Monica1129
Member
This story is fictional, but the issues in it that Christian parents deal with are real. I would like to know what you would say to "Natalie" in this situation. Thanks for your comments!
Natalie is a Christian woman who loves Jesus and is very close to God. She has a son named Frank, and all she wants is for Frank to grow up to follow God. At some point when Frank is young, Natalie has a vivid dream about Jesus saving Frank’s life at the last minute, just in the nick of time.
Unfortunately, Frank grows up not to follow God but to choose a bad lifestyle of drugs and gang violence. He has been involved in shooting altercations and Natalie fears for his safety. To make matters worse, Frank decides not to speak to his mother anymore and for many years she doesn’t even know where he is or if he’s alive and safe. Because Natalie continues to pray for Frank fervently, at one point she asks God for proof of his safety. It surfaces within a couple weeks, for the first time in years. Natalie is overjoyed. But Natalie begins doubting again a couple of days later, so she then asks God that as a sign that she should keep praying for Frank a particular person at her church will come up to her and tell her to. He does. Natalie is astounded, but the next day she starts worrying if Frank is really ever going to repent and be saved. So finally, she prays that God will give her a dream that night of Frank’s conversion, as a sign that it will truly happen. That night, Natalie has a dream that she sitting on the back of a bus with Frank and a friend of is, and by the end of the bus ride, the two are apparently so touched by her kindness to them that they both decide to turn themselves into the police. She is disturbed and confused, and doesn’t understand the meaning of the dream.
Over the years, Natalie’s prayers for Frank begin to dwindle, but all of a sudden, out of the blue, the urgency, passion, and fervent desire for his salvation resurface with a force she has never known before. Natalie makes a promise to pray for Frank every day until a conclusion. During this time, she has a dream that she represents the law enforcement and Frank is running from her. He gets tired and she catches up with him and is about to grab him, but then she realizes that if she did that he would be executed and she is afraid for him to die and face God’s judgment, so at the last minute she just stops and lets him escape.
During this period of joyful and expectant prayers for Frank full of hope in God and eager optimism for a change in Frank’s life, Natalie suddenly receives the shock of her life: Frank has been killed. To make matters worse, first reports are saying that Frank died fighting in a shooting match with an old foe of his from a rival gang. Natalie is devastated beyond her ability to want to live or die, and she cries for days and doesn’t eat.
Three days later, the story is amended and witnesses admit that Frank was murdered by his old enemy but that he didn’t fight back. In fact, Frank had had a gun but had chosen not to take up arms against his rival. Natalie is relieved that at least now there is a possibility that Frank could have repented. The other thing that encourages Natalie is the fact that Frank’s girlfriend’s brother states that Frank’s girlfriend told him that he was deeply remorseful about his old lifestyle in his final years, though Natalie can’t say for sure if this is true or not and wonders if Frank’s girlfriend’s brother is just trying to whitewash Frank.
Still, Natalie lives in deep sadness that she does not have proof of Frank’s repentance and salvation. She doesn’t know if her dreams were really from God and if so whether or not they are promises to her of his salvation. These fears consume her and she is in torment over the fate of Frank’s soul.
Now let’s say that Natalie comes up to you, sobbing inconsolably, asking for your advice. What would you say to her?
Natalie is a Christian woman who loves Jesus and is very close to God. She has a son named Frank, and all she wants is for Frank to grow up to follow God. At some point when Frank is young, Natalie has a vivid dream about Jesus saving Frank’s life at the last minute, just in the nick of time.
Unfortunately, Frank grows up not to follow God but to choose a bad lifestyle of drugs and gang violence. He has been involved in shooting altercations and Natalie fears for his safety. To make matters worse, Frank decides not to speak to his mother anymore and for many years she doesn’t even know where he is or if he’s alive and safe. Because Natalie continues to pray for Frank fervently, at one point she asks God for proof of his safety. It surfaces within a couple weeks, for the first time in years. Natalie is overjoyed. But Natalie begins doubting again a couple of days later, so she then asks God that as a sign that she should keep praying for Frank a particular person at her church will come up to her and tell her to. He does. Natalie is astounded, but the next day she starts worrying if Frank is really ever going to repent and be saved. So finally, she prays that God will give her a dream that night of Frank’s conversion, as a sign that it will truly happen. That night, Natalie has a dream that she sitting on the back of a bus with Frank and a friend of is, and by the end of the bus ride, the two are apparently so touched by her kindness to them that they both decide to turn themselves into the police. She is disturbed and confused, and doesn’t understand the meaning of the dream.
Over the years, Natalie’s prayers for Frank begin to dwindle, but all of a sudden, out of the blue, the urgency, passion, and fervent desire for his salvation resurface with a force she has never known before. Natalie makes a promise to pray for Frank every day until a conclusion. During this time, she has a dream that she represents the law enforcement and Frank is running from her. He gets tired and she catches up with him and is about to grab him, but then she realizes that if she did that he would be executed and she is afraid for him to die and face God’s judgment, so at the last minute she just stops and lets him escape.
During this period of joyful and expectant prayers for Frank full of hope in God and eager optimism for a change in Frank’s life, Natalie suddenly receives the shock of her life: Frank has been killed. To make matters worse, first reports are saying that Frank died fighting in a shooting match with an old foe of his from a rival gang. Natalie is devastated beyond her ability to want to live or die, and she cries for days and doesn’t eat.
Three days later, the story is amended and witnesses admit that Frank was murdered by his old enemy but that he didn’t fight back. In fact, Frank had had a gun but had chosen not to take up arms against his rival. Natalie is relieved that at least now there is a possibility that Frank could have repented. The other thing that encourages Natalie is the fact that Frank’s girlfriend’s brother states that Frank’s girlfriend told him that he was deeply remorseful about his old lifestyle in his final years, though Natalie can’t say for sure if this is true or not and wonders if Frank’s girlfriend’s brother is just trying to whitewash Frank.
Still, Natalie lives in deep sadness that she does not have proof of Frank’s repentance and salvation. She doesn’t know if her dreams were really from God and if so whether or not they are promises to her of his salvation. These fears consume her and she is in torment over the fate of Frank’s soul.
Now let’s say that Natalie comes up to you, sobbing inconsolably, asking for your advice. What would you say to her?
