The Crosses of Youth
Youthhood is an enjoyable period of time, at the same time stressful. Especially for those who aspire to pursue a godly life, sometimes youthhood becomes miserable, because of the crosses they have to bear. If a young person wants to follow Jesus Christ, he must deny himself, take up his God-given cross daily and follow Him (Mt 16:24). In order to become God’s person it is imperative he goes through God’s process.
In the third chapter of the book of Lamentations, Prophet Jeremiah talks about his afflictions and concludes, “It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth” (v 27). He further says, “Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him” (v 28). The shape of a yoke resembles that of a cross. When an ox is yoked, it is no more free to choose its path. It has to follow its master’s chartered course. Similarly anyone who wants to follow Christ is no more free to follow his own will but carrying the cross he must follow the Master like a shadow step by step. Two things from the words of Jeremiah are encouraging: “It is good.” “It is from God.”
Let us see the various forms in which the cross appears for a young person.
1. Surly Parents
Parents can be most bilious, non-understanding and overcorrecting. That’s why Paul admonishes parents not to irritate their children. The normal sequence of such irritation is anger (Eph 6:4), depression, discouragement and a crushed spirit (Col 3:21). Don’t try to run away from it all. If you are serious about following Christ, let Him take the lead. You are not in the driver’s seat. He is. You may have to deny yourself the luxury of the free life other youth enjoy. Cross is a burden. Yoke means restrictions. But it is God who has laid it on you. If you cannot bear such treatment, you are not worthy of Christ (Mt 10:38). You cannot be His disciple (Lk 14:27). It is a “daily” cross (Lk 9:23).
Jesus can understand your agony. His earthly father as not with Him when He suffered and His heavenly Father forsook Him on the cross that He might understand your agony.
Jonathan dearly loved David; but his father Saul did not approve of his friendship. Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he spit profanity: “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman... bring him to me. He must die.” “Why?” asked Jonathan, “What has he done?” At that, Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Jonathan, white with fury, got up from the dining table and left. He was grieved at the way his father treated his friend (1 Sam 20:30-34). Though he was angry, he did not sin by taking the sword or talking back.
It may be that your parents are nagging, negligent, indifferent, mocking, fault-finding, insulting, unappreciating, screaming, bossing, alcoholic or immoral. Is it possible to be civil? Yes. By silently bearing the cross daily (Lam 3:28). Adulthood is not a jolt of freedom to do whatever you want. Remember, freedom is not free. God is discipling you for His cause. Stay under His yoke. At the same time if your parents abuse you physically, you must seek help.
2. Quibling Sibling
Quibling is normal when there is a sibling. But sometimes this can turn to vehement hatred. Mary and Martha had misgivings. Joseph’s brothers hated him and even attempted to kill him. It was a daily cross to live with jealous brothers. But the Bible says that the Lord was with Joseph (Gen 39:3,21). Their evil schemes pushed him from promotion to promotion. When he was in prison, “they bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in iron; till what He foretold came to pass; till the Word of the Lord proved him true” (Psa 105:18-21). Is your neck under iron yoke ? Be a silent and bearing disciple of Christ till the Word of the Lord tests you. Before God gives you the freedom from this yoke He wants to see how you behave in this prison. He wants to make sure you’ll return love for hatred when He throws your brothers at your mercy. Joseph was “separate” or different from his brothers, because he was undergoing his discipleship training (Gen 49:26).
A time will come when you will throw your brothers’ yoke off your neck (Gen 27:40). Be silent till then. It is from the Lord.
3. Loss of Dad or Mom
We cannot describe the desperate situation of a child without a parent. He has a tough battle in the world. The one parent cannot make up for the loss. It is a lonely, crowded world for him. Friends or even one parent may be there, but it still leaves him whimpering n distress. Those who grumble about their parents should sit and have a long chat with one who has lost his. They will then stop complaining.
Jabez’s mother named him so because in sorrow she had borne him. May be he was posthumously born. He grew up trusting the Lord and prayed, “Oh, that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain. So God granted him what he requested” (1 Chr 4:9,10).
