Shepherding Fellowship

As I was traveling around with the brothers looking for venue in Bengaluru for our upcoming proofreading project, I received desperate calls from two brothers concerning their tumultuous marital bond. Since I was amidst the brothers in a running car, I could mostly listen to what they had to say, letting them pour out their burdens, concerns, and viewpoints. The Lord graced me a listening ear to patiently listen to whatever they had to say. And then at the end, I only prayed. 

The following day at a convnient time when I was alone, I had a fellowship with them again over the phone, one after the other at different times. But the Lord also gave me the words to say and the time to call back. Though the matter seemed very complicated at the time I received the first call, as I prayed and had the following calls, the matter became clearer that the issues at hand were on the process of being solved. Though it may take time, the Lord intervened in both the cases and the two husbands who also called me realised their mistakes and made the necessary reconciliation due on their parts.

The truth is, Christ is the solution to all the problems. My one and only job is to allow Christ to come into their matters by prayers. I led both the brothers to pray as I also prayed for their marital issues. This is the secret to shepherding the saints, leading the saints to Christ. I believe in what the Lord can do and will do in these two matters. And trusting in the Lord, I declared by faith that the Lord will preserve the two marriages.

I also got a time of fellowship with a couple who I had been shepherding in the past. As we finished our tasks in Bengaluru, we visited this couple as out last stop beige we depart for the next destination Chennai. My fellowship to them was to treasure the presence of the Lord wherever they are whatever they do. Even as they would move to a new city Gurugram, they should look to the Lord for their housing suitable for the saints to visit them. Their house should be useful for the Lord’s testimony in hosting fellowship, Bible study, prayer meeting, etc. 

As I came to Chennai, I spent time with a brother fellowshipping concerning his situation and the concerns brought forth due to his entanglement in some extra  business affairs. In all the fellowships, my heart was to shepherd him and pray with him that the Lord would preserve his service and his family for His testimony. 

In all these, the matters were serious in nature but simply be solved in Christ. I thank the Lord that despite the enemy's wiles to distract and destroy the Lord’s children, in the spirit of fellowship, the Lord turned them all into His wisdom to train and perfect us, who all are involved in the matters. Thank the Lord, fellowship is the way to turn from failures and frustration to the Lord to enjoy the fruit of the Spirit!