Thursday, October 7, 2010

The Traumas of Life

In recent weeks the Lord has brought various people my way who are going through the traumas of life. One person has a debilitating health issue. Another has survived a violent attack that left her maimed. A woman is raising several grandchildren by herself. A friend’s spouse committed adultery barely a year into the marriage. An acquaintance fled an abusive spouse. Others are dealing with long-term depression, drug dependence and lust issues.

These are all Christians, although the faith of some of them isn’t very strong right now. Helping others is a primary calling for those who follow Jesus. When those in the faith feel overwhelmed, it’s easy to feel helpless. If no one around notices the problem, or if the oppressed person fails to express difficulties to a friend, that person can easily become isolated and drop out of church. That only makes them feel more alone.

I’m grateful to be able to engage people going through life’s messes. We all encounter troubles at some point. I’m finding prayer and counseling to be a more worthwhile pursuit than “relaxing” at home in front of the television screen.

1 comment:

  1. Amen John. There is a boatload of people around us that need our friendship and support.

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