I had the incredible opportunity of listening to eight young people giving their testimonies here in Bielefeld this week. I usually really enjoy listening to the stories of people's lives, especially where God features prominently. I love happy endings, and testimonies of Christians always end happily, because once God comes in, there is no really sad ending. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. In the New Jerusalem, there will be no more weeping or crying, no more mothers mourning for their sons. All will be comforted and all will live in the glory of the Lord, how I long for that day.
One particular young man gave the story of how he was imprisoned by marijuana and alcohol. He was so deep into it that it was beyond addiction, he was possessed by the drug. He no longer abused the drug, it abused him. He shared how he asked his mother to pray with him that he could change, and when she was praying, a real spiritual struggle ensued. He hit his hand against a household object and ended up needing a cast on his hand. There was a distinct connection between his drug abuse and some foreign unpleasant spirit living in Him.
I also heard of a man whose best friend died in a car accident and he now holds God responsible for his loss. He says a loving God who knows everything and has everything under His control should not have allowed this misfortune to happen. He has suffered divine disappointment. How can he be shown that God's love extends beyond our finite time here on earth, well into infinity with Him?
There are definitely people suffering from divine disappointment around you. The wife who keeps praying for a child, the other wife who has suffered more miscarriages than she cares to count, the university student who cannot pass his exams, the high school student who cannot afford school fees, the man who lost his job and cannot seem to get another one, the girl who every boy ignores, the boy who doubts whether he will ever be good enough for his demanding father.....the list goes on. Pray for someone today, then pray with them this week.
One particular young man gave the story of how he was imprisoned by marijuana and alcohol. He was so deep into it that it was beyond addiction, he was possessed by the drug. He no longer abused the drug, it abused him. He shared how he asked his mother to pray with him that he could change, and when she was praying, a real spiritual struggle ensued. He hit his hand against a household object and ended up needing a cast on his hand. There was a distinct connection between his drug abuse and some foreign unpleasant spirit living in Him.
I also heard of a man whose best friend died in a car accident and he now holds God responsible for his loss. He says a loving God who knows everything and has everything under His control should not have allowed this misfortune to happen. He has suffered divine disappointment. How can he be shown that God's love extends beyond our finite time here on earth, well into infinity with Him?
There are definitely people suffering from divine disappointment around you. The wife who keeps praying for a child, the other wife who has suffered more miscarriages than she cares to count, the university student who cannot pass his exams, the high school student who cannot afford school fees, the man who lost his job and cannot seem to get another one, the girl who every boy ignores, the boy who doubts whether he will ever be good enough for his demanding father.....the list goes on. Pray for someone today, then pray with them this week.
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