Christians when challenged with trials, tribulations, broken hearts, or tragic events are usually told by well meaning friends to:
Have faith
Be strong
Pray
Fast
Trust
Obey
The list goes on, and on.
It is not acceptable to cry, question, show fear, or to agonize about anything.
Why? Because if you have faith and trust God, you shouldn’t have human emotions.
As a Christian, you must remain strong.
Crying and questioning the situation God has put you in only shows your lack of faith.
Perhaps, because of your sin of weakness, God is punishing you.
He won’t be able to help you.
You need to get right with God. Now. Get on your knees and repent.
So, during the lowest point in your life, there is always the well-meaning, hyper-spiritual Christian friend who will pray for you. But instead of strengthening you, or bringing you peace, their prayers only pile on accusation and condemnation, resulting in more negative emotions, specifically guilt.
These Christians are no different than Job’s three friends. Their words only added to Job’s suffering. After losing all his children and property, while seating in an ash pile and scraping his festering boils with a piece of broken pottery, Job’s friends used their spirituality to accuse, and judge.
Are you going through a very difficult trial? Is your pain unbearable? Are the very people who should be ministering to you, causing you even more torture?
Stop. Take a deep breath. Find a quiet place and read in God’s Word what happened to Jesus when He faced unbearable situations.
When Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ tomb, even knowing that He would resurrect His friend, what did He do?
He wept. John 11:35
When he beheld Jerusalem, the very place where he would be crucified, what was His reaction?
He wept over it. Luke 19:41
What did Jesus Christ say to His disciples before His crucifixion?
“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” Matthew 26:38
What was His prayer like?
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as You, not I, would have it.” Matthew 26:42
What was Jesus Christ’s physiological response to the stress of His approaching torture and death on the cross?
Being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke 22:44
Yes, Jesus Christ, our God Almighty, who came in the flesh to save us, experienced sadness, pain, anguish just as we do when facing difficulties. Did He lack faith? Did He sin when expressing human emotions? No. And neither do we lack faith or are sinning when we express our grief.
God counts all our tears. He records our lamentations in His Book. Psalm 56:8
When accused of weakness, or having lack of faith when you experience grief, remember that, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Romans 8:26
Most importantly, while enduring trials and tribulations here on earth, be assured that when we meet our Father in heaven, “He will wipe every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
“Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died, more than that—who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Romans 8:34
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Many thanks for taking time to read or even share the above post. For similar posts and more about myself and friends, please see the below links! God bless you! Ivani Greppi.
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Very insightful! You hit the nail on the head comparing many Christians to Job’s “friends”. We are not called to judge but rather to lift up our fallen brothers and sisters. To show compassion and unconditional love. Jesus told us we will know them by their fruit. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness goodness, self control. God bless you
Thank you for commenting Sandra. God bless you and your ministry.