Trusting God In A Hopeless Situation
Aurella Cabiness, Alexandria, VA
Catagory: Volume 4, Issue 1 and 2
“Here we go again,” fumed Allison. Her grandmother was always dragging her to church. She just got t-i-r-e-d of going to church. Sunday School on Sunday, prayer meeting on Tuesday, Bible Study on Thursday and Lord help us if there was a revival at church in town during the week.
But this Saturday, Allison didn’t complain. She was scared and the best place to be was church. In her heart she knew that, but everything was just awful right now. Both of the World Trade buildings had been destroyed, the Pentagon was hit, the President had been in hiding, and everyone she knew was glued to the TV. People were down right scared and to tell you the truth, so was Allison. Allison had heard her auntie tell her grandmother that she thought the United States was in a “HOPELESS SITUATION” and that some Christians were saying that this was the beginning of the end”.
However, Grandmother told Allison’s Auntie: that she stood by Psalm 91:1,2, 8-10. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust... Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.’
“That’s His promise, and you can run in fear, but I am going to trust in the Lord,” said Grandmother.
Allison really wanted to feel that way. All week she had secretly prayed to the Lord not to let her be scared and to take away her helpless and hopeless feelings. After all, she wanted to get married, have children, and get a beautiful house. Every night she was afraid to sleep. Suppose a plane landed on her house? Every time she heard a loud thump, she jumped. She did not tell anyone, but she was just scared.
They were in church now. The people had stopped singing and were sitting down. The Pastor said that this was a special youth night and she had some young men that had come to give their testimonies.
Ricky the Addict & Drug Dealer
The first young man was Ricky Roberts. He spoke of how his father was an addict and drug dealer and he had grown up and become just like his father. He was now 24 and the Lord had saved him. He said that he always knew that he was special but until he found the Lord, he did not know how special. He talked of how he liked the nice things that he could buy with the money that he and his father stole or got from selling drugs.
But one night, God came to Ricky and told him that he had to die, not in the flesh in the Spirit. That meant that anything that he was doing that was not of God had to stop. He stated: “I was in bed when God asked me to die to all my wants, I said, ‘Yes, Lord.’ I can’t really tell you in words what happened, but a bright light came into my bed and I was overpowered by the Holy Spirit.” Ricky finished by saying, “I can’t make you believe me, I just know it happened. It was wonderful.” Ricky’s life was HOPELESS, but God came beyond his crooked Daddy and called him to minister to other children who were growing up like he did.
Gary the Addict
Gary Lomax was next. He said that he was 39 years old and had been the only child out of six children that did not finish college. He went to jail instead of college and became an addict. One thing he did was that he became an excellent addict. However, his mother was always there.
One day after Gary came home sober from jail, his mother locked him in the house for twelve days. This allowed him to think straight for a change and he made up his mind to serve the Lord fully. He was glad that his mother did not give up on him.
Throughout the years that Gary had hurt God and his mother, they did not give up on him. He had not been a good example for his own son who was now 16 years old but Gary said that God gave his son a good mother and thus protected his son from becoming another Gary. “Nobody is HOPELESS,” said Gary as he sat down.
Billy the Heroin Addict
The next young man was Billy Brannen. He was a heroin addict. He was so cute. No one would have ever thought of him as doing anything wrong. He looked like the guys that sing in the latest music groups. He started using drugs at age 12 and he was now 24 years old. Billy went to jail for 30 days and that was where the Lord touched him. Heroin addicts are supposed to be incurable, but he said, “When God touches you, nothing is HOPELESS.”
James the Miracle
At the end of the service, Mr. James Brown stood up and gave his testimony. He had an accident when a split rim from a tire exploded and knocked his head open. His brains were exposed. The doctors told his family that if he lived he would neither talk nor walk.
James said that when he opened his eyes, the doctor asked him two questions. “Do you remember what happened?” He said, “No”. “Do you believe in God?” He said, “Yes”. The doctor jumped up and began praising the Lord. Many people had been praying for a miracle, including the doctor. God moves in HOPELESS SITUATIONS.
Allison enjoyed the service. On the way home, she talked about the testimonies. She told her grandmother that they were nice, but what did the testimonies mean to her if a plane could kill them at any minute? Her grandmother responded, “Allison, I know that the world seems hopeless (Grandmother always seems to know her thoughts), but you just heard four men tell you of a HOPELESS SITUATION in their lives. They were addicts, drug dealers, criminals, and one was almost dead. God touched each of them and raised them all up to be ministers by using their experiences.
Grandmother continued. “This is not new stuff. Do you remember the story of Lazarus who was dead for four days and Jesus came and raised him from the dead?” Allison, nodded yes. “Well, you see Lazarus had two sisters and they looked at his death in two ways, one with hopelessness and one with hope. Although Martha went to meet Jesus, she did not believe that He could raise her brother from the dead. On the other hand Mary believed in a hopeless situation.
Allison opened her grandmother’s Bible and began reading John 11:21-27. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give [it] thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
Grandmother smiled at Allison, “You see Allison,” she said, “Jesus is still raising men from the dead. Those men today were dead in their sins. They were destroying themselves and those around them, but in HOPELESS SITUATIONS, God raised them up and changed their lives. They will never be the same. Those men, you, and I were all born in sin. Jesus came and died so that we could seek Christ with all our hearts and he would raise us up. Therefore, when He died on the cross, He sent the Holy Spirit to guide us. Once we accept Jesus in our hearts, we have the power and the authority to speak life into HOPELESS SITUATIONS in the name of Jesus.
“Your parents are drug addicts, but I believe like Martha, that even now Christ can change them. In spite of the destruction of the World Trade buildings and the attack on the Pentagon, we as Christians can say “even now Lord, show yourself in this hopeless situation.” That is why I trust in God. Neither the President of the United States, you, nor I can fix this mess, but God can. So let’s TRUST JESUS IN OUR HOPELESS SITUATIONS.
Allison went to bed that night and slept all night without worrying, because she decided to trust God in her hopeless situation.
