I did not really sleep since midnight and this was after I spoke to a total stranger whom a dear friend referred me to for counselling and support. It sounded urgent and immediately after I got this stranger's contact number, I called him and we spoke for a while.
After we hung up, I just could not bring myself to sleep as I was wondering how I should help this individual. I spent quite a while asking the Lord to advise me as this is the first time I am dealing with a situation where I had to counsel someone whom I have totally no information of. I had not seen him before; I did not know whether what he related to me was true; and I struggled whether I should accede to a request he made.
After praying, I just kept still and one word just kept coming on to me - "Trust." I guess it is important when trying to help someone that trust needs to be given to him. Basically to give him benefit of the doubt. Yes, it is true that this society we live in has some individuals who had betrayed the trust of others. I guess we cannot let this minority cause us to generalise that everyone is like them. What if the person we are helping is a genuine case?
I was supposed to have a meeting with my planning team but in the morning after I woke up from a brief sleep and after I sought some advice from my Pastor-in-charge and a Lay Ministry Staff on how to help this gentleman, I decided to take an emergency leave to help this brother-in-Christ. He professed that he is a Christian when we spoke over the phone.
I called this brother and we set a time to meet in church. Though he could only meet me for 30 minutes because he had a work appointment, it went beyond that. When he shared some painful experiences of his life, he cried. A couple of times I almost broke down but I controlled myself. Many people are avoiding him because of some wrongs he had committed - that is why he has no one to turn to except God and His church. I prayed with him before he left for work and I also acceded to his request for help in one area of his life.
In my account so far of this encounter, I have decided not to go into the details as I want to keep my session with this dear brother in confidence. I pray the Lord will remain close to him tonight and everyday.
I learnt four things from this experience in my pilgrim's journey. One I have already mentioned - that is to always approach a person whom we are helping with trust. Whether the person's case is genuine or fraud, it is not up to us to judge him. Our role is to let God use us to help those in need. If we got cheated, then so be it. Life goes on and the experience will help us deal with the next better but at no time, it should teach us to doubt the next person whom we are reaching out to. I asked God for discernment and I think that is important.
The second lesson is not to let one's past cause us to look at him differently or negatively in the present. I was reminded that we are no different from others around us as we are all sinful and had, at one point in our lives, committed something wrong. Some may be more serious than others but a sin is a sin is a sin. Big or small, it is still a sin. So the next time we treat an individual with disgust, remind ourselves that others may be looking at us the same way. To overcome this is basically to look at every one with love; with God's eyes because He loves all unconditionally!
The third lesson puts me to shame. I have five different kinds of Bibles at home and in my 22 years of being a Christian, I have never attempted seriously to memorise the Word of God so that in times of need, doubt and discouragement, I can be encouraged by the verses. This brother does not have a Bible (could not afford one) and when he gets the chance to use a computer, he would go to www.biblegateway.com and memorise some verses. These kept him on and I believe they have, especially after listening to some of his painful accounts.
Many of us Christians do not see the need to keep God's Word in our hearts because we are just overly blest. Sometimes to the point where we feel that we do not need God as we have this notion that we are self-sufficient. Let me warn all of us and it is not meant to sound like a curse - one day we will face certain trials in our lives that may make us feel as if we have reached the end of the road of our lives. If we do not have God's Word in us, we will just give up but if we let the Word of God remain in us, we will then be able to see hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.
I do not wish to make the above paragraph sounds too cliche but I have experienced the power of God's Word in my struggles with my past kidney ailment and failures; we have also heard of many other testimonies from people. How could these persons find joy in tribulation? Simply because of the Word of God! Do not believe its power, start using it!
The last lesson is this - cherish all the loved ones, friends and things we have and do not take them for granted. Many times we complain more than we give thanks. One day should we lose all that we own, we have no 'right' anymore to demand and whine and grumble but to content with the little or nothing we possess. Perhaps then we would see the need for God to be in our lives.
