Having followed Christ for eight or nine years, Sister C in my church group burst into tears each time we met her three years ago.
Indicted for debts to her customers as her boss who ran a financial investment company went into jail, she had to report to the economic investigation corps of the local public security every day.
She was also in a relationship with a non-Christian who often agitated her. She poured out her complaints to us several times.
At the evening meeting during this year’s Chinese New Year, the woman shared the good news that her life was transformed by God.
Divorced from her ex-husband more than ten years ago, she intended to get married once more to a different man, but the relationship did not go well. She then turned to making money to prepare for her retirement.
She made many financial investments during the golden years, but the situation ended up with a sad story. There were some issues with her company and she lost the money invested in many programs.
Putting a mortgage on her house, car, and garage, she faced financial pressure without income. Deeply in debt and troubled by her relationship, she was pushed to the sidelines, seeking help from our church group.
One evening, three years ago, our group leader L led Sister C and me to pray for God’s guidance in a teahouse.
The leader analyzed her situation and deduced that her worldly values were from various kinds of temptation from Satan, such as pride, unrealistic comparison, and desires...
Running after financial speculation to gain huge benefits, she tried to keep up with the Joneses via housing and cars, deceived by several “make-up” financial platforms. She went further away from God, sinking deeper and deeper into the quagmire of error.
L suggested she repent from her sins and not set foot in financial investments during chaotic times. Rather, she should do an ordinary job and make a financial plan according to actual circumstances. She could sell the big house, then purchase a small-sized house and repay all her debts.
However, she rejected the proposal throughout the year. Reluctant to sell her house, she wished for housing prices to increase every day, but it was the contrary.
At the onset of the second year, she regretted not listening to our advice. Her house was sold at the end of that year and she rented an apartment. She at times shared gratitude for God's help in ridding her of all debts.
It was still not over yet. Reversals and zigzags rebounded, with her relying on God for a while, while also worshipping money and her boyfriend at other times.
Still engaged in financial investments, she told us that she and her boyfriend went through thick and thin during hard times. We exhorted her to break up with the man who is a non-Christian because God commanded us to have boundaries for love. She could preach the gospel to him to see if he was the right one.
Our church watched and prayed for her for three years. We encouraged her to build a closer relationship with God and join a Bible reading fellowship to establish the right views of money and marriage.
The third year saw a breakthrough in her life. She became more humble and fearful, beginning to love praying and reading the Bible. She parted with her boyfriend, preaching the gospel to him. She also had an ordinary job, more hunger for spiritual growth.
Delighted with her gradual progress, we give thanks to the great Lord who has freed her from money and lust!
(The original article is published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Karen Luo
