The summer often marks a slower and more reflective time for the advocacy team. Parliament are on recess, so we temporarily stop monitoring debates, PMQs and select committees. Despite the chaos that comes with a change in prime minister and cabinet, I have found myself having time to reflect and look ahead to all that is to come in the autumn. In particular, I have been encouraged and challenged in fresh ways by the life and faith of Josephine Butler, who relentlessly pursued justice for women in the 1800s.
Butler campaigned for 16 years against the Contagious Diseases Acts, which subjected women to incredibly invasive examinations to detect venereal diseases and potential arrest. Butler is an inspiration to me, and I knew she was a committed Christian; but reading Sarah Williams’ biography of her, When Courage Calls, has left me delighting in the way she and her husband lived out their faith with prayer and conviction, whether through successes or struggles.
As I look back at the last few years of working in political advocacy, there have been times when it has been hard to see what God is doing; emails can be sent to people in power (sometimes in their hundreds), and you may be lucky to get ten replies. I pray, but I can sometimes be tempted to see God like a slot machine, desperately hoping He will give me what I want and feeling disgruntled when I don’t see the desired impact. Butler’s dependence on the Lord and the way she so clearly sought justice in His name has been incredibly convicting for me.
Three key lessons I will take into the coming months:
Being rooted in prayer changes everything
Williams describes the way that prayer defined Butler’s political engagement, “the more Butler wrestled in prayer, the deeper her conviction grew that the Acts could not be ignored.” Her intimacy with Jesus, deepened her yearning for justice. In an evidence session before the Royal Commission on the Contagious Diseases Acts, Butler said, “I am able to speak with calm confidence, yet with humility, because I believe in the power of prayer.” How often do we rely on our own gifts or talents (or worry about our lack of them) before committing things to the Lord and asking for His strength? We can have confidence, even in the most difficult discussions because we can pray to the Creator of the universe.
Waiting is hard, but the Lord can use it
Right now, we are waiting. We are waiting to see what the new prime minister will do. We are waiting to find out if assisted suicide will come into law. And many of us will be seeking breakthrough in all kinds of situations. This can be incredibly challenging and sometimes can leave us feeling adrift. Butler’s perspective on times of uncertainty and waiting can speak to all of us. Her address to the Ladies National Association in 1871 has stayed with me since reading it in Williams’ book:
“Be patient then, O solitary heart, whose desires and aims are so far beyond the power of execution and fulfilment! [...] Life seems long sometimes, but God is eternal”
Butler didn’t shy away from the real struggles that come from waiting and her words call us to look to our eternal God. How incredible that the scriptures she took courage and comfort from are the same that we read today. The eternal God she spoke of hasn’t changed at all. Whatever it is you are anticipating, yearning for or scared of, we can bring all these concerns to the foot of the cross, asking God to help us reorient our perspective to our ultimate hope in Christ.
We must shine light in dark places
The last few years have made this abundantly clear; whether through falling politicians or safeguarding issues, things can stay hidden in the shadows for far too long. This is something that Butler repeatedly spoke into: “we cannot make war against a hidden foe.” We must pray that areas of injustice that haven’t been exposed come to light and for all of us to see the blind spots in our lives where we are ignoring the hurts and struggles of those around us. Josephine Butler consistently looked to the model of Jesus, and this characterised the way she treated vulnerable women who were shunned by society.
I am incredibly grateful for Christians who have gone before us. Their lives offer us lessons we can all benefit from, whether we ignore politics or keep updated daily. If there are issues or areas of ministry you care about, why not ask the Lord to stir up your heart, increase your boldness and show you ways to speak up and serve. I feel challenged to be more like Josephine as we step into a new season of advocacy work, bringing all our worries to the Lord. How could you do this too?
