[2 Corinthians 9:8]
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

Ben really had a hard time the night before. He hated confrontation. He knew he had to talk to Tom about his phone. The way his phone had controlled him before he switched to a dumb phone made the issue real for him.

He remembered how he felt when his dad and mom used to fight before they gave themselves to Christ. It was intense. He would be in his room and he could hear his mom riding his dad about something small, like him forgetting to pick up the dog food. She would just pick at him and pick at him until he blew up. His dad would turn on her and then it was game on. Ben felt the twisting in his gut still whenever he thought about it. He would lay awake at night pretending to be somewhere else as they raged. He learned to avoid conflict, to always make light of difficult situations. It got to the point where he was emotionally disconnected from the pain that others were feeling, indifferent to the emotions.

But then Jesus came into the family, and his folks began to fight less. He’s not sure how the Lord did it, but, boy, things really changed. As he thought about it, he realized that’s how he came to know the Lord. The Lord was present in their home. When he heard about how Jesus died on the cross for him when he was in Vacation Bible School, it seemed like the most obvious thing in the world. Jesus showed up for his dad and mom. Certainly, he would should up for him too.

As he laid in bed, he began to feel that same twisting in his gut as he thought about talking with Tom. He hated that more than anything. Why couldn’t Henry deal with it? That’s what he thought was going to happen when he told Henry about Tom’s phone problem. He did not expect Henry to give it back to him. He avoided the heavy stuff every chance he could. But Henry left it with him. Why’d he do that?

Ben finally drifted off to sleep. He had that dream that would come now and again. He was stacking bricks, trying to build a wall for some reason. He never knew why. He would lay one brick after another. For hours it seemed. But then, when he was sure he had completed the wall, he looked and it was as if half the bricks had just evaporated. He would return to stacking them, one after the other, feeling deep frustration, never getting to the end, tension.

He woke the next morning still feeling the tension. He sat at his desk and flipped on the light. He had developed the habit of meeting with the Lord every morning before doing anything else. It didn’t take long, fifteen minutes or so. He would say a brief prayer, a “Good morning, Lord” kind of thing and then open his Bible. He followed along with the journal prompts the group worked with each week. He would read the passage, sit quietly until thoughts formed in his mind. It was as if the Lord was having a conversation with him each day. He would start writing down what came to mind and allow the Holy Spirit to take the lead.

This morning the passage came from

[2 Corinthians 9:6-8]

“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”  His eyes zeroed in on verse 8, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” He read it again. He focused in even closer, “God is able” then his eyes bounced to the last phrase, “you may abound in every good work.”

“…God is able…every good work…”
“…God is able…every good work…”
“…God is able…every good work…”

He started writing. This is how it happens, but not always with this kind of precision. The Lord was speaking to him, encouraging him, letting him know that he would give him everything he needed to confront Tom. That wasn’t right. He crossed it out. He wasn’t to confront Tom. He wasn’t picking a fight. He was to share with Tom. He was to tell Tom about his own struggle and how he found himself bound up, addicted, not free to not do, and that the phone was the chain keeping him in bondage.

He paused. The twisting in his gut began to relax. It’s not a fight, a conflict. It’s a recognition, an identification, and opportunity for a deeper connection with a friend, with a brother.

Ben put down his pen and just began to worship.

Lord, You are faithful. You are righteous, you do everything in a way that makes things better, friendships better. You are full of grace and you are able. You give me everything I need to be like you in serving the people around me. In serving Tom.

Ben knew it was time to get to work, so he made his way over to Tom’s house.  On the way over Ben remembered a quote he heard:  “Courage is being scared out of your mind yet saddling up anyways”.  Ben felt that.  He thought of characters in the Bible who God spoke to and even though the were afraid, they saddled up their donkeys, they picked up five smooth stones and went anyways.

“Knock, knock.” The door opened  “Well hello Ben.” Tom’s mother had a touch of pleasant surprise in her voice. “It’s good to see you.”

“Hi, Mrs. King. Is Tom around?”

“He’s in his room, on his computer probably. Come on in.”

Ben stopped and listened. Deep in his heart he heard,

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”