If you always keep thinking, “If only I have parents...,” then look up and pray the prayer of Jabez. God calls himself the God of the fatherless. Whether they have deceased or deserted you, don’t forget, even when your father and your mother forsake you, the Lord will take care of you (Psa 27:10). Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet God will not forget you (Isa 49:15).
Many children who have no parents are taken care of by guardians who may be relatives or others, or in an orphanage under authorities. Some are treated with gentleness and kindness, whereas others are treated as servants. This makes the child long for loving parents. This can be an yoke of slavery. The Bible admonishes such to respect their “masters” (Eph 6:5). Whether they are good or bad, respect them, because it is the Lord who laid this yoke on you. Bear it silently. Don’t waste time licking your wounds. The Lord will one day break the yoke and then there shall be showers of blessing.
My maternal grandfather, Mr. Daniel Thomas, was an orphan. He was fed in a relative’s house where an orphan girl helped. He literally had to claw his way up to become a barrister. He married the orphan girl and went on to become a minister in the Tamilnadu Government. Lean on God. He will lift you up.
4. Hostel Life
Many missionary kids have to go to hostels because of poor educational facilities where their parents work. Others are left in hostels by parents who work overseas. Having parents and to be separated from them is painful indeed. One child said, “I keep mummy-daddy’s photograph under my pillow and at nights I shed tears looking at them.” Another child asks, “Is it my sin that has separated me from my parents?” Another wails, “I have no love for my parents since from a very tender age I was left under the care of my grandparents.”
Samuel’s parents left him in the temple when he was three or may be five years. Do you think he happily stayed back? I don’t think so. He would have cried, “I don’t want this new dress; I want to come home,” whenever his parents visited him. But his parents had to harden their hearts and leave him. He would have hugged the little dress and cried thinking of his mother. He couldn’t even go home for a holiday (1 Sam 1:24; 2:19).
Samuel’s company was just the retiring priest and his wicked sons. But of all the children of Elkanah,
Samuel was the one to become a prophet. It is told of him that he grew in stature, and in favour both with the Lord and men (1 Sam 2:26). Eventhough Eli’s sons grew up under their parent’s care, we know their end. Follow the example of Samuel and the Lord will bless and honour you.
5. Unwise Friends
When you choose to be a Christian you must choose your friends too. Jesus spoke about ten girls. Together they all went, slept and woke up when the bridegroom arrived. They were chums till the unwise wanted some oil from their wise friends. The wise ones did not for a oment hesitate to say ‘No.’ They said it very politely (Mt 25:1-9).
Every young man must learn to bear the cross of extricating himself, at the right time, from friends who would not be helpful for his Christian life, growth and aturity. Be assertive and wise when they want to waste your resources. Disentangle politely. Don’t be afraid to offend them. The unwise five would have been certainly hurt. But which is more important, friends or the bridegroom? Many youth today are shut out of the Kingdom of God just because they go all out to please their friends. More than friendship they have fellowship with fools.
6. Seeming Talentlessness
It is not really talentlessness but failure to tap hidden abilities. In Matthew 25:14-30 we read about a man who took a long journey. He gave talents to his servants to do business with. One was given five, the other two and the other one. There was no one with no talent. If the one-talented man had also worked on his one talent to earn one more, he would have been rewarded equally. Discover your potential and develop it. Usually lazy people make their own bad luck by regularity. You have ten best friends—your fingers! Have stubborn faith in a better future. That confidence will give you wings. Life is full of beginnings. Trust God, work hard and play fair. Then you can rise like a helium baloon above the masses.
“Let him that would move the world just move himself,” said Socrates. So work without complaining, seizing every opportunity. And be proud of what you do, whether you are manager or mopping floors. That’s the starting point of a talent. I know a man who carried a sack load of coffee seeds on his back, walked down from Kodaikanal to the plains to sell and go back walking. Later he bought a mule. He died a millionaire.
7. Sexual Curiosity
A young person has to constantly battle against sexual curiosity. It is not just an everyday cross; it is an every minute cross. Nowadays films are filthy, posters are sensuous, TV scenes suggestive, pornography increasing, internet dangerous. Youth are tempted to secretly watch nudity.