Long account today but I have to share what God has taught me through this brother. May God have mercy on all of us and continue to be gracious unto us.
“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
Peace Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
when there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life.
After we hung up, I just could not bring myself to sleep as I was wondering how I should help this individual. I spent quite a while asking the Lord to advise me as this is the first time I am dealing with a situation where I had to counsel someone whom I have totally no information of. I had not seen him before; I did not know whether what he related to me was true; and I struggled whether I should accede to a request he made.
After praying, I just kept still and one word just kept coming on to me - "Trust." I guess it is important when trying to help someone that trust needs to be given to him. Basically to give him benefit of the doubt. Yes, it is true that this society we live in has some individuals who had betrayed the trust of others. I guess we cannot let this minority cause us to generalise that everyone is like them. What if the person we are helping is a genuine case?
I was supposed to have a meeting with my planning team but in the morning after I woke up from a brief sleep and after I sought some advice from my Pastor-in-charge and a Lay Ministry Staff on how to help this gentleman, I decided to take an emergency leave to help this brother-in-Christ. He professed that he is a Christian when we spoke over the phone.
I called this brother and we set a time to meet in church. Though he could only meet me for 30 minutes because he had a work appointment, it went beyond that. When he shared some painful experiences of his life, he cried. A couple of times I almost broke down but I controlled myself. Many people are avoiding him because of some wrongs he had committed - that is why he has no one to turn to except God and His church. I prayed with him before he left for work and I also acceded to his request for help in one area of his life.
In my account so far of this encounter, I have decided not to go into the details as I want to keep my session with this dear brother in confidence. I pray the Lord will remain close to him tonight and everyday.
I learnt four things from this experience in my pilgrim's journey. One I have already mentioned - that is to always approach a person whom we are helping with trust. Whether the person's case is genuine or fraud, it is not up to us to judge him. Our role is to let God use us to help those in need. If we got cheated, then so be it. Life goes on and the experience will help us deal with the next better but at no time, it should teach us to doubt the next person whom we are reaching out to. I asked God for discernment and I think that is important.
The second lesson is not to let one's past cause us to look at him differently or negatively in the present. I was reminded that we are no different from others around us as we are all sinful and had, at one point in our lives, committed something wrong. Some may be more serious than others but a sin is a sin is a sin. Big or small, it is still a sin. So the next time we treat an individual with disgust, remind ourselves that others may be looking at us the same way. To overcome this is basically to look at every one with love; with God's eyes because He loves all unconditionally!
The third lesson puts me to shame. I have five different kinds of Bibles at home and in my 22 years of being a Christian, I have never attempted seriously to memorise the Word of God so that in times of need, doubt and discouragement, I can be encouraged by the verses. This brother does not have a Bible (could not afford one) and when he gets the chance to use a computer, he would go to www.biblegateway.com and memorise some verses. These kept him on and I believe they have, especially after listening to some of his painful accounts.
Many of us Christians do not see the need to keep God's Word in our hearts because we are just overly blest. Sometimes to the point where we feel that we do not need God as we have this notion that we are self-sufficient. Let me warn all of us and it is not meant to sound like a curse - one day we will face certain trials in our lives that may make us feel as if we have reached the end of the road of our lives. If we do not have God's Word in us, we will just give up but if we let the Word of God remain in us, we will then be able to see hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.
I do not wish to make the above paragraph sounds too cliche but I have experienced the power of God's Word in my struggles with my past kidney ailment and failures; we have also heard of many other testimonies from people. How could these persons find joy in tribulation? Simply because of the Word of God! Do not believe its power, start using it!
The last lesson is this - cherish all the loved ones, friends and things we have and do not take them for granted. Many times we complain more than we give thanks. One day should we lose all that we own, we have no 'right' anymore to demand and whine and grumble but to content with the little or nothing we possess. Perhaps then we would see the need for God to be in our lives.
Long account today but I have to share what God has taught me through this brother. May God have mercy on all of us and continue to be gracious unto us.
“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
Peace Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
when there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life.
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