God Knows the Hopes of the Helpless

Psalm 10:17-18 (NLT)
“17 LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. 18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.”

Abuse of any kind is never okay, and it never will be, but the reality is that it happens in many relationships and homes across this country and beyond. It has also happened to some of us and did so at a time in our lives when we were defenseless against it. Inexperienced and vulnerable, young people can be preyed upon. I grew up in a small town where domestic violence and abuse was often hushed and swept under the rug. There were students in my classes that were dealing with horrible situations at home, and lots of us knew about it but were powerless to help in any meaningful way.

While teaching the disciples, Mark 9:42(NKJV) tells us that Jesus Christ said, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.” The millstone that Jesus is referring to in this verse is very heavy, and if it is tied around an individual’s neck, death by drowning was most likely imminent. This would be a horrible death for sure, and our blessed Lord tells us that this horror would be less than the one that awaits the person who injures the vulnerable and causes their trust in him to be diminished.

Over two thousand years ago, when our Lord and Savior walked the face of the earth, abuse in its many evil forms existed. It was on the scene even before he came, and it is indeed one of the reasons why he came. There were predators, manipulators, and perpetrators who abused others as a matter of sport, and sadly, this is happening in our world today. We need to know and trust that Jesus Christ did not come in vain. He said in John 10:10(NLT), “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” He came to earth to make a more than abundant life available to everyone that will have faith in him and accept the salvation that he offers.

Childhood does not hold fond memories for everyone, especially when domestic violence and abuse has a place in our younger years. We lacked the maturity to process what we were witnessing and experiencing, and many of us still carry the scars. Woe to the person that has caused us this level of pain, but our minds can’t be focused on the abuser. They must be focused on Jesus Christ. He understands what we’ve gone through better than any other human being. Hebrews 4:14-16(The Message) tells us, “Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.”

Love never hurts. It’s the complete opposite of hurt; love is kind and generous. This is the love God gives to us, and it is the kind of love that we should give and receive from others. When we’ve witnessed or experienced abuse at a young age, sometimes our thoughts and feelings around how to give and receive love become entangled with things like fear, insecurity, and confusion. In this state, we can make the wrong people, feelings, behaviors, and relationships the focus of our lives. If this happens, we will not give our relationship with God the focus and attention it deserves, and therefore, our faith in His power, love, and strength isn’t what it could and should be.

God’s Word teaches us in Hebrews 11:6(NLT), “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Our Heavenly Father wants our faith in Him to be strong because faith is the path to all His blessings, and a lack of faith will hinder us in life. Our relationship with God can never be based on what we can do for Him. It is always based on what He can do for us, and our faith is what pleases Him most.

The pain of what we’ve gone through renders us helpless in ways that we can’t always identify, but we are not without refuge or help. Psalm 10:17 tells us that God knows the hopes of the helpless, and He will not disappoint us. So, as God’s beloved children that have been hurting a very long time because of abuse, He’s asking us to make a shift in the way we believe and think about Him. We must have total confidence that our Heavenly Father doesn’t want anyone to be abused. When we are committed to praying and talking to God often and to studying His Word, He will heal our hearts, and we will both give and receive His love with the joy and faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Overcoming Domestic Violence

Overcoming domestic violence and abuse through Jesus Christ!