Inspired from a real life story
How does one have faith after unanswered prayers? Chidi asked as he stared into thin air. No wonder, the atheist says God does not exist and prefer to trust in their understanding; he thought within himself. I have always wondered what it’s like to depend on one’s ability; we know we have always been taught to look up to God, depend and trust him, lean not on our understanding but believe that he is there for us. Chidi said to Lade as they discussed over a glass of fruit juice.
I will never forget the day I gave up on God, Chidi said as he smiled stylishly, you know me to be a born again Christian, who loves and adores God with all his heart, Lade looked intently at Chidi and said to him, let it go, Chidi, please for your safety and mental health, you don’t understand Lade, Chidi said with a shaking voice, tears rolling down his face, you don’t understand he repeated. I loved God; I placed him over everything I had; I did not serve him because I needed something in return; I served and believed in him because of my love for him.
You know Lade, Chidi said, our culture has placed so much emphasis on religion that we depend so much on it, forgetting to use our intellect, it has accustomed us to religion that we play religion, even in our place of worship; I do not see this as worship but as a game of chess.
It was mid-afternoon when Yetunde, Chika’s wife joined the two friends in their discussion, later came in Segun and Kate, after exchanging greetings, Lade said, brothers and sisters in Christ, we have all come a long way, having been friends for a long time we have become family, we have helped ourselves in times of crisis, joy, sorrow, and celebration, we love the Lord and can do anything for his namesake; we hold the faith no matter what, and we believe the gospel, we are iron that sharpens iron; I have called us here today to admonish and pray for our brother and friend Chidi; we thank God for the emotional and spiritual healing Yetunde has received since after the accident, but Chidi is still drowning and if we do not help him, we might lose him.
Yetunde, adjusting herself on her seat, spoke in her soft manner, I have been praying for my husband since the incident; I knew he loved our children, sometimes I feared he would not allow them to leave when they were old enough to be on their own, as devoted to the faith as I knew my husband to be, I have never seen, anything or anyone crush him this much that he would deny the God he once loved, she said, as she patted her husband’s hands, please forget it, your anger against God does not reduce the fact that he is still God nor does it reduce the people praising and worshipping him all over the world even as we speak.
Chidi looked at his friends, touched his wife’s face. That is my anger honey, that is my anger, with due diligence, I served him, with faith, I prayed believing; I did not doubt for a moment; I prayed for you, honey; I prayed for our three children when the doctors told me you were out of a coma; I believed more for the children; I watched the four of you in coma day and night for two months, believing God could wake the children as he woke you, I prayed and believed for their sake but he did not, even just one of them, he did not; he took them all; he took the three at once.
Part 2 coming soon…
Question
Faced with grief, disappointment, and depression, what will you do? Remember, it is easier said than done.
The Seekers 