How God Softened Baneet’s Heart
There is no one too far from God. In fact, we often hear stories about how God pursues people who seem to be most resistant to His love! That’s exactly what happened in Baneet’s life.
Baneet’s parents and four siblings rarely got along, so they lived independently from each other under one roof. There was no love at home, and it spilled out in the way Baneet behaved in the village. He was notorious for being a troublemaker. Baneet’s neighbors knew he was a drunkard and a nuisance, so they steered clear of him and his family.
One day, Baneet’s mother became ill. As her sickness progressed, this once agile woman became bed-ridden and unable to walk. Because they were poor, the family had to borrow from money lenders to seek medical treatment for Baneet’s mother. But nothing worked. Baneet became depressed as he watched his mother’s condition worsen.
Just when he thought things couldn’t get worse, Baneet’s mother passed away, and his father also got sick.
That’s when the money-lenders came to collect. Baneet, a young man with no financial stability, was now responsible for protecting and providing for his family, including two sisters who needed to marry.
Baneet looked for new housing for the family, and a Christian neighbor agreed to help! The neighbor also shared the Gospel with Baneet, but his heart was hardened, and he would not respond to Jesus.
Then Church Planter Vatsala began visiting Baneet’s family. She prayed with them and comforted them with Bible verses. She told Baneet that there is a loving God who turns mourning into dancing and weeping into laughing. Over time, Baneet’s heart softened. The seeds planted by his Christian neighbor, watered by Vatsala, resulted in a positive response to the loving God. Baneet confessed his sins and surrendered his life to the Lord!
The more Baneet prayed, the more he trusted God. He saw God answer his prayers, one after another! Baneet’s father was healed, his sisters found husbands, and peace filled their home. His father even received Jesus as his Savior!
Now Baneet knows that no one is too far from God. He is living proof! He prays daily for his brothers and sisters to become followers of Jesus, too.
