My friend Eric and I were witnessing to some men on Queen Street when I noticed a man sitting on a ledge nearby who seemed to be seething with anger. His anger was so conspicuous that I wouldn’t have approached him except for the strong leading of the Holy Spirit. Thinking back, my question was a little foolish; I asked, “Are you okay?” to which Jack said, “H*** no, I’m not okay! Do I look like I’m okay?” Well, I agreed with him; he didn’t look okay. Then he said, “You’d better just move on. I’m too #$*@ mad to talk to anybody.”
That should have been enough to let me know my timing was bad but I couldn’t let it go. I said, “I don’t know what is going on with you right now but there is an answer and I can help you find it.” At this, Jack just sat and glared at me. I accepted his invitation and sat down beside him. “God loves you and cares about what’s happening in your life right now,” I said, “and if you’ll let me, I’ll pray for you and God will give you peace.”
I was almost surprised with Jack said to me, “Well, go ahead.” And I did. I put my arm around Jack and prayed, “God you love this man. You loved him before he was ever born and had a great purpose for him on this earth. You have been longing to have a close personal relationship with Jack and you brought me into his life today. Now, I am asking you to touch this man and give him peace. Help him to open his heart to you now and allow you to do what you have always wanted to do in his life.”
As Jack looked up at me, he seemed as angry as ever. He told me about the woman he had been with for eight months. He had loved her and trusted her. Yesterday, after a work of very hard work, he got his paycheck. He was so pleased and knew she would be as well. He cashed the check, kept out $40 and gave the rest to his girlfriend to keep for them. “This morning,” he said, “she left with my money and another man. I am so angry right now, if I find them, I’m going to kill them both. I have access to a gun and I am going to kill them before this day is over [expletives deleted].”
I said, “Jack, if you could do that, would it get your money back?”
“No.”
“Would it restore your faith in this woman?”
“No.”
“Would it make your life better in any way?”
“No.”
“Then, why do it? Why put your own life in jeopardy, go to prison, and worst of all dishonor God by taking this matter in your own hands and trying to get revenge?”
This conversation went on for a long while. Eric and I took Jack to lunch and reasoned with him from every conceivable angle with little effect. Finally, I said, “Jack, I want to pray with you again (this was about the third time) and I want you to pray. I led Jack and he followed in a prayer asking God to forgive him, receive him into His family, and change his life.
“Now, Jack, I’m going to pray that God will set you free from this anger and give you grace to forgive both the woman and the man she is with and leave the vengeance with God. Jack bristled at the idea, but I prayed, “God, you have forgiven Jack for every sin he has ever forgiven. Now, give him the grace to forgive everyone who has sinned against him. If we want you to forgive us, we have to forgive others.” I continued to pray and release grace and forgiveness in Jack’s life.
Finally he relaxed and said, “Okay, let’s do it.”
“Do what?”
“Forgive them. Let it go.” and Jack prayed a prayer casting the anger and concern over on the Lord. The release was obvious on his countenance. Then Jack prayed on his own, “Thank you God,” he said, “for bringing these men into my life today. If it had not been for them coming along, I would be in jail before tonight. Thank you, God. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Eric called me tonight, still overflowing with joy over what the Lord has done. Another victory for Christ’s kingdom!
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