WHEN TRUST HURTS
A Christian Novel by BBJOHN
Powerful. Emotional. Cinematic.
EPISODE 3
Three weeks later, Dr. Comfort invited Dupe to a family dinner. At the table were Dr. Richard, Comfort’s husband, Dr. Comfort, and their three children: Tony, Silas, and Suzan. After they had eaten and drunk, Dr. Comfort looked at their guest and asked:
“My dear sister, after listening to your travails, I feel compelled to ask you this question: Now that your breadwinner is gone, what’s your survival plan?”
“Ma, if I can get a good job, I will survive,” Dupe answered politely.
“I want you to think beyond white-collar jobs. Do you have any other plans?” Dr. Comfort pressed further.
“Hmm… perhaps going into business… or…” Dupe replied.
“Exactly. Or don’t you like standing on your own?” Comfort’s husband added.
“It’s good, sir. It’s just that I don’t have the capital to start,” she responded.
“What type of business interests you?” Dr. Comfort asked.
“Eh… any type of eatery business - specialized eatery concept, fast food, snacks outlet, or a dining restaurant,” Dupe explained.
The couple exchanged glances, withdrew into their inner chamber for a brief discussion, and returned a few minutes later.
“This family will help you with the capital,” Dr. Comfort announced joyfully. “Go and carry out your market research on the business you prefer, secure a location, and let us know your budget.”
In deep appreciation, Dupe fell to her knees and thanked the couple, who warmly embraced her.
When she got home that evening, however, she met two aged women standing in front of her apartment, waiting for her.
“Good evening, ma. How may I help you?” she asked curiously.
“Illusion made the caged lion think he could rule over the beasts in the jungle,” the two women chorused.
“The lion… the cage… the jungle… I don’t understand what you’re saying, Mama,” Dupe replied.
“Does a caged eagle soar heavenward?” Mama Awodinu asked.
“Oh, I see… Mama, the caging nest shall be broken, and this eagle will not only fly out, it will soar skyward, even to the farthest heights,” she declared boldly.
The two women only laughed her to scorn.
“Before that happens, we will send the eagle to where we sent the lion,” Mama Orisalebo retorted.
“Not when the Mighty One I serve is with me. Get out of my way,” Dupe said, poised for war.
“We’ll be back in hours,” the women promised as they walked away. When they reached the gate, they joined hands, and vanished into thin air.
As Dupe watched them vanish, fear gripped her mind. She hurried inside, slammed the door, and collapsed into a chair, her vacant eyes fixed on the wall as she shivered and sweated.
“Oh God! This is real war. But Lord, how did they locate my house? Who are they?” she muttered softly.
“Enemies at the edge of breakthroughs!” a voice thundered.
Still trembling, she jerked upright, gasped, and replied:
“Enemies at the edge of breakthroughs? Oh, I’m finished. Why is all this happening to me, Lord Jesus? Why? I’m tired… confused.”
“Dupe, trust God. He is with you. Don’t give up. He will surely perfect that which concerns you,” the voice encouraged her.
“Trust?” she whispered in panic. “But who… who are you telling me to trust? Whoever you are, listen: if I were your daughter, would you still tell me to keep trusting God? What has He been perfecting all these years that kept me waiting? Perfecting what exactly? All these years I’ve trusted Him for a job, a husband, and helpers, but what has trust brought me? Hurt! Pain! Shame! Battles! Disappointment!”
She sprang to her feet and began pacing frantically, shaking and sobbing.
“Away with trust! I’m tired of it! I’m thirty-eight and still stagnant in life. Why is everyone telling me to keep trusting God? Where was God when my parents died? Where was He when my brother and his wife perished? Where was He when I cried day and night? And where was He when those two witches found my apartment to end my life?”
She walked to the bookshelf, grabbed her Bible tightly, and tried to open it, but her grief overwhelmed her. She dropped the Bible onto the chair and burst out with a thunderous cry:
“Jesus, what is my sin that You abandoned me? You abandoned me! You… abandoned… me. Now my enemies want to kill me just as they killed my brother.”
She collapsed onto the floor, weeping bitterly.
The dimming bulb flickered violently, and darkness swallowed the entire room.
