Occasionally I will receive a letter from a young person who wants to tell me about some of his or her struggles, and will ask for advice or have questions...
It always amazes and humbles me that a stranger would seek me out. In most cases, if I sense an individual is sincere and is not writing with an ulterior motive, I will reply.
Such was the case with a young man, age nineteen. I have since written back. However, I decided to share some of what I wrote in case there are readers of this journal who, like him, may benefit from my words of encouragement.
A portion of my reply follows:
Such was the case with a young man, age nineteen. I have since written back. However, I decided to share some of what I wrote in case there are readers of this journal who, like him, may benefit from my words of encouragement.
A portion of my reply follows:
| "I see you've been on a long and hard journey. You've certainly experienced many bad things for a guy who's only nineteen. The Bible tells us that Satan comes at us to 'steal, kill and destroy,' but that Jesus Christ has come to give us an abundant life (John 10:10). Of course, many mistakenly think that an abundant life means one that is without problems, challenges and turmoil. Not so! Even as Christians, we will experience times of trials, tribulations and temptations. But in spite of such difficulties, through Christ, and through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome all the negative stuff you mentioned. Through Christ, we have already overcome the world (John 16:33). "I am happy you found God. Rather, that He found you. Of no surprise, Satan has already challenged you. He does this with every new Christian, and he does it to old-timers like myself, who've been serving the Lord for many years. "This is why the Bible instructs us to always have on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). We are at war. Like it or not, this is the case, and the battlefield is inside our minds. Yet we can overcome the evil one through prayer and fellowship, and by the Word of God. "I know about the situation in Chicago and the horrific levels of gang and gun violence that occurs. Chicago is one of the places I specifically pray for, and have been doing so for many years. As for you, do you have Christian friends? I'm referring to some spiritually strong young men who could help mentor you? You need guys like this to hang out with. This is very important! Even I need fellow Christians who are well grounded in God's word and are well-seasoned in spiritual warfare. Thankfully, there are several here with me. I know I can turn to them for encouragement and advice, and for help with certain prayer requests. "So please ask the Lord to guide you to a local church that has a strong youth ministry. Okay? Get plugged into a good fellowship. You cannot go it alone, and neither can I. We are called to be one body in Christ, and you need all the encouragement you can get. . . I shall continue to pray for you..." |
D.B.