Noah lay naked in his tent, drunk. His son Ham saw it and informed his two brothers (with giggles I am sure). He could have covered his father. Instead he publicized it. Do you see what kind of spirit he had? The Old Testament commandment is that we should cover a naked person. A couple testified that they saw a mentally deranged man, naked on a busy street. So they bought some clothes and clothed him. The policeman at the beat asked them, “Are you Christians? Only Christians do such things.” What a testimony!
Eventhough the other two sons Shem and Japheth were informed, they applied the brakes on their gushing curiosity and covered their father, coming backwards. Ham was cursed, but Shem and Japheth were blessed (Gen 9:21-27). Seeing nakedness or semi-nakedness desirously in print or on screen doesn’t make the act less sinful. Shun friends who fan the flames of your sexual curiosity.
8. Sacrifice
When you have to gain something, you have to lose something. A rich young man came to Jesus asking what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him what he had lacked. He put his finger exactly where the young man would not in the least have wanted Jesus to. Jesus asked him to do it first and then to take up his cross and follow Him. He went away sorrowful because he could not do it (Mk 10:17-21). Jesus asked him to give up his most treasured thing on earth for two reasons: (a) Jesus loved him, (b) Jesus wanted to bless him a hundredfold (vv 21,29,30).
When you sacrifice for God you think you lose. But by and by you will discover that you have not lost, rather gained. What is it that you are still holding on to, that holds you back from taking up your cross and following Jesus? It may be money, an object, a relationship, a habit or anything. You know it. Do it today that God may bless you a hundredfold.
9. Past Guilt
The No.1 sinner in the world, Saul Paul, carried the guilt of consenting to the death of a saint of God (Acts 7:58; 8:1; 1 Tim 1:15). But whenever the guilt overshadowed him, he acknowledged the grace of God (1 Tim 1:16). If guilt is not put out of the way it can hinder spiritual growth. Learning to handle guilt is important. Judas felt terribly guilty of betraying his Master. But instead of turning to the fountain of forgiveness he succumbed to the lie of the devil that his sin was indeed unforgiveable. He lost his soul.
The Holy Spirit convicts but the devil condemns. If any past sin looms large in your memory, the best way to get rid of it is to confess it to God and never talk about it again. Whenever the devil whips you with memories of old, refuse to wallow on the muck. “The yoke of my transgressions was bound,” cries the daughter of Zion (Lam 1:14). But she gives the solution too: “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning” (3:22,23). Wake up every morning to His mercies and compassions.
10. Suicidal Pressure
Suicide is reaching tidal wave proportions. The reason is, many youth grow up without self-worth. They feel (and are told) they are useless and worthless. They do not find any valid reason for their existence and so get trapped in self-defeating attitudes and behaviour. Elijah was fed up with his life and prayed, “It is enough! Now Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers” (1 Ki 19:4). We read, “He arose and ran for his life,” but in the very next verse he invites death. This is the conflict a youth faces. He wants to live but wants a good reason to live. After the bitter experience Elijah was commissioned for important tasks and miracles and finally he ascended into heaven amidst a chariot of fire! (2 Ki 2:11).
Nothing can happen in life that you and God together cannot handle. If you hang on you’ll see the glory of God. By killing yourself you fail God and give Satan a heyday. Problems come, problems go. They have a sanctifying, faith-generating effect. “Sweet are the uses of adversity,” wrote Shakespeare. When things get tough you’ve got to hang on and believe they would get better and that you would find some oasis in the deserts of modern existence.
Lucy who went through a traumatic experience says, “What happened was a tragedy for me, but I have found I can put that part of my life in the past. I do not deny it, nor do I dwell on it. I am determined to get on with the rest of my life and I will.” Everyone has problems and everyone has possibilities. Capitalise on the possibilities. When suicidal thoughts haunt you, go to someone for spiritual help and guidance. Don’t throw your life in the trash can.
Conclusion
God’s yokes make us strong and noble. Jesus invites, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mt 11:28,29). Dear young man, young lady, your rugged cross will become a resplendent crown! (Lev 26:13; Hos 11:4).
