The majority of Iran’s population, which nears 90 million, remains cut off from the world as Iran’s government has imposed an unprecedented near-total internet blackout in response to widespread anti-government protests. These now nationwide protests that began in December, as businesses in Tehran shut their doors in response to rising prices, have since turned deadly.
Satellite internet provider Starlink has become one of the few ways some Iranians are able to connect to the outside world. SpaceX’s Starlink service is reportedly being made available free to users in the country, helping activists and citizens share real-time reports despite intentional shutdowns and jamming efforts by authorities. Because Iran has banned the technology and hunts down terminals, many users take significant risks to maintain access. The blackout continues, and government efforts to block signals intensify. The situation highlights both the power of technology to circumvent censorship and the high cost paid by those striving to communicate under repression.
In a time when access to communication is restricted, and truth is under threat, how can we pray for those who risk everything to share their voices — and remember that God sees every hidden cry and every story told in the dark?
Does God Hear the Silenced?
While technology has offered most of us more ways to communicate freely with the world and expanded opportunities to shed light on injustice, many still live in isolation, and their voices are restricted by their government or by others in their community. It truly takes so much courage to risk your safety, sometimes even your life, to speak truth and to call out for justice when stuck in an oppressive situation. We see many in Iran risking their lives as they find ways to connect with the outside world, going against their government’s efforts to censor their people. How can we, as believers, pray faithfully when we face our own hurdles to free speech and pray for those who are currently having their voices silenced?
Remember that our voice is always heard and our stories are always seen by our great God. He is the ultimate justice bringer! While justice may not even be realized in our lifetime, God promises to judge the Earth at the end of time, making all things right and ushering in a New Heaven and a New Earth. In the meantime, God hears our quiet prayers, sees our tears, and understands better than anyone how we’ve been wronged. In Genesis 16:13, we read, “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.”
Hagar, the one who uttered these words, suffered under the abuse of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. God met Hagar when she was so desperate that she fled to the desert alone and without sustenance. Her life was in danger, and her spirit was discouraged.