Broken but Unshattered for Christ

My husband has been serving the Lord since he was a 17-year- old boy. Oh! What a painful journey he has walked through life, scars of mental and emotional floggings both from the secular world and the most painful ones from the Spiritual realms in India.

God chose me to be his helper, and it is a privilege indeed to serve the Lord with him. However, I can tell you the weight of my favourite Preacher's past and present struggles far exceeds all the comforting images you see on this blog.

We Hail from the Northeast of India, where the percentage of Christians is the highest compared to other religions. One might assume the sound Christendom has been established here for centuries. However, the reality is far different than one might expect.

My husband and I are tent makers, and the ministry that God has called us to do has faced delays, mostly due to human hindrances. We also acknowledge our own issues of sinfulness, which God has worked through in our sanctification. Nevertheless, the Lord has His ways and His timings for those whom he has called for His purpose.

The Christian Ministry in India has been very disappointing. One might assume that numerous missions through various churches would have led to a fruitful outcome, especially in the Northeast of India. Sadly, shallow theology has dominated Christianity to the point where traditional and cultural assimilation has blurred the lines between the church and the world .

The Christian Reformation is not a new concept in the country; and it has been nearly three decades of since various ministries began their efforts post independence. There has been hardly any fruitful impact on our churches. This is not because the Word is not powerful enough, but mainly because the men of God have either been poorly trained or the trained ones have never been encouraged to do greater things. The vile of Racism, Casteism, Classism, Regionalism and all forms of discrimination have hampered the growth of the Harvest.

My husband has been a victim of many challenges. Currently, he earns his bread and butter to be able to study, preach and teach the Word. At the same time, he trains men, counsels all the broken seekers, and toils for the expansion of the ministry. He is doing all of this, by God's grace alone and humanly speaking, all by himself. Where are the so-called 'Reformed' brethren? Everyone else must be busy with their own calling, l suppose. Regardless the reason, only true labourers of the Lord can understand how much effort it takes to serve Him. They do so through all sweat and snares.

As a couple in the Lord, we have forgiven and moved on from past experiences, but I can assure you that, as my husband's helper, I have put my foot down against all the brethren of the past, present or future, against all hindrances, particularly those stemming from egos. Our Lord's ministry continues! His Glory is above everything else. There is no obstruction that can stop us from serving Him for the rest of our lives.