Expert: Mrs. Priscilla Lyons - 2/20/2009

Question
Dear Priscilla,

Please help me in Jesus name.
In 2006(Dec) my sister's son(HUGH) got married and we(I and my husband)flew to India (Mumbai) from Kuwait for the marriage. My sister and her son behaviors was not that very enterprising but we just didn't care about it. We returned back (I and my Husband). Later we went for our holiday trip in June until September, during which my sister son has taken his wife(NIFISA) to Kuwait but though we were in Mumbai, Nafisa not once did not call us to tell us she was to join her husband(Hugh) soon. When we returned back to Kuwait, to our surprise Hugh called us inviting us for Lunch at their house. We didn't go as it was his duty to bring his wife to our place first according to our custom, it was somewhere in Aug or Sept 2007. Later very bad news came that Nafisa had a serious accident and that poor spirit died on Nov. 26 of that year. I as Hugh Godmother and Aunty offered him KD.500 as goodwill as at this moment of time one need for expenditure and vice versa. I remember telling him that after Nafisa one year mass you could returned it to me, though they never appreciated my presence on many occasion I deliberately use to go, whenever I felt free or when I would visit St Theresa Church which is hop skip and a jump to their place. Its was in 2008 that again my vacation came and we were in India and we took up a bungalow on loan from bank.  When I came back I casually asked Hugh if he could offer me some help but instead of saying some good stuff he rather insulted me. However in Nov 2008 on all souls day I went to St Theresa Church for Mass and when returning home I step their house, and to my surprise, they were all happy and enjoying with good furniture and exercise machine and it didn't seem to be a mourning house. So I went home and call him regarding the money, then they showed their really color and starting shouting at me and insulting me saying many things.  The concluding point was after they returned from their One year's mind Mass from India, I called him on the last week of Jan 2009 requesting him to pay my money or he would be entitled for interest, I really never needed his interest, but now I needed my money as I have no job and my husband is harassing me as he is become a two timer, a liar and traitor, what I am going through I never tell anyone but all I want to ask you is did I commit a sin? did I do anything wrong? cos I know my sister she has a black tongue and she curses very soon and now as they are both widows I feel they have cursed me and I am undergoing tremendous torment when I am praying and very much harassment from my husband and my younger daughter Mariam.

PLEASE HELP ME... PRAY FOR ME THAT I MAY OVERCOME ALL THIS IN TIME. RECENTLY I AM SMOKING MORE THEN BEFORE AND HAVING PAIN IN MY CHEST WITH WORRIES AND TENSIONS IS THIS A CURSE SEND BY MY OWN?

Answer
Dear Julie,
   Yes, I will pray for you.  I am so sorry about the overwhelming situations you are going through now.  
   The curse you mention is nothing new, nor did you or anyone in your family originate it.  I hope you have access to a Bible.  It would really help you understand your situation if you read the first four chapters of the first book (Genesis) of the Bible.  Satan is cursed and the earth is cursed because Adam and Eve chose to trust their own thinking rather than trust their Source of Life and everything good.  All of Adam and Eve's descendents have temporary physical life and other good things from God, but we are all spiritually separated from God (spiritually dead) by our sin nature (we follow our own thinking rather than follow God's plan for us to reflect His image).  Sin results in problems, pain, and death, often unfairly to others, just like Jesus suffered and died unfairly for your sin and for my sin.
   The good news is that Jesus came back to life and He offers His perfect Spirit to live in and through us with His strength and guidance, so we can fulfill our created purpose of reflecting His image.  We need to admit our need for forgiveness (not comparing ourselves to others who may be worse sinners), realizing how we have broken our Creator's heart.  Yet still God loves us and offers us eternal life if we admit we are doomed by our sin and ask Him to free us from our sin so we can live forever with Him.
   It is not pleasant when others take advantage of your generosity, but if you spend forever and ever in a perfect place because God has forgiven all your sins, it won't be so difficult to forgive those who have stolen from you.  If those who have wronged you refuse to repent and trust God's plan for their life, they will suffer horribly forever and ever, and deserve our pity.
   Don't rely on the teaching of others or a church to have eternal life with God.  Communicate with God directly (as you were created to do) by asking Him to make you clean so He can live in you.  Read His Word, the Bible, every day so He can teach you how to reflect His image.  Respond to Him in prayer, sharing with Him all your hurts, because He cares for you (I Peter 5:7)
   Maybe you could write a note to those who have done you wrong.  You could offer forgiveness and explain that it is because Jesus has forgiven your debt of sin against Him, that you have His strength to forgive others what they have done to you. (Matthew 18:23-35)  If they reject you, just remember Jesus was rejected also, but His way is life, even though so many are on the path to destruction. (Matthew 7:13-14)
   May God use your broken pieces to create jewels that shine for His glory!
   Love,
   Priscilla