I’d like to thank Adib for coming and speaking this past Sunday, as well as Shawn who shared about the Jesus Network and its work. Some of you may remember Adib from his visit last November. Adib was born in Afghanistan, and became Christian in 2005 where he joined an underground church. The church was discovered in 2008, and Adib was forced to flee to India because of the danger he was in. It was there that Adib joined and led the Afghan Church of New Delhi. Adib was able to migrate as a refugee to Canada two years ago and join again with the Afghan Church in Toronto. He now leads a church plant of the Afghan Church in Scarborough.
As Adib spoke from Matthew 20, an insight he shared stood out to me. Matthew 20:29 tells the story of Jesus healing two blind men. As Jesus and his disciples were traveling, two blind men sitting by the roadside began to cry out to him loudly. Verse 32-33 says,
“Jesus called them and said, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, let our eyes be opened.'”
Adib also shared an insight that he received while he was in India. Last November, Adib shared about the persecution he faced while he was in New Delhi where he was reaching out to people on the street. Evangelism is unlawful in parts of India, and the police received a complaint about Adib’s ministry. He was thrown into jail which was a very difficult time for him. But as Adib prayed, it was the verse from Proverbs 3:5-6 that we are memorizing this month that encouraged him. God told Adib to trust in the Lord with all his heart, and to not lean on his own understanding, and God would make his paths straight.
It’s surprising how much a change in perspective can affect our feelings and thoughts about our own lives, including our difficult circumstances. Personally, the summer was much busier than I had hoped, and at times I felt tired and overwhelmed as I juggled different responsibilities and roles. There was one morning in particular where I was feeling tired and discouraged in the grind of life.
But it was during my time with God that morning that God began to change my perspective and open my eyes. As I spent time in prayer in the midst of the tiredness and busyness of the week, God began to show me how He was in the middle of all the challenges I faced. I was able to see my situation differently, and felt a fresh energy and joy from the Lord as I began to see with the eyes of God instead of through my own earthly eyes.
As we launch into a new season this September, I pray that we would never lose sight of God in the busyness of life and the hustle and bustle of life’s transitions. When life becomes busy, it is often time with God that is the first thing to go. But we need a change of perspective to see that it is in the busiest seasons of life when God becomes most important, and we become most reliant on His strength. May God open our eyes to see Him more clearly during these moments and in the middle of all the challenges the new season will bring.