Shawn Michaels was WWE wrestling world champion. One of those guys that throw one another around and thousands of people freak out. He went all out in this sport and wanted to make it to the top at all cost.

It went very well in the ring, but his personal life was chaotic. He didn’t really know who he was. Although he was a hero to many and very famous, it was not enough and he tried drugs. He couldn’t find himself. He said the drugs became a hiding place where he could run away from himself.

In the process, he became a major troublemaker in WWE and eventually he was suspended.

One day he was sitting with his son on the couch. He was slightly high, when he heard his two-year old son say to him: “Daddy tired”. Right then, in that one moment, he decided to stop doing drugs.

The next day he went to a church. He walked in and asked if he could get a Bible study guide. Later on the pastor said he thought the WWE was playing a prank on them and that they would end up fighting in a ring somewhere. But, said Shawn, I went there looking for the Lord.

One of the guys there invited him to join their group. The Wednesday evening he was invited to pray the sinner’s prayer and he accepted Jesus as his personal Saviour. This giant of a man cried like a baby. Suddenly he knew who he was, because he had found his identity in Jesus.

Due to a back injury he did not wrestle for a time. His status as troublemaker didn’t help much. But one day as he was flying somewhere, he read in Joshua about the strength that God gives to people and he realised that God gave it to him too. When he got off the plane, he let the head know that he was all right. He knew he could do it.

He returned to fight his last fight, and ended up wrestling for another eight years – with no back pain. He ended on a highpoint, when in 2008, before a crowd of 80 000 people, he won the fight against the Undertaker.

Why am I telling this story, which is almost a repetition of Debbie’s story about reading the New Testament while she was high on heroin and had a powerful conversion the next Friday? To prove the same point: God turns people completely around and makes them brand new.

Paul also tells again in a few verses how Onesimus became new: ¹⁶ You’re getting him back now for good—and no mere slave this time, but a true Christian brother! That’s what he was to me—he’ll be even more than that to you.

Lastly: Shawn also describes how his wife had always shown him Jesus by her way of life and keeping on praying. Her simple prayer was: “Lord, please turn him around”.

So, don’t give up hope; keep on believing and keep on praying.

Scripture
Philemon 1:15-20

Reflection
Who do you have to pray for?
Is there something inside you that maybe you are still a slave to?
What do you have to do differently?

Prayer
Father, it’s so good to hear that when people come to You, You don’t chase them away. On the contrary! You forgive and turn them right around. Thank you for being a loving father. I would never make it without You. Amen.