Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
I find it very hard to ask for prayer. As an retired ordained womens’ minister, and also a counselor, I am usually the one doing the prayer and counseling of others. However, and I am sure this will come as no shock to most of you, I too find myself in need of prayer and counseling from time to time.
God tells us we are to bear one another’s burdens when we are asked.
What we are not to do is give the Christian who has been brave enough, and humble enough, to ask for help an egotistical “ I am perfect and you obviously are not,” reply.
A person told me once that he had gotten to the point where he felt badly about asking for prayer. He said one woman said pointedly to Him, “The Holy Spirit is your counselor!” Then another man said to Him, “Take you burdens to the Lord, son!”
We are at a time in the body of Christ when we make other Christians feel like they are out of step with God when they ask us for prayer one to one!
Saying things like the ones above just pour added guilt on a man or woman of God when asking, out of desperation, for help.
God spoke to me once about using scripture as a weapon. He said, “Don’t do that again because I know your heart, you are trying to use my Word to put that person down!”
Jesus was patient and kind with “sinners.” Yes, we can see if a person is out of Gods will, often by the way they are living. The last thing we want to do is be so rude in telling them what God says about it, in a hateful way, that the person doesn’t lovingly trust us to guide them back to Christ.
God told me to encourage people, that are out of Gods will. That way we can loving lead them back to righteousness by our love expressing the unconditional love of Christ.
When I was backslidden there was a semi-retired minister of God who I worked with. He asked me if I was living with my boyfriend at the time. I said, “Yes.” He said “ Cathie, I love you in the Lord but that’s called fornication and you folks need to get married.” He then left it alone.
Every time he would see me he would say something like, “Baby girl, God loves you!” It started wearing on my conscience because of his love and patience with me. Eventually we got married and he was the pastor that married us. Had he said, “You are a sinner living like the devil and Gods going to send you to hell,” I would have avoided him like the plague.
My point in all of this is simply this, we need to approach folks with love and kindness, meet their needs and not act like demons from hell when approached by folks.
We cannot be mean and ugly to people and expect them to see God in us. The world is full of mean, angry people that are full of judgment. We need to be merciful and lovingly help those who are hurting.
In His Unconditional Love
Cathie Miller
To write me or for donations to cover free counseling for those who cannot afford it, please use this email address belovedhandmdn1@aol.com
Wisdom Of The Cooing Dove 