A relative confided to me about the dilemma she is facing. Her son was very confident of getting a place in the university due to his good results. He had been going around many temples to pray for his success. Unfortunately, he failed to get a place in the university and is terribly disappointed and very depressed.

I have nothing to offer because I do not like to impose my belief on her family. She has a sibling who is a Christian too and had tried to encourage her family to try to understand Christ’s teachings. I have also asked her to seek solace with the unseen God when she has her panic attacks. She has a lot of mental pressures and I offered to help her by recommending a psychologist and also offer to take her for healing prayers in my church group. Unfortunately, she kept brushing it off due to heavy workload. Besides that, I passed her some inspirational reading materials and also video so that she can understand the basics teachings of Christ. I.e. a simple, one, true God and not something so complicated as what people thinks.

Besides that, I have kept the family in constant prayers so that God will have mercy and lessen the burdens her family is carrying. Sometimes, it is very frustrating that people will end up with suicidal thoughts and even suicide attempts. No matter what sort of solution we offer, whether medical, counselling or by faith, they will keep turning it away. We can only see from far how they keep reeling further into their problems.

Today, I have no choice but to explain to her. Her son is only in his teens and it is hard for him to comprehend this disappointment. He is not matured enough to believe that though he failed to get a place in the university, there may be better prospect for him. No matter how many temples and how many gods he run to, he will never find an answer. Because it is a one way communication. It is only a one way request from her son without getting a response.

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In the gentlest way I possibly can, I told her that Christianity is a way of giving her and her family the reasonings they need. God may not talk to them direct but if they will open up their hearts, there will be lights at the other end of the tunnel. Good people will come their way and answers will be provided whether by way of revelations through friends or through their encounters. There is no point in kneeling and bowing asking for an answer because those statues won’t answer her.

It may sound rather harsh but it is the truth. Christianity is a religion with reasonings. One will find the answers once they believe in Christ. Like Jesus said, Seek and ye shall find. Now, all I pray for is their change of heart. I believe that God will not foresaken the family because they are good people. Lord Jesus, do not let this family face anymore hardships, soften their hearts so that they may know you and worship you, just like how the patriarch had done. If the grandfather who had once believed in every kind of gods and statues can embrace You and call You Lord God, then, let there be no more disbelievers. Amen.