This week Pastor Priji converses with Ajin Abraham about living out the Word of God practically instead of just understanding it theologically, besides trusting and seeking God regardless of monotony or grief.

This podcast is a repost, originally published on September 23, 2017.

Pastor Priji: One of my favorite things about you is your willingness to give yourself to reading. What are some of the books that you are reading?

Ajin: One of the books I’ve recently taken up is called “The Scars that have Shaped me” by Vaneetha Rendall Risner. She suffered through Polio. Sometimes when we read God’s promises, we tend to look at them as intellectual statements, not something that strikes the heart. In this book, Risner explains how she has gone beyond the words and truly experienced God hour by hour. I too desire to experience the same, going beyond what I know mentally about God and experiencing Him as a Person Who is deeply concerned with all of my thoughts and emotions.

Pastor Priji: What are your thoughts on the recent passing away of Nabeel Qureshi? It has been quite a debate as to why God didn’t heal him.

Ajin: Recently, I have re-visited his videos. They are so full of trust and peace, in spite of the presence of pain and hurt. These do not have to be contradictory. Sure, we trust God that He will come through; but even if He doesn’t, our proclamation should be that we will love and trust Him anyway. So, though he didn’t get healed, God will surely raise many people who will go through the details of His painful journey and find hope. One day his little daughter is going to look back at the legacy of her father and be impacted by it.

Pastor Priji: What are some the times where trusting God was difficult? How did you manage to continue to trust Him in those times?

Ajin: It is not just those moments of extreme lows that challenge your walk with God, it can also be daily monotony that makes it difficult to go on. At such times, one begins to think that God has stopped working in their life as things have been quiet for a long time. There is then a tendency to wonder if there is any plan beneath it all. When there are no straightforward challenges of persecution and martyrdom, there is a risk of the Christian taking his/her faith for granted. At these times, for me, I try to remind myself of the goodness of God and that He has a different way of working to shape me.

Pastor Priji: With your transition to move to Canada, and the search for a church, what are some of the things you will be on the lookout for?

Ajin: For the first time in my life, I am going out without a rigid plan in my mind. I am going there sensing the leading of God, unsure of what His plan is. But I know God will reveal it to me one day at a time. As for a church, I would love to be a part of a church similar to the one I meet with here- with a good mix of community, solid doctrine and a practical living out of the Christian faith in everyday life. Churches, I have seen, tend to over emphasize on one thing and neglecting the other. I am not looking for a perfect church but one with a balance.

Pastor Priji: How do these changes affect your social relationships?

Ajin: As the reality of moving has not fully sunk it, I don’t think it’ll hit me until I board the flight. I do not feel a sense of loss, because I am focused on that future out there waiting for me. I will miss those back home, but I do not yet get the sense of leaving them behind. I do want to cultivate good, long lasting relationships. Though I do not make a lot of friends, I tend to hold close to the few I make. I genuinely like listening to people and their stories irrespective of who they are. I want to make good connections and spend time investing in them.

Pastor Priji: In what ways do you want to invest in other people?

Ajin: I do not really see a distinction between the Christian and the secular. You do not go specifically to witness at the workplace. The work itself can be an act of worship. We must work at everything as working for the Lord. When I say I want to invest in people, I mean I want to give them guidance, share my experiences and help them develop into good working professionals. I want to leave an impression on people I work with. I desire to study deeply from the Word of God and share them in a way that is practical, relatable, and easy to understand.

Pastor Priji: You have been writing for a while and it has been inspirational. Do you plan to write more often? You have been planning to start a podcast soon. When is that going to start?

Ajin: I do want to write more. There are a lot of things that come to my mind that I don’t always write about. There is a presence of self doubt as to how much of a difference it will make to someone reading. However, even if it doesn’t make much of a difference to someone, sharing my experiences is cathartic for me too, clarifying a lot of things.

Pastor Priji: Would you like to share anything in conclusion to the young people having dreams and ambitions to excel in their live and to serve God?

Ajin: Work at everything as you’re doing it for the Lord. Do not be different from one place to another. Let everyone see the Gospel in you. Nobody’s perfect. Nothing about your personality startles God. He knows your every reaction. Be honest about yourself, even if you’re lamenting. I do not mean you have to share it all with others- take it to God. Jeremiah, Habakkuk and Job took all of their griefs to God. They did not mask their emotions. Do not let the ordinariness of daily life bury you. Reflect on what occupies your mind. If God is not part of your thinking, it will give you reason to stop, reconsider, re-evaluate, and reorient yourself towards God.

To connect with Ajin Abraham do visit her website and blogs.

Expressions | Readers Digress | Industry

You can download the book by clicking on the link below: The Scars That Have Shaped Me