Devotional: Mistreated? Misunderstood?
If you read the most recent Difference Maker Devotional, you know some of the terrible ways young girls in India experience discrimination, and how it continues into their adulthood.
Well today, you’ll learn about another source of discrimination: in-laws who believe their daughter-in-law is cursed if she doesn’t become pregnant soon after marrying.
Excuse me?
In India, it’s common for a groom’s parents to not only desire grandchildren but insist on them—to an extreme. If their son and his wife can’t conceive, the woman often receives 100% of the blame, no matter what!
That’s a horrible position to put someone in…
And yet, it happens on a regular basis.
Faazila, for example, was married at the age of 15 to a man named Givon, and his parents pressured her to have a baby to the point of using abusive words. Meanwhile, Givon reacted to Faazila with disappointment, fighting, and a desire to get rid of her.
But what was Faazila supposed to do?
She went to temples seeking a solution, feeling like she had to try something to avoid further abuse at home. Her rituals didn’t work, though—and she was so young that her body couldn’t safely deliver a baby yet, anyway! But still, her in-laws’ pressure was unrelenting.
Five years into marriage (and still just 20 years old), Faazila finally became pregnant and gave birth to a girl.
What a relief.
Yes—but it didn’t fix everything. Givon had become addicted to alcohol to cope with his stress over the lack of a baby.
Praise God for stepping into situations like these. Long story short, He used people like you to provide an Adult Literacy Class near Faazila’s home, and when she joined, she not only gained an education but also learned about Jesus.
And that means, when Givon fell severely ill during a COVID-19 lockdown, Faazila knew she was not alone in caring for him. Just as she had learned to do in the Literacy Class, she prayed in Jesus’ name for Givon to be healed—which resulted in a miracle! Givon was healed through prayer, and he came to realize all of the pain he had caused Faazila over the years. Convicted by the power of Christ, both Faazila and Givon received Jesus as their Savior.
Faazila has come such a long way. She knows the love of Jesus and finally has a peaceful, Christ-centered marriage!
What about her in-laws?
That’s where you come in. Faazila’s in-laws have yet to be changed by Jesus’ love, and we invite you to join us in praying for them. Take a look at the prayer prompts below to get started!
Beyond inviting you into prayer, here’s what we hope you’ll take away from Faazila’s story: no matter how you’ve been mistreated or misunderstood, God is present and loves you deeply. He has great plans for you and can redeem any situation through the power of prayer in Jesus’ name! If you need the Lord to show up for you in a mighty way right now, we’d love to join you in prayer. This is a link to our prayer wall, where you can post your prayer request and others can come alongside you in prayer!
PRAY
- Pray for God to change the hearts of Faazila’s in-laws so that they may receive salvation in Christ. Pray that Faazila’s own parents will be convicted by the Gospel, too!
- Pray for Faazila and Givon as they seek to raise their children to know and love Jesus.
- Pray for strength, hope, and safety for the many women in India who continue to suffer from abusive pressure to conceive.
- Want to pray over oppressed people in India on a regular basis? Sign up to receive a daily prayer request for India.
TAKE ACTION
- Topics like today’s can be a bit overwhelming to pray over—especially if you or someone you know is going through a similar trial. Try journaling your prayers to help you process as you pray. Then, when God answers your prayer, record that, too!
- Faazila’s life changed when she learned how to pray to Jesus in an Adult Literacy Class. You can provide a Bible-based education to another hurting woman in India with a gift of just $40! Click here to provide an illiterate adult in India with an Adult Literacy Class.
