Spiritual Matters or General – (originally written date 9/9/16)
It may sound trite and too simple but it really is my best and most profound advice for any trial, tragedy, or trouble. Try God. But, why should you ‘Try God’, you ask? Because he has all knowledge, all power, more kindness, love, and mercy than anyone could ever provide. Anything and everything you could ever need is available to you through Him once you belong to Him.
God has never let me down despite all I’ve been through: the deaths of 20 loved ones; an unfaithful spouse; several chronic illnesses; heart disease; cancer; a prodigal son; and the death of my daughter; just to name a few of my life’s challenges. I have been through it all with God by my side. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
No matter what you face, ‘Try God’ is still my best answer. He has brought me through so much, I am sure he can do the same for you.
I’m still praying for a woman I met many years ago on a train who ‘tried God’ and felt He failed her, but I hope my conversation with her will be an encounter that may one day cause her to consider trying God again.
I was traveling back home from Chicago on an extremely overcrowded train. With few available seats, a woman soon joined me as we settled in for a five-hour commute back to Michigan.
At first she seemed apprehensive to join me, as I’d just closed my bible after praying about our trip and I was sporting a ‘Try God’ pin on my jacket lapel. The open sear next to me remained open for quite some time, until it was almost the very last seat available. I prayed whoever joined me would be a pleasant traveler. I was also hoping for some good conversation, as doing needlepoint on this crowded train might be impossible considering how packed together we all were.
As we conversed easily and soon found much to talk about I noticed her grimacing each time she looked at my ‘try God’ pin. I knew it was bothering her, but I wasn’t going to force the conversation about God, yet I was praying for her to bring it up.
As we passed the hours talking, several unfortunate events occurred along our train route adding three extra hours to our trip, each time the conductor announced a new delay, everyone aboard groaned and complained. Food became scarce, and bathrooms were swamped. We were so engrossed in our conversation we hardly noticed how uptight everyone had become, we were having a great time together sharing our food with one another and grateful we had brought some with us.
Finally, she made the comment I was hoping for, as she said, “I tried that once.” I inquired, “tried what?’ “I tried God, once.” she emphasized. So, I asked, “What happened?” Out poured her story.
“I was a missionary kid as a child and grew up there, raised in a boarding school far away
from my parents. I endured unspeakable abuse there that my own father refused to
acknowledge or admit ever really happened to me. I prayed so much to God, but He never
showed up to rescue me out of there or to comfort me. I want to know why God let that
happen to me and why my father still denies it.”
As she shared this experience I grieved with her and shared my losses and similar tragedies from my own childhood. We certainly bonded over our difficult pasts, and then I was able to share with her how God, later in my life, chose to use my tragedies and troubles after healing me emotionally and spiritually from their affects, so that I could be used today to share them and help other women do the same. With an open door, I shared the gospel and love of Christ with her and although she remained skeptical she listened.
Before she left the train that night, she offered… she would ‘give it some thought.’ I asked again, “about what?” “To Try God.” she said. “Maybe, I will Try God again.” As we parted, I replied, “I hope you do.”
While I don’t remember this woman’s name, I’m grateful God knows who she is, and I think of her often and still pray for her.
I long to see her again one day, I hope that I will find her in heaven and learn indeed that she
did actually “try God’ again. If you seek Him, you will find Him.
That promise is proclaimed in many verses in the bible,
Proverbs 8:17 “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.” ESV
Jeremiah 29:13 – 14 “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.” ESV
Acts 24-28 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” NIV
It is clear to me, and I hope, to you as well, that if you draw near to God, he will indeed draw near to you also.
I pray the woman, with whom I enjoyed a lengthy train ride, really does find God and believes in Him so that she will be saved and healed from all she has endured… So one day I will see her again and we can pick up our conversation where we left off. Oh, how I want to hear about her ‘trying God again.’
Try God, Susan