Golden Springs Baptist, Anniston
Jim and I had been talking for over an hour but now we sat quietly, soaking up the silence.
Depression had become for Jim a constant battle.
Over the past few years, he had sought pastoral and professional counseling and medication: “I am weaning myself off of all that stuff.
“I’ve been active in church, but now I’m pretty much burned out on church and preachers. Well, preachers are another subject entirely.
“Every one I’ve ever known has either used or disappointed me. You guys are more worried about how many of us you baptize and worried about very little after that.
“I don’t trust preachers.”
“Then why are you here? I’m a preacher,” I said.
“I don’t know. I am just so empty, lonely, so lost … help?”
It was more of a question than a statement. Jim was physically struggling with a spiritual reality, but the good news was he knew he needed help.
Childhood had begun his nightmare, and adulthood had just aggravated the symptoms.
As Jim poured out his life story, we were both wringing wet — he from the telling of the story and I from the hearing. “I am so empty and lonely I don’t know what to do.”
“Do you know Jesus?” I thought it was a simple question but it never is.
“I was baptized as a child.”
“No. Do you know Jesus? Have you ever come to the place in your life when you asked Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your life, changing your heart forever?”
“No.” He looked down, tears welling up.
“Would you like to?”
“Yes, more than anything. Do you think it would help?”
“Yes, more than anything.”
Jim prayed to receive Christ as his Savior right then and there.
He is still going to counseling.
He is still taking medication.
I’m not sure if he trusts preachers yet but he trusts Jesus. You can, too.
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