The Unseen Life, Part 23

​While looking for alternative accommodation in London, I got to know Timothy after a church service. He was in between jobs far from home, and had just found a Christian family in Wimbledon, who had a vacant room for rent. He was looking for a roommate. A fortnight into our stay, Tim suddenly announced that we should be moving out as soon as we can; his reason - he was “not comfortable with the set-up.” I was still a fledging believer, and adjusting to the new living environment, viz David, the landlord, and his young family. David was a successful insurance broker with Lloyd’s and was earnest about his Christian faith. Apparently, Tim’s decision to vacate was the result of an earlier conversation with David soon after we moved in. With no plausible reasons from Tim, my initial reaction to his decision was ambivalent. Then a gentle voice spoke, “Move out with Timothy!” Within a week, we found an apartment in a nearby town; we had the whole second floor of a semi-detached to ourselves. 
 
A couple of months later, news surfaced on our previous Wimbledon landlord. Soon after we left, David took his family into a ‘Christian’ cult, where children were separated from their parents in the community. Like many unorthodox religious groups, it started well but subsequently descended into an aberrant authoritarian movement! It has since been exposed and largely discredited. Several court cases were filed years later by former members against the group’s leadership for systematic physical and sexual abuse of children, resulting in lasting trauma among survivours. David had rented out several rooms in his spacious home to young believers, hoping to convince them to eventually move with him into that alternative communal setting. On hindsight, we were thankful to be spared the ordeal of being pressured to join the sect’s ‘family.’ A few years later, we visited David and his family. Sadly, we found him in a wheelchair, with progressive multiple sclerosis. 
 
There are occasions in life where decisions are made that appear to be incidental, but in fact, critical and urgent, and may unknowingly impact our future for better or worse. Often the repercussions of a decision are not immediately encountered. On the cusp of such a predicament, that rare commodity called wisdom then comes into play. However, hearing the Holy Spirit’s voice remains an overwhelming imperative, as our God’s omniscience is unlike any other and He is more than willing to guide us when we humbly seek Him (c.f., Jer 29: 13; Matt 7: 7-8). It goes without saying that in seeking after God, any remnants of our egocentricity will invariably be sifted by His Holy Spirit; for our malignant individualism perpetually stands in the way of a desire to fully obey Him. When we believe that He is in full control over our lives, despite recurrent trials and trying circumstances, it enables us to let go of our unfounded presumptions and fears and begin step-by-step to trust Him as Lord of our life. This lesson of trust is a journey of a lifetime!