Ananias and Saul
PC: Britni Conrad
Hardly Worthy
Have you ever been in a situation where your friend’s upset and you want to comfort them, but any mention of God is out of the question? It’s uncomfortable and painful, because you want to share that comfort God gives out freely.
When this situation happens in my life, all the right words seem to leave my mind. I don’t know what to say and my mouth goes dry. They’re struggling and I feel like I can’t help.
They don’t want to hear “it’ll work out” or “God has a plan.” Instead, I’ve learned to just sit with them. Let them know through your actions that you’re not leaving them and you’re there as long as they need.
Though they may not want to hear words of encouragement, a simple offering of prayer may help. Asking if you can pray for them in “this moment,” may show you’re supporting them and care for their feelings. If they say no, that’s okay, but either way, let them know you will be praying for them and thinking of them.
Prayer’s something that goes beyond words. It’s an emotional tie between you and God and in some situations, a friend. His comfort and peace overpowers even the walls we build in our heart against him.
In Acts 9, Saul, a hater of all followers of Christ, was on the pursuit for Christian blood. As he was travelling, he was approached, well more like struck, by God and blinded him saying, “Why do you persecute me?” A stunned Saul was commanded to go into the city and wait for instruction.
Ananias, a Christian, was called upon by God to pay Saul a visit. Three days after Saul’s collision with Christ, messenger Ananias stumbles in to find a praying Saul. He places his hands on Saul saying, “Brother, the God who blinded you sent me that your sight may be restored and you may be filled with Him.” Immediately, his eyes shed their lining and he could see again. He praised God’s name and began his well-known journey for Jesus as Paul, reaching out to many hearts to restore their faith in God.
Now this story was quite an amazing occurence that rendered results in less than three days. Unfortunately, we don’t often get to see the fruits of our labor, or prayer and intercession for another person.
Because Ananias had obeyed God and followed His instruction, Saul became one of the greatest witnesses of what God can do. Even in the most hardened of hearts, our prayers, time and care we give to another person is used by God in a myriad of ways.
Kasondra Reel is a senior studying nursing.