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, 8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
The Crosses of Youth
Youthhood is an enjoyable period of time, at the same time stressful. Especially for those who aspire to pursue a godly life, sometimes youthhood becomes miserable, because of the crosses they have to bear. If a young person wants to follow Jesus Christ, he must deny himself, take up his God-given cross daily and follow Him (Mt 16:24). In order to become God’s person it is imperative he goes through God’s process.
In the third chapter of the book of Lamentations, Prophet Jeremiah talks about his afflictions and concludes, “It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth” (v 27). He further says, “Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him” (v 28). The shape of a yoke resembles that of a cross. When an ox is yoked, it is no more free to choose its path. It has to follow its master’s chartered course. Similarly anyone who wants to follow Christ is no more free to follow his own will but carrying the cross he must follow the Master like a shadow step by step. Two things from the words of Jeremiah are encouraging: “It is good.” “It is from God.”
Let us see the various forms in which the cross appears for a young person.
1. Surly Parents
Parents can be most bilious, non-understanding and overcorrecting. That’s why Paul admonishes parents not to irritate their children. The normal sequence of such irritation is anger (Eph 6:4), depression, discouragement and a crushed spirit (Col 3:21). Don’t try to run away from it all. If you are serious about following Christ, let Him take the lead. You are not in the driver’s seat. He is. You may have to deny yourself the luxury of the free life other youth enjoy. Cross is a burden. Yoke means restrictions. But it is God who has laid it on you. If you cannot bear such treatment, you are not worthy of Christ (Mt 10:38). You cannot be His disciple (Lk 14:27). It is a “daily” cross (Lk 9:23).
Jesus can understand your agony. His earthly father as not with Him when He suffered and His heavenly Father forsook Him on the cross that He might understand your agony.
Jonathan dearly loved David; but his father Saul did not approve of his friendship. Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he spit profanity: “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman... bring him to me. He must die.” “Why?” asked Jonathan, “What has he done?” At that, Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Jonathan, white with fury, got up from the dining table and left. He was grieved at the way his father treated his friend (1 Sam 20:30-34). Though he was angry, he did not sin by taking the sword or talking back.
It may be that your parents are nagging, negligent, indifferent, mocking, fault-finding, insulting, unappreciating, screaming, bossing, alcoholic or immoral. Is it possible to be civil? Yes. By silently bearing the cross daily (Lam 3:28). Adulthood is not a jolt of freedom to do whatever you want. Remember, freedom is not free. God is discipling you for His cause. Stay under His yoke. At the same time if your parents abuse you physically, you must seek help.
2. Quibling Sibling
Quibling is normal when there is a sibling. But sometimes this can turn to vehement hatred. Mary and Martha had misgivings. Joseph’s brothers hated him and even attempted to kill him. It was a daily cross to live with jealous brothers. But the Bible says that the Lord was with Joseph (Gen 39:3,21). Their evil schemes pushed him from promotion to promotion. When he was in prison, “they bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in iron; till what He foretold came to pass; till the Word of the Lord proved him true” (Psa 105:18-21). Is your neck under iron yoke ? Be a silent and bearing disciple of Christ till the Word of the Lord tests you. Before God gives you the freedom from this yoke He wants to see how you behave in this prison. He wants to make sure you’ll return love for hatred when He throws your brothers at your mercy. Joseph was “separate” or different from his brothers, because he was undergoing his discipleship training (Gen 49:26).
A time will come when you will throw your brothers’ yoke off your neck (Gen 27:40). Be silent till then. It is from the Lord.
3. Loss of Dad or Mom
We cannot describe the desperate situation of a child without a parent. He has a tough battle in the world. The one parent cannot make up for the loss. It is a lonely, crowded world for him. Friends or even one parent may be there, but it still leaves him whimpering n distress. Those who grumble about their parents should sit and have a long chat with one who has lost his. They will then stop complaining.
Jabez’s mother named him so because in sorrow she had borne him. May be he was posthumously born. He grew up trusting the Lord and prayed, “Oh, that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain. So God granted him what he requested” (1 Chr 4:9,10).
