Note: To my blog readers who have been anticipating on my next post in this series, my deepest apology for keep you all waiting. I have been terribly busy at work lately, plus I do not have internet access at home, thus it is tougher for me to post new entries. Please bear with me as I will try my best to finish up the rest of it. In fact there are only two more posts left as this will be a very short series.David and Melissa are studying together at a cafe for their upcoming final year exam...
David : Do you know how to solve this mathematical question?
Melissa : Yes. Let me show you. See, this is how you solve it.
David : Thanks Mel. No wonder you are the top Maths student in the entire intake.
Melissa : Thanks for the compliment. Guess I just love doing Maths. No matter how tough it is I will challenge myself to solve it. Hey, you did well in the history subject too. How did you manage it?
David : Well, I love history subject because I want to trace back and to know the things that had happened before, for instance how did the country managed to gain independence and etc. The key is that I will think through and eventually understand the whole story. So this is how I managed it. Anyway, I can’t wait for this exam to be over. Remember I told you before that I will be going for a mission trip. This time we are going into the jungle to visit the tribe people who live there. It would be a great exposure as the adults and the youths from my church will work along for this trip. What about you? Any plans after exam?
Melissa : Wow! Sounds like you are going to have a good time staying with the tribe people. I don’t have any plans yet. Attend cell group and church service as usual. Sigh, actually I don’t feel like attending any activities in my church.
David : What happened? No wonder I didn’t hear you talking about your involvement in church activities lately.
Melissa : It happened about a month ago. During that time I was badly affected by the daily quarreling from my parents. Then one day during the care group meeting I decided to tell this to my cg members. As soon as I’ve finished telling them, they came straight to me, laid their hands on me and prayed for me. I was very touched. I was hoping that someone would come and comfort me after the meeting is over. But it didn’t happen. They were enjoying their usual chatting session after that. Even my cg leader was busy chatting with them too. I was sitting alone and nobody came and talked to me. Then I started to think, did they really care for me? Did they sincerely pray for me? I wonder if God really hear our prayers.
David : Why did you think so? I believe God is always with us to hear our prayers, no matter where we are, what situations we’re in.
Melissa : But seems like that was not my case. Since then, my family situation didn’t change. My parents were still quarrelling very often. I’d called my cg leader hoping that he could pay a visit to my place. She told me that she was very busy preparing for the year-end cg retreat, but she had approached another youth leader to visit me. Then I got to know that he was part of the production team for the upcoming Christmas musical rally in my church, so he couldn’t find a time to do visitation. I was so depressed that I went pondering on why the leaders were so busy with the church ‘programmes’. I was told that the leaders in this church are a group of loving people, ever-ready to care for those who are in need. That was why I decided to attend this mega church, not to mention that I was amazed by the multi-level building, auditorium-like sanctuary, professional musicians, but most importantly is the hyper-active senior pastor who has been a big influence to me because of his emphasis on love which he said is a great blessing from God, and that we should spread this love to one another. But I don’t see this happening to me. Where were my youth leaders and cg members when I’m in need? Why is it so difficult when I needed someone to show concern to me so that I could feel being loved? Then I started to question myself about what the senior pastor had said, is that what the love of God is? Honestly speaking, I don’t feel loved in this church anymore. The feeling is not there like it used to when I first joined. In fact I felt more comfortable spending time with non-Christian friends. At least they do understand how I felt, cared for me and even visited me. I am lost and confused. Should I spend more time with church friends and with non-believers?
David : I didn’t know you had kept this issue to yourself for so long. I think what you should do now is to keep this issue aside first while concentrating in the exam. We can talk about this after the exam is over. I can definitely seek my church leaders to help you. Why not you join us for the mission trip, at least you have things to do to ease your depression.
Melissa : Sure. See how first. I have to go back now. Catch up with you in school tomorrow. Bye.
David : All right. Take care.