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To post a site about Christians in pain without an opportunity to show that God really does heal would be a mistake. So this page is for those stories of people who have rediscovered God's faithfulness.
From Michele:
In November 1998, I started dating a Christian man who I had met about
3 years earlier through a mutual friend. His name is "John", and he moved to California in November.
Previously we had been writing to each other. I had not been involved in a relationship, nor had I even been on
one date, 6 1/2 years prior to going out with "John".
We seemed to hit it off really well in the beginning. We discovered many mutual interests and enjoyed being together
doing a variety of different things, including just talking. Marriage was mentioned, mostly by "John",
yet no commitments were made. Unknown to me, there was a friend who we both knew who "John" was confiding
in. This man is very smart and very knowledgeable regarding the Bible, although I don't always agree with him.
This friend kept telling "John" that unless "John" was willing to commit, he shouldn't be involved
in a relationship. When our relationship hit the 6 month mark, this friend intensified his opinions, stating that,
at 6 months,
people HAD to decide whether they were going to get married or not. According to this friend, if the couple decide
to get married, they become engaged and marry as soon as possible. If they don't decide to marry, they break off
the relationship. I tried to express my view that we didn't know
each other fully, and I didn't agree with this friend. I felt that the dating period should be longer - 1 to 1
1/2 years. Our friend kept insisting, and "John" felt cornered.
On August 1, in a telephone call, "John" told me he wanted out of the relationship. He just couldn't
commit at this time, and needed some time and space. The news hit me very hard, as we had seen each other that
Friday and Saturday, and everything seemed to be going smoothly. For about a week, I felt confused and in shock.
I kept expecting him to call. I kept telling myself we would be going out the next weekend. He didn't call and
we didn't go out that weekend. But something better happened.
A few people referred me to some books, which I bought and started reading. They offered much in the way of encouragement.
I also turned to the Lord in prayer, and realized I couldn't remember where I had put Him!! It had been so long
since I'd had any real conversation with Him that I felt a stranger to Him. That's when it hit me that I had allowed
my relationship with the Lord suffer while my concern for "John" had grown. When the full impact of how
I had allowed my priorities to be completely skewed, I felt ashamed, saddened, guilty. I had made an idol of a
man, and a man who could so easily break my heart. I had lost sight of the fact that God needs to be first, that
He will always stand next to me, that He will always comfort me, that He will NEVER break my heart. I started reading
His Word each day, I spent an hour in the morning and in the evening in devotional prayer to Him each day, I kept
reminding myself that He was with me 24/7, and I started journaling my steps to renew my relationship with God.
After I started telling my friends the news, the result was the same: they all could see he was not the man for
me. Yes, they thought we were "cute" at first, but they began to realize that "John" had some
immaturity problems, he wasn't ambitious, he was 37 and refusing to grow up and accept responsibility. Even the
pastor at the congregation I began attending (who has only talked with "John" twice) stated that "John"
was neurotic and extremely insecure.
God started showing me things about "John" that I hadn't seen before. Flaws which were apparent, but
never truly looked at. I went through a period of hating "John", then realized that wasn't what I truly
felt. I care for "John", but I cannot let a man stand in front of God - never again! I felt each day
that God was lifting my burden of grief. Each day, He revealed His Word to me a passage which was a source of strength
and renewal. He scooped me in His arms and held me safe. When I cried, He would cover me in His love to such an
extent, I could no longer find a reason to cry. Finally, I made an oath to God, stating that I was trusting my
heart to His care, that I was giving it to Him for safekeeping. If and when He (the operative word here is "He")
decided that the right man had come along, then He could give my heart back to me to give to the man of His choice.
In honor of that vow of purity, and because of the time I need to heal, I got a ring which looks very much like
a wedding band, and I wear it on the ring finger of my left hand. I gave all my burdens and hurts to God, and in
return, I can almost feel Him working in me, strengthening me, lifting off the weight of burden, making my heart
light, giving me reason to break out in songs of praise. I now walk in the light of the King, and though my relationship
is not yet fully restored, I know it will be, in God's own time. I don't waste my time wondering if "John"
will come back, I don't wait for the phone to ring. I busy myself with the things of the Lord, and wait on His
timing. In that there is perfection and praise!
From Keith:
Two years ago we were put out of the church we had been attending for
over 30 years. It had become very legalistic and all we seemed to be doing was following man made rules. Overnight
all our friends in the church were no longer allowed to have fellowship with us. {Not even able to phone us.} It
took time, but we knew that the Lord loved us and with the help of friends who had been treated the same way by
the same church we came to really know the Lord again. We are now attending Waverley Christian Fellowship in Australia
with Pastor Mark Conner and the rest of the oversight showing real shepherd and servant qualities. We have just
had a wonderful weekend of presbytery with the Lord showing that HE is interested in us as individuals and has
a wonderful life planned for us as we follow him and continue faithfully in his ways. He has said that the hurt
has been lifted from our lives and now we can go forward with renewed hope and rejoicing.
Please pray however for our sons who are still hurting and their friends who as young people have become disillusioned
and blame God for it all.
Praise the Lord for giving us a second chance and blessing us abundantly.