A cry for help

One step forward and 2 steps back. That is how it often is in our line of work. We had high hopes for a couple who joined us a couple of months ago. I wrote about them in a previous blog. He was a well-known leader in the Is. world and suffered greatly when he denied his religion to follow Christ. He has been floundering lately and seemingly confused and angry at times. For sure, he has been unfairly treated and even abused by believers. All of this has caused him great anguish and he has fallen away from any fellowship with Christians and attending church. The only people he has not cut off are our Lighthouse staff. Yesterday as we sat in the Lighthouse after having dinner with a large group of people visiting from the US, somehow I found myself sitting alone with this guy and we began to talk. I was shocked as he spilled everything he had stored up inside of him for weeks. I was holding back my tears as my heart broke for this young man who had been so hurt by believers and the church. Just as someone in deep grief doesn't need a sermon preached to them about the sovereignty of God, I knew all I could do was listen to this guy and try to empathize with the deep pain he was feeling. I did tell him that all of us, unfortunately, can point to many Christians who have back-stabbed us and disappointed us and that is why it's so important to keep our eyes on Jesus because he will never, ever disappoint us. He said things that I hope he doesn't really mean. He said ugly, evil, mean things that made me so sad. The bottom line is that he was there, at the Lighthouse, because he says we're the only ones who have not mistreated him. When we finished our conversation, I went into the kitchen and cried. I cried hard and I cried long because my heart was broken for this man who obviously is possessed with demons from his past; a past that's full of wickedness and killing and such evil that it's hard for our minds to imagine. He needs deliverance for sure but until he is willing and asks for help, it is futile. I am broken-hearted for his sweet wife who was led to Christ by her husband. She is suffering a lot these days as she sees and hears her husband denounce his faith and seek revenge on those believers who tried to destroy his life. She claims that these are just words of anger that he's spouting and that in his heart of hearts, he still believes in Jesus and would never deny his faith. I hope she's right. All we can do is pray and love and forgive and embrace this tormented young man. Will you join us in this?