TO BE CONTINUED...
A Christian Novel by BBJOHN
Powerful. Emotional. Cinematic.
EPISODE 3
Three weeks later, Dr. Comfort invited Dupe to a family dinner. At the table were Dr. Richard, Comfort’s husband, Dr. Comfort, and their three children: Tony, Silas, and Suzan. After they had eaten and drunk, Dr. Comfort looked at their guest and asked:
“My dear sister, after listening to your travails, I feel compelled to ask you this question: Now that your breadwinner is gone, what’s your survival plan?”
“Ma, if I can get a good job, I will survive,” Dupe answered politely.
“I want you to think beyond white-collar jobs. Do you have any other plans?” Dr. Comfort pressed further.
“Hmm… perhaps going into business… or…” Dupe replied.
“Exactly. Or don’t you like standing on your own?” Comfort’s husband added.
“It’s good, sir. It’s just that I don’t have the capital to start,” she responded.
“What type of business interests you?” Dr. Comfort asked.
“Eh… any type of eatery business - specialized eatery concept, fast food, snacks outlet, or a dining restaurant,” Dupe explained.
The couple exchanged glances, withdrew into their inner chamber for a brief discussion, and returned a few minutes later.
“This family will help you with the capital,” Dr. Comfort announced joyfully. “Go and carry out your market research on the business you prefer, secure a location, and let us know your budget.”
In deep appreciation, Dupe fell to her knees and thanked the couple, who warmly embraced her.
When she got home that evening, however, she met two aged women standing in front of her apartment, waiting for her.
“Good evening, ma. How may I help you?” she asked curiously.
“Illusion made the caged lion think he could rule over the beasts in the jungle,” the two women chorused.
“The lion… the cage… the jungle… I don’t understand what you’re saying, Mama,” Dupe replied.
“Does a caged eagle soar heavenward?” Mama Awodinu asked.
“Oh, I see… Mama, the caging nest shall be broken, and this eagle will not only fly out, it will soar skyward, even to the farthest heights,” she declared boldly.
The two women only laughed her to scorn.
“Before that happens, we will send the eagle to where we sent the lion,” Mama Orisalebo retorted.
“Not when the Mighty One I serve is with me. Get out of my way,” Dupe said, poised for war.
“We’ll be back in hours,” the women promised as they walked away. When they reached the gate, they joined hands, and vanished into thin air.
As Dupe watched them vanish, fear gripped her mind. She hurried inside, slammed the door, and collapsed into a chair, her vacant eyes fixed on the wall as she shivered and sweated.
“Oh God! This is real war. But Lord, how did they locate my house? Who are they?” she muttered softly.
“Enemies at the edge of breakthroughs!” a voice thundered.
Still trembling, she jerked upright, gasped, and replied:
“Enemies at the edge of breakthroughs? Oh, I’m finished. Why is all this happening to me, Lord Jesus? Why? I’m tired… confused.”
“Dupe, trust God. He is with you. Don’t give up. He will surely perfect that which concerns you,” the voice encouraged her.
“Trust?” she whispered in panic. “But who… who are you telling me to trust? Whoever you are, listen: if I were your daughter, would you still tell me to keep trusting God? What has He been perfecting all these years that kept me waiting? Perfecting what exactly? All these years I’ve trusted Him for a job, a husband, and helpers, but what has trust brought me? Hurt! Pain! Shame! Battles! Disappointment!”
She sprang to her feet and began pacing frantically, shaking and sobbing.
“Away with trust! I’m tired of it! I’m thirty-eight and still stagnant in life. Why is everyone telling me to keep trusting God? Where was God when my parents died? Where was He when my brother and his wife perished? Where was He when I cried day and night? And where was He when those two witches found my apartment to end my life?”
She walked to the bookshelf, grabbed her Bible tightly, and tried to open it, but her grief overwhelmed her. She dropped the Bible onto the chair and burst out with a thunderous cry:
“Jesus, what is my sin that You abandoned me? You abandoned me! You… abandoned… me. Now my enemies want to kill me just as they killed my brother.”
She collapsed onto the floor, weeping bitterly.
The dimming bulb flickered violently, and darkness swallowed the entire room.
TO BE CONTINUED...
