It’s hard when some one looks you in the face and says “but how could a ‘loving God’ let this happen to some one He says He loves?” It’s hard to look them in the eye and admit you don’t know why, admit that there is no formula for every situation. All I know is that He does love us and has a plan for us and that when we pray and believe enough to hope, God changes things.
It is so easy to think that we are the only ones who should have to “bear our burdens” through life. Burdens can be of any shape and size, family, friends, addictions, fears, projects, schedules, illnesses, on and on. But none of these is without remedy; the blood of Jesus covers all and He does want to redeem and set all free from their burdens here on earth. But it’s hard when we can’t see it happening.
Keeping silent about problems, about burdens that have plagued us, is not noble. It is not “your cross to bear.” Sometimes we need help from others, we need spiritual support from other believers, through prayer and fasting and emotional connections; that’s notweakness! Jesus asked the disciples to pray with Him in His last hours, things were about to change dramatically, and it needed to be covered in prayer!
We’ve got to stop being “protective” of our problems, of the battles that we are in the middle of. Open up when we are hurting, open up when we can’t handle the burden any more. I’m nottalking about gossiping about how hard our life is and airing our dirty laundry for others to ogle at. That’s not the point. If we want to see change in the battle we have been in and have given our lives to, there are times when we have to call for reinforcements. We are instructed to bring matters of need to our trusted brothers and sisters, and enter into the holy of hollies with praise, humble hearts, and all of our deepest requests laid bare.
Stand up for your brothers and sisters! If you are praying for some one, have been for a long time, and are “battle weary” and worn out, call out for help! This is how we are to function as a body of believers. When we agree together in prayer, God parts heaven and earth to reach into our lives and the lives of those we pray for; nothing can stop our Daddy God on the war-path to rescue His children! Nothing! Call out for help when you need it; that’s strength and wisdom of battle strategy!
Posted by jenn on January 27, 2009 at 5:13 pm
I know that for me it’s easier to go through something myself than it is to see someone else going through a tough time. I don’t know how to handle other people’s pain.
You’re right, we need to stop hiding our hurts from other Christians. For me it’s always the fact that I don’t want to bother someone with my problems, or that they seem trivial compared to others. Fear of rejection I guess. I have a feeling it’s probably the same for other people too.
Posted by mary on January 27, 2009 at 7:22 pm
I know that it’s hard for us to be open with each other; rejection is an all to common problem. But that’s not how the church body should be functioning.
I think that it is one of the devil’s most sneaky and effective lies: that we don’t need to burden others with our problems, that we should be able to deal with them, and if we can’t (which is why we’re feeling down in the first place!) then we are DOING SOMETHING WRONG in our Christian walk. he runs us down into this state and then beats us up for being there!
I’m just tired of seeing people held down by LIES! People around them DO care and we ARE to PRAY for each other! Of course the devil doesn’t want us to let others know, then they will start praying and God WILL hear and he will have no more power over them! Stinkin deveil! Set us free Lord, from the lies he tries to confuse us and isolate us with!