I was an addict in Manchester for 15 years. I was there when the clubbing madness that played a part in what later became the rave scene started. So I’ve been in the madness. But it’s not just people like me who find themselves in the madness, is it? I think that we all find ourselves in the madness at some points on our journey. Did you know that you can find strength for your struggle there?
If you could meet my mate Paul Innes, you’d like him. Paul is a big, Scottish guy and he’s always having a laugh. He’s one of those guys who, when he walks into a room, everyone knows he’s there.
Paul was brought up in good home in the North East of Scotland, but when he was young, he started smoking weed, taking whiz and using MDMA. Then, as he got older, he got into heroin.
Paul would spend his weekends in the madness of the rave scene. By then, the madness that had started in Manchester and London had spread all over the UK. But fashion had changed. They’d moved on from blowing whistles to sucking giant babies dummies! They weren’t wearing bucket hats anymore; they were wearing fluorescent-green hot pants! And it wasn’t just the girls—even the lads from council estates were wearing them. Nice! This was living it large, Kevin and Perry Go Large–style, innit!
Paul started going to a café called the Solid Rock in Fraserburgh town centre. That’s where he met Ben, who was the Christian guy that ran it.
One day, Paul went out on a bender with a mate, and he OD’d. He woke up, all bog eyed, in Aberdeen Hospital, with Ben sitting next to his bed. Someone had called him. Ben said, ‘You’re lucky to be alive.’ And then he said, ‘Paul, have you had enough?’ Paul nodded and replied, ‘Ay, I have.’ Ben prayed that God would help him, and over the next two days, while lying in his hospital bed, Paul started to think about the different things he’d had enough of. ‘I’ve had enough of hurting people; I’ve had enough of waking up rattling every day; I’ve had enough of the hassle of having to get money to score drugs.’
He picked up his phone and texted Ben: ‘Ben, I’ve been thinking. I’ve definitely had enough.’
Soon after, Paul became a Christian, and he ended up running Solid Rock for 10 years. And now he’s a prison chaplain!
That’s because, in the madness, Paul found strength for his struggle.
Way, way back in biblical times, there was a guy on the scene called David. He often lived in the madness, but he knew that he could find strength there.
Speaking from experience, he said, ‘God is our helper and strength and ready to help us in times of trouble.’ (Psalm 46:1).
You see, in the madness you can find strength for your struggle.
What about you. Are you in some kind of madness right now? Maybe, you’ve been hurt, and it’s knocked you for six. Maybe you’re in a bad place, and you can’t see a way out. Maybe, you’ve landed in some trouble, recently, and you feel you can’t cope.
Listen: whatever kind of madness you might be in, you need to know that God is there, and that he can give you the strength that you need!
You see, in the madness you can find strength for your struggle.
But ‘have you had enough? The choice is yours.
Barry