There are times in our life when we feel useless or worthless. Especially when we serve the Lord and when we try to consolidate our efforts and start feeling low, because of no tangible results in ministry. Then we start making plans without Gods guidance and direction. There are also times when you start feeling that I was better off in the previous place or I could do better if I move to another place. It was pretty much the same kind of a phase I was going through in my life some five years back. Then, I was as a missionary, serving the Lord in a place called Dhanbad (Jharkhand), the coal capital of India. My partner had left and I was alone. Only then I realized how important it is to serve the Lord in teams of two Jesus pattern, And He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. Mark 6:7 (ESV) And king Solomon too said about this, For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Ecclesiastes 4:10 (ESV) Though we had toiled in that place for four years, there were no great evidential results to quantify or consolidate the ministry, though many gathered in the special meetings and there was a regular flow of youth and adults in the prayer cells. After the other brother left, I was alone and and I was in a transition phase. I was preparing myself to move. That was the last week of my stay in that place. And in that week I had three encounters which influenced me to the extent of changing my perspective of measuring the results of ones ministry. Musing the music meet This happened in the last month of my stay in Dhanbad. One person came to my home and introduced himself as a doctor who had a clinic of his own. I could recognize that clinic. He was directed to my home by someone to whom he had enquired for a Christian bookstore/CD shop. He was a Hindu, but liked to listen to Christian songs. This influence was through one of his relatives who was in the West, who had sent him one Christian song album. His music loving daughter too took into it. So, he came asking for music CDs. Though I was not having any Book/CD store, I took this opportunity to give him all my personal collections of Christian songs in English and Hindi. He took me to his home and copied them all and later returned them to me. He visited me every week and took me to his home. Though I couldnt share much with him, I just shared the testimony of my salvation. Considering the changed countenance This incident too happened in the same month. I went to the study centre of a University to enquire about a course for one of our staff who was in the HQ. Since the receptionist could not answer my query, he directed me to meet with the Director. I went to meet him and discussed with him all about the course. Then he enquired about me. I told him that I was a Christian missionary. Immediately his countenance changed and he became very sad. He started to share about that which had been a matter of concern and botheration for him for a very long time. His son was terminally ill with a rare disease and he had taken him to so many hospitals. He asked me to pray for him and gave me his card. Trailing the tape trip
Author: Mariyosh J
mariyoshj@gmail.com
Author: Mariyosh J
mariyoshj@gmail.com
Author: Mariyosh J
mariyoshj@gmail.com
Author: Mariyosh J
mariyoshj@gmail.com