People reach out to our online team every day, and there are three types of messages we receive frequently:
Many people worry because they can’t feel God’s presence. They want to know more about Jesus and build a relationship with Him, but don’t know how.
When a person is this new to Christianity, they often need guidance in giving their life to Jesus. We like to give them an example prayer, which helps them to structure their thoughts and ultimately pray their own prayer. After that, we encourage them to read the Bible to understand their new identity and discover the character of God. We recommend for them to download an app, like YouVersion, that breaks the Bible down into daily verses with some commentary and explanations. This prevents them from feeling overwhelmed or discouraged by how extensive the Bible is. We also suggest they could do an Alpha course, which helps them to explore the basics of Christianity and build a solid foundation for their faith.
The second group of people is plagued by depression or anxiety. They wonder if God can heal them fully.
The first thing that is important in a conversation with someone like this, is to reassure them that God can heal. In 1 Peter 5:7 it says, ‘Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you’. We encourage these people to tell God about how they feel and pray when they are anxious or depressed because God hears their prayers and can take away their struggles. We also recommend they download YouVesion, because beginning their day with an encouraging Bible verse breaks the habitual bad headspace they often find themselves in and shifts their focus from the misery they experience to the potential they have in the God. Lastly, we assure them that we will pray for them, which can be the little bit of support they need to pursue a life free from their issues.
The last type of message we frequently receive, and certainly the most encouraging one for us, is when people tell us about the change God has made in their lives. They often describe how the advice they received from us helped them to make sustainable life changes and begin a life in pursuit of God, with Jesus in their heart. They are more lively, positive and often have almost overcome the struggles they faced in the past.
We witness people moving between these three stages but feel comforted to know that Jesus is the answer to all life situations. God is with all of us, in our struggles, just as in our victories.
Please pray that the people we get to help will introduce their loved ones to Jesus too and share their testimonies.