If you always keep thinking, “If only I have parents...,” then look up and pray the prayer of Jabez. God calls himself the God of the fatherless. Whether they have deceased or deserted you, don’t forget, even when your father and your mother forsake you, the Lord will take care of you (Psa 27:10). Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet God will not forget you (Isa 49:15).
Many children who have no parents are taken care of by guardians who may be relatives or others, or in an orphanage under authorities. Some are treated with gentleness and kindness, whereas others are treated as servants. This makes the child long for loving parents. This can be an yoke of slavery. The Bible admonishes such to respect their “masters” (Eph 6:5). Whether they are good or bad, respect them, because it is the Lord who laid this yoke on you. Bear it silently. Don’t waste time licking your wounds. The Lord will one day break the yoke and then there shall be showers of blessing.
My maternal grandfather, Mr. Daniel Thomas, was an orphan. He was fed in a relative’s house where an orphan girl helped. He literally had to claw his way up to become a barrister. He married the orphan girl and went on to become a minister in the Tamilnadu Government. Lean on God. He will lift you up.
4. Hostel Life
Many missionary kids have to go to hostels because of poor educational facilities where their parents work. Others are left in hostels by parents who work overseas. Having parents and to be separated from them is painful indeed. One child said, “I keep mummy-daddy’s photograph under my pillow and at nights I shed tears looking at them.” Another child asks, “Is it my sin that has separated me from my parents?” Another wails, “I have no love for my parents since from a very tender age I was left under the care of my grandparents.”
Samuel’s parents left him in the temple when he was three or may be five years. Do you think he happily stayed back? I don’t think so. He would have cried, “I don’t want this new dress; I want to come home,” whenever his parents visited him. But his parents had to harden their hearts and leave him. He would have hugged the little dress and cried thinking of his mother. He couldn’t even go home for a holiday (1 Sam 1:24; 2:19).
Samuel’s company was just the retiring priest and his wicked sons. But of all the children of Elkanah,
Samuel was the one to become a prophet. It is told of him that he grew in stature, and in favour both with the Lord and men (1 Sam 2:26). Eventhough Eli’s sons grew up under their parent’s care, we know their end. Follow the example of Samuel and the Lord will bless and honour you.
5. Unwise Friends
When you choose to be a Christian you must choose your friends too. Jesus spoke about ten girls. Together they all went, slept and woke up when the bridegroom arrived. They were chums till the unwise wanted some oil from their wise friends. The wise ones did not for a oment hesitate to say ‘No.’ They said it very politely (Mt 25:1-9).
Every young man must learn to bear the cross of extricating himself, at the right time, from friends who would not be helpful for his Christian life, growth and aturity. Be assertive and wise when they want to waste your resources. Disentangle politely. Don’t be afraid to offend them. The unwise five would have been certainly hurt. But which is more important, friends or the bridegroom? Many youth today are shut out of the Kingdom of God just because they go all out to please their friends. More than friendship they have fellowship with fools.
6. Seeming Talentlessness
It is not really talentlessness but failure to tap hidden abilities. In Matthew 25:14-30 we read about a man who took a long journey. He gave talents to his servants to do business with. One was given five, the other two and the other one. There was no one with no talent. If the one-talented man had also worked on his one talent to earn one more, he would have been rewarded equally. Discover your potential and develop it. Usually lazy people make their own bad luck by regularity. You have ten best friends—your fingers! Have stubborn faith in a better future. That confidence will give you wings. Life is full of beginnings. Trust God, work hard and play fair. Then you can rise like a helium baloon above the masses.
“Let him that would move the world just move himself,” said Socrates. So work without complaining, seizing every opportunity. And be proud of what you do, whether you are manager or mopping floors. That’s the starting point of a talent. I know a man who carried a sack load of coffee seeds on his back, walked down from Kodaikanal to the plains to sell and go back walking. Later he bought a mule. He died a millionaire.
7. Sexual Curiosity
A young person has to constantly battle against sexual curiosity. It is not just an everyday cross; it is an every minute cross. Nowadays films are filthy, posters are sensuous, TV scenes suggestive, pornography increasing, internet dangerous. Youth are tempted to secretly watch nudity.
