of her past in the public eye as she allowed God to create in her a new woman.
Woe to the woman who we all looked to for guidance. After escaping an abusive past and clinging to the Lord, we all rejoiced when God presented her with a life mate. In her happiness, we found hope. In her joy, we gained faith.
This report baffles women everywhere. We may question, "Where is God in all of this? What kind of God would give a gift like this?" But as we question ourselves, ask God for clarity and begin to heal from the pain of our sister's situation, we must remember that God still reigns. No one is immune from the attacks of the enemy and no woman who has faced this situation lacks the capacity to move on from it.
Woe to the woman who we all looked to for guidance. After escaping an abusive past and clinging to the Lord, we all rejoiced when God presented her with a life mate. In her happiness, we found hope. In her joy, we gained faith.
This report baffles women everywhere. We may question, "Where is God in all of this? What kind of God would give a gift like this?" But as we question ourselves, ask God for clarity and begin to heal from the pain of our sister's situation, we must remember that God still reigns. No one is immune from the attacks of the enemy and no woman who has faced this situation lacks the capacity to move on from it.
I know why I faced abusive situations in the past. I know why I experienced lack and despair. There was purpose behind the mess I got myself into due to poor choices and disobedience. The purpose lies in the message I will give to both women and men. It is great to honor women like Juanita who gave us so much inspiration, but we can't idolize anyone's situation or blessings because we never know the truth of what goes on behind closed doors.
At one point you believed that if God could do it for her, He could do it for you. But now you're not so sure.
Don't be disheartened. Here is your lesson for today.
We have to know God for ourselves. We have to trust God that even though this happened, her situation does not dictate our future just as though her blessings are not God's promises to everyone.
I won't place the blame entirely on her husband, sometimes as women we tend to push men to their limits, challenging them in ways that provoke violence and abuse. And we know what we're doing when we do it.
We don't realize what power we have over men. Our tone and intentions guide them in their treatment of us. When an argument is becoming heated, we should never fuel the flame by becoming rowdy or fighting fire with fire. It should never become an issue of who is right and who is wrong. It should be an issue of compromise, an issue of asking ourselves, "How can we make this better?"
Violence, in any situation, shows a lack of the ability to communicate thoughts or emotions effectively. It shows the powerlessness of the initiator to use the God given gift of reason and strips away the beauty of humanity. Violence, anchored in the desire to gain forceful submission, displays a lack of respect for the victim as well as the lack of self respect of the initiator.
As we watch and pray for her speedy recovery, we should also pray that God reveal some powerful lessons all across the globe, in her personal life and ours.
Don't lose hope because of this revelation. Don't turn your back on God because of what happened to her. Trust the God within to heal her spirit and return her to the place of His everlasting promise and trust that you will one day receive yours too.
At one point you believed that if God could do it for her, He could do it for you. But now you're not so sure.
Don't be disheartened. Here is your lesson for today.
We have to know God for ourselves. We have to trust God that even though this happened, her situation does not dictate our future just as though her blessings are not God's promises to everyone.
I won't place the blame entirely on her husband, sometimes as women we tend to push men to their limits, challenging them in ways that provoke violence and abuse. And we know what we're doing when we do it.
We don't realize what power we have over men. Our tone and intentions guide them in their treatment of us. When an argument is becoming heated, we should never fuel the flame by becoming rowdy or fighting fire with fire. It should never become an issue of who is right and who is wrong. It should be an issue of compromise, an issue of asking ourselves, "How can we make this better?"
Violence, in any situation, shows a lack of the ability to communicate thoughts or emotions effectively. It shows the powerlessness of the initiator to use the God given gift of reason and strips away the beauty of humanity. Violence, anchored in the desire to gain forceful submission, displays a lack of respect for the victim as well as the lack of self respect of the initiator.
As we watch and pray for her speedy recovery, we should also pray that God reveal some powerful lessons all across the globe, in her personal life and ours.
Don't lose hope because of this revelation. Don't turn your back on God because of what happened to her. Trust the God within to heal her spirit and return her to the place of His everlasting promise and trust that you will one day receive yours too.
3 comments:
Sometimes those that say they are "of" God believe they are because they say it; sometimes it simply isn't true. Often, they are compensating for something dark within.
Good post.
Amen and AMEN again. This is a great post! I was working on an entry in regards to this same topic...then I started complicating it.
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