“Rejoice with those
who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep
with those who weep
[sharing others’ grief].”
Romans 12:15
(Amplified)
How well does today’s
verse describe you?
Can you share in someone
else’s’ blessings or is it a struggle?
Does it make you
green with envy or does it thrill you?
I know people who can’t
handle Facebook because it becomes, to them, a daily reminder of what they do
not have.
The vacation, the
dinner out, the well behaved child are now posted for everyone to see.
But while those kinds
of things can, and do, offer the opportunity for growth I want us to think
about the spiritual blessing and trials we all face.
When another persons’
ministry seems to know nothing but the blessings of God while your has been in
what seems an interminable drought will you still be able to thank God for what
He has poured out on them?
If you could have
been a peer to Hannah in the book of Samuel how would you have responded to her
in her moments of deep sadness over her barrenness?
Would you stand ready
with a glib or trite comment or would you be able to come alongside with
genuine support and love through her difficult season?
We all know someone like
Hannah.
We have all met the
blessed Elijah on the top of Mount Carmel after the spectacular victory over
the prophets of Baal and then we meet him again but this time he is hiding from
Jezebel in the wilderness.
Our human nature does
not want to support and encourage others through the circumstances of life.
We often feel better
lecturing them.
Christ in us demands
a different response.
I don’t often do this
in my posts but I am going to assign some homework.
Ask God this week to
lead you to at least one person you can rejoice with in a blessing and one
person you can come alongside and ‘weep with’ through their season of hurt.
In both cases ask the
Lord to give you words of encouragement and love that will strengthen them where
they are.
I won’t collect the
homework but feel free to comment back as God grows you in this area.
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