It wasn’t long after I started growing close to God that he started placing random people in my path. One of which was Steven. I had met him through work and he was one of my weekly visits. Often I would just visit a few moments and see how is life was going and discuss business. We hit it off. Suddenly we were going to lunch as friends and more than just business aquaintances. He would tell me about his troubled relationship, job concerns, family debockles. I would listen.
One day he called me and said his grandma was in the hospital and would I mind stopping by to visit. I did. The family was so warm and welcoming. That day something changed. He saw me different. He saw me as someone that cared. You know what they say, the world doesn’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Well, it spoke to him.
He invited me to lunch that afternoon. That was the lunch that would change his life forever- yet neither of us knew it. I believe that lunch actually changed both of us. God had been telling me for weeks to “tell my story” and I said ok God, tell me when and how and who. He did. That day sitting across from me was a man who was hurting and I would have never known because I never took the time to ask.
I began by telling him about my latest experience with God (trust me I had plenty to share) and when I told my story – something turned on inside him and he poured out his.
He began sharing with me how he gave his life to God as a teenager. Then he explained a tragedy that happened in his life in his mid 20’s and how it separated him. He has lived with guilt and self loathing and unforgiveness for years. He even thought he deserved to feel that way. No no no! When you have God in your life he forgives. Period! There is no dark cloud worthy enough to hang over your head!
“what can wash away my sin?nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
He knew this – yet he had somehow forgotten. So I began to question his salvation. I questioned his current state of being. Where there should have been joy there was sorrow. Where there should have stood peace there was guilt. I didn’t understand. So I asked if I could pray over him. He agreed.
I prayed. I don’t remember what I said but it must have spoke to him because he wept. Then I wept. It was a truly beautiful moment I will remember forever. Days went by and he called me. He said he hadn’t been sleeping and God would “not let him sleep”.. I knew that position well. I encouraged him to press on, that God wanted to tell him something.
A week or so later Steven woke up in a foul mood. Guilt, anger, uselessness filled his mind. Yet something happened that day. This person hit a boiling point and – in his own words “he broke”.
What happens when you break class????
You can start to heal!!!
He drove to the church he had grown up in, (that he hadn’t visited in years) and went inside. He cried. And cried. More importantly he cried out to God. But for real this time! Steven got saved.
Where there was darkness and guilt, he has peace and light. He is rebuilding himself in Christ everyday. So I thank God for letting me be a part of that persons life. It’s a reminder for me to keep telling my story.
Cherish
modernmiracleme 