Email and ShareVictorious Over Misfortune
- Dec 1, 2009 1:00 am
- Africa
Lilian was a very depressed woman when the "JESUS" film team visited her village in Zambia. Despite being very resourceful, she found herself a constant target of misfortune. She blamed her misfortunes on God because they began after she joined a church. Here is what she said about her experience:
| "Shortly after we returned to our home village for retirement, my husband and I started working on our property. Because we were near a church, we felt it was worthwhile to be involved. We became very active in the church, and we felt we had family. Then tragedy struck when my husband got ill suddenly. We had to spend a lot of time travelling to and from the hospital, which was far from home and so costly. Eventually, I lost my husband, barely a year after returning home. By the time we were done with the funeral and related issues, we had spent most of our money, and I was emotionally drained. ... two months later a neighbor's cattle broke into our garden, and one of them fell into my well. When the matter came before the elders, I was made to replace the animal. Within six months I had replaced four animals. In spite of the support received from the church during all this, I was so embittered against God because I had not known such misfortune before, until I started attending church." |
| "When the animals that World Vision had given me as a means to help me build economic capacity died, I was convinced God did not welcome me into the church. I decided to stop attending church, but when the 'JESUS' film team came to our area, I was touched by the teachings of Jesus that say, 'It is difficult for a rich man to enter God's kingdom' and 'Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' ... I was convicted that my reason for coming to church was to use God as a means to gain and not because I had received and appreciated His love manifested through Jesus Christ His Son. That evening, when the altar call was made, I went and gave my life to Jesus. Life has now taken a new meaning, and a peace I have not felt in a long time has come into my heart." |
This story came from JESUS Film Partnership of Global Partners (Wesleyan Church),
a ministry that co-labors with The JESUS Film Project.