We were interviewing Evangelist Carl Richardson about his early life. He had grown up in some of the deepest poverty in America.
http://www.actscelerate.com/viewtopic.php?t=90078
When recalling that he accepted Christ at nine-years-old, he choked up. Tears flowed. After several minutes, he began to speak again.
THE GREATEST THING - PRIORITY ONE
As his voice calmed, Carl stated, “Getting saved was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. It changed everything. I pray never to get over the tug at my heart like just happened, as I recall once again the love of Jesus.â€
From that very moment of salvation at nine, not only did Carl know he was saved, he felt saved.
“I didn’t feel ‘lost’ anymore,†he said. “I felt like a different person. Suddenly, a different feeling had come over me. I was not a King but I was part of the Kingdom of God. There was inside me a new sense of confidence.â€
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As a little boy, Carl had longed to feel loved by his Father. He wondered if his Dad loved him. His Dad’s behavior when drinking made it impossible to have a good father-son bond. Even when home, he was not “there.†The bottle throttled the bond with his wife and with his son.
It wasn’t until years later after Carl earned a “full-load†scholarship to Ohio State University, that he began to grasp the inner pain of the addicted. Those struggling with a deeply troubled spirit and self-loathing, desperately attempt to push the inner pain away, even if just for a few minutes.
“The goal,†he commented, “is to encourage others who have gone, or are going, through similar circumstances. Our future service to God and to mankind is too important to be continuously held down by difficulties of the past.
“DO YOU STILL STRUGGLE WITH IT?â€
When asked if he still struggles with resentment because of his Father’s neglect as a child, Carl paused, but only for a moment. Some may wonder why ask such a question. After all, these are interviews with a heralded Pentecostal Evangelist; someone who has preached in 103 countries.
“Yes,†Carl stated clearly. “I struggled with it for years. To be completely candid, every now and then I still do. Traumatic memories of childhood do not go away just because you grow up. A lot of adults still struggle with childhood situations.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE STILL STRUGGLING?
“In spite of a difficult childhood,†Carl observed, “you can move past it to be productive in life. The vacuum from not feeling loved by one’s Father or Mother, may linger for a long time. Find something to do that captures your heart and attention. For me, that has been the Lord’s work. Come on in. The harvest is vast and the workers are few. There is much to do.â€
Then Carl prayed:
“I pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus for those who may still be struggling with a hurtful childhood. Lord, I pray You will gather us in Your comforting arms like a warm blanket. I pray You will continue to gently set us onto a path that leads to the freedom of forgiveness.
“Jesus knows and understands our deep feelings of hurt at being rejected†Carl continued. This is familiar territory for even our beloved Lord. The Bible almost weeps when it declares, “He came unto His own and his own received Him not†(John 1:11).
Possibly there are other places where you feel the Bible weeps. Please feel free to share them here or start your own thread.
Doyle
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Carl Richardson: Where the Bible Weeps