WHEN TRUST HURTS
A Christian Novel by BBJOHN
Powerful. Emotional. Cinematic.
EPISODE 3
Three weeks later, Dr. Comfort invited Dupe to a family dinner. At the table were Dr. Richard, Comfort’s husband, Dr. Comfort, and their three children: Tony, Silas, and Suzan. After they had eaten and drunk, Dr. Comfort looked at their guest and asked:
“My dear sister, after listening to your travails, I feel compelled to ask you this question: Now that your breadwinner is gone, what’s your survival plan?”
“Ma, if I can get a good job, I will survive,” Dupe answered politely.
“I want you to think beyond white-collar jobs. Do you have any other plans?” Dr. Comfort pressed further.
“Hmm… perhaps going into business… or…” Dupe replied.
“Exactly. Or don’t you like standing on your own?” Comfort’s husband added.
“It’s good, sir. It’s just that I don’t have the capital to start,” she responded.
“What type of business interests you?” Dr. Comfort asked.
“Eh… any type of eatery business - specialized eatery concept, fast food, snacks outlet, or a dining restaurant,” Dupe explained.
The couple exchanged glances, withdrew into their inner chamber for a brief discussion, and returned a few minutes later.
“This family will help you with the capital,” Dr. Comfort announced joyfully. “Go and carry out your market research on the business you prefer, secure a location, and let us know your budget.”
In deep appreciation, Dupe fell to her knees and thanked the couple, who warmly embraced her.
When she got home that evening, however, she met two aged women standing in front of her apartment, waiting for her.
“Good evening, ma. How may I help you?” she asked curiously.
“Illusion made the caged lion think he could rule over the beasts in the jungle,” the two women chorused.
“The lion… the cage… the jungle… I don’t understand what you’re saying, Mama,” Dupe replied.
“Does a caged eagle soar heavenward?” Mama Awodinu asked.
“Oh, I see… Mama, the caging nest shall be broken, and this eagle will not only fly out, it will soar skyward, even to the farthest heights,” she declared boldly.
The two women only laughed her to scorn.
“Before that happens, we will send the eagle to where we sent the lion,” Mama Orisalebo retorted.
“Not when the Mighty One I serve is with me. Get out of my way,” Dupe said, poised for war.
“We’ll be back in hours,” the women promised as they walked away. When they reached the gate, they joined hands, and vanished into thin air.
As Dupe watched them vanish, fear gripped her mind. She hurried inside, slammed the door, and collapsed into a chair, her vacant eyes fixed on the wall as she shivered and sweated.
“Oh God! This is real war. But Lord, how did they locate my house? Who are they?” she muttered softly.
“Enemies at the edge of breakthroughs!” a voice thundered.
Still trembling, she jerked upright, gasped, and replied:
“Enemies at the edge of breakthroughs? Oh, I’m finished. Why is all this happening to me, Lord Jesus? Why? I’m tired… confused.”
“Dupe, trust God. He is with you. Don’t give up. He will surely perfect that which concerns you,” the voice encouraged her.
“Trust?” she whispered in panic. “But who… who are you telling me to trust? Whoever you are, listen: if I were your daughter, would you still tell me to keep trusting God? What has He been perfecting all these years that kept me waiting? Perfecting what exactly? All these years I’ve trusted Him for a job, a husband, and helpers, but what has trust brought me? Hurt! Pain! Shame! Battles! Disappointment!”
She sprang to her feet and began pacing frantically, shaking and sobbing.
“Away with trust! I’m tired of it! I’m thirty-eight and still stagnant in life. Why is everyone telling me to keep trusting God? Where was God when my parents died? Where was He when my brother and his wife perished? Where was He when I cried day and night? And where was He when those two witches found my apartment to end my life?”
She walked to the bookshelf, grabbed her Bible tightly, and tried to open it, but her grief overwhelmed her. She dropped the Bible onto the chair and burst out with a thunderous cry:
“Jesus, what is my sin that You abandoned me? You abandoned me! You… abandoned… me. Now my enemies want to kill me just as they killed my brother.”
She collapsed onto the floor, weeping bitterly.
The dimming bulb flickered violently, and darkness swallowed the entire room.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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