Noah lay naked in his tent, drunk. His son Ham saw it and informed his two brothers (with giggles I am sure). He could have covered his father. Instead he publicized it. Do you see what kind of spirit he had? The Old Testament commandment is that we should cover a naked person. A couple testified that they saw a mentally deranged man, naked on a busy street. So they bought some clothes and clothed him. The policeman at the beat asked them, “Are you Christians? Only Christians do such things.” What a testimony!
Eventhough the other two sons Shem and Japheth were informed, they applied the brakes on their gushing curiosity and covered their father, coming backwards. Ham was cursed, but Shem and Japheth were blessed (Gen 9:21-27). Seeing nakedness or semi-nakedness desirously in print or on screen doesn’t make the act less sinful. Shun friends who fan the flames of your sexual curiosity.
8. Sacrifice
When you have to gain something, you have to lose something. A rich young man came to Jesus asking what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him what he had lacked. He put his finger exactly where the young man would not in the least have wanted Jesus to. Jesus asked him to do it first and then to take up his cross and follow Him. He went away sorrowful because he could not do it (Mk 10:17-21). Jesus asked him to give up his most treasured thing on earth for two reasons: (a) Jesus loved him, (b) Jesus wanted to bless him a hundredfold (vv 21,29,30).
When you sacrifice for God you think you lose. But by and by you will discover that you have not lost, rather gained. What is it that you are still holding on to, that holds you back from taking up your cross and following Jesus? It may be money, an object, a relationship, a habit or anything. You know it. Do it today that God may bless you a hundredfold.
9. Past Guilt
The No.1 sinner in the world, Saul Paul, carried the guilt of consenting to the death of a saint of God (Acts 7:58; 8:1; 1 Tim 1:15). But whenever the guilt overshadowed him, he acknowledged the grace of God (1 Tim 1:16). If guilt is not put out of the way it can hinder spiritual growth. Learning to handle guilt is important. Judas felt terribly guilty of betraying his Master. But instead of turning to the fountain of forgiveness he succumbed to the lie of the devil that his sin was indeed unforgiveable. He lost his soul.
The Holy Spirit convicts but the devil condemns. If any past sin looms large in your memory, the best way to get rid of it is to confess it to God and never talk about it again. Whenever the devil whips you with memories of old, refuse to wallow on the muck. “The yoke of my transgressions was bound,” cries the daughter of Zion (Lam 1:14). But she gives the solution too: “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning” (3:22,23). Wake up every morning to His mercies and compassions.
10. Suicidal Pressure
Suicide is reaching tidal wave proportions. The reason is, many youth grow up without self-worth. They feel (and are told) they are useless and worthless. They do not find any valid reason for their existence and so get trapped in self-defeating attitudes and behaviour. Elijah was fed up with his life and prayed, “It is enough! Now Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers” (1 Ki 19:4). We read, “He arose and ran for his life,” but in the very next verse he invites death. This is the conflict a youth faces. He wants to live but wants a good reason to live. After the bitter experience Elijah was commissioned for important tasks and miracles and finally he ascended into heaven amidst a chariot of fire! (2 Ki 2:11).
Nothing can happen in life that you and God together cannot handle. If you hang on you’ll see the glory of God. By killing yourself you fail God and give Satan a heyday. Problems come, problems go. They have a sanctifying, faith-generating effect. “Sweet are the uses of adversity,” wrote Shakespeare. When things get tough you’ve got to hang on and believe they would get better and that you would find some oasis in the deserts of modern existence.
Lucy who went through a traumatic experience says, “What happened was a tragedy for me, but I have found I can put that part of my life in the past. I do not deny it, nor do I dwell on it. I am determined to get on with the rest of my life and I will.” Everyone has problems and everyone has possibilities. Capitalise on the possibilities. When suicidal thoughts haunt you, go to someone for spiritual help and guidance. Don’t throw your life in the trash can.
Conclusion
God’s yokes make us strong and noble. Jesus invites, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mt 11:28,29). Dear young man, young lady, your rugged cross will become a resplendent crown! (Lev 26:13; Hos 11:4).
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, Mob:8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
