LIFE WITHOUT LIBERTY

 Good day everyone, our God is a faithful God, here is a true life story of  JUANITA HEADLEY. 

 

“Bang, click, slide" were the sounds of the jail cell door being locked and bolted.

Contrary to my title of attorney it wasn't business as usual, because instead of me being stood on the outside of the bars looking in, this time I was the one on the inside looking out.

I felt like a caged animal at the zoo at the complete mercy of the police. This was definitely not what I had signed up for and I wanted to call it quits. It wasn’t fun anymore, and truth be told it was never fun to begin with.

This was not some kind of social research project for a new article that I was working on. This was my reality after being dragged out of bed by the police and bought before the Serious Offences Court Judge in my pyjamas.

In the absence of my legal counsel, when the decision was ruled in favour of the prosecution I was immediately hauled off to jail.

When one considers that I am a human rights advocate it was rather disconcerting that I became the victim of countless human rights breaches. However, in saying that I understood that every Christian had their cross to bear and this was simply my calling (Luke 9:23).

1 Corinthians 10:13B has always been my favourite scripture. The words that, “...God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear,” served as a constant reminder to me that I had the strength to get through whatever adversity I faced.

Despite this truth, I am ashamed to confess that it was only a matter of weeks earlier that I had asked God to take my life. It felt at the time as though I had reached rock bottom, that my good deeds had been in vain. I did not want to continue living or so I thought.

Looking back, things really weren't that bad. I had my life, liberty, free will and ability to choose. That night I chose life, I chose resilience and I chose Godly obedience.

Just as Paul and Silas were thrown into prison (Acts 16), so was I, but not for my faith. That did not however, diminish the fact of my innocence, because just as Revelation 2:10 says, “...the devil will put some of you into prison to test you,” I was most definitely being tested.

The question is, did I pass that test?

I believe that I did when the only complaint the police had about me was when I sang continuously for 5 hours.

There is so much power in worship, and just like Paul and Silas before me I sang every day of my incarceration.

When God literally gave me an Acts 16:35-37 prison break I promised Him I would NEVER threaten to take my life again. Just as He promised to never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5) I am convinced that He was right there beside me in that Questelles jail cell.