It is so wonderful to experience God at work. Sometimes we might feel like we’re failing in our ministry, but He can turn our efforts into a victory and be glorified in the situation. That’s exactly what happened during a recent marriage conference in Poland.
A man in Mielec had taken part in our conference in another city and really liked it. He decided that he would like to help organize a conference in Mielec as a way to serve his community. He had little time for preparation because this conference was scheduled rather suddenly in place of another canceled conference. In addition, as it usually happens, he met with various obstacles before the conference. In the end, only 22 people showed up. It’s really hard to lead a conference with so few attendees. The participants feel shy in the presence of others and don’t react to jokes as well as they would in a larger audience where they can comfortably ”get lost in the crowd.”
The gospel message was a particularly difficult talk. In the middle of the lecture the computer presentation got hung up, and one of the participants started asking provocative questions. Another one joined in with him. We answered the difficult questions while trying to save the atmosphere of the conference. By the time we were finished, we had a feeling of disappointment and uneasiness. It had been one of the hardest conferences in our history.
Several days later, we found out from one of our contacts that a nonbeliever from her family had been at the conference. His family had been praying for him for a long time. He came only because his friend paid his stay at the conference. He was planning to hear only part of the lectures, but during the conference he changed his mind and stayed the whole time. The gospel message became a turning point for him. It was during this time, when we were answering difficult questions, that he got answers to some issues he’d been wrestling with. After he heard the explanations that weren’t directed to him, and yet were meant for him, he decided to trust God and commit his life to Him. Another participant did the same thing. What was a failure from our perspective became a victory. Glory to the Highest! God’s wisdom is unmeasured, and it is good to be an instrument in His hand.