How many times have you been upset or depressed or angry or feeling dejected or inadequate and someone tells you, “You shouldn’t feel that way”? Of course, by any intellectual reasoning we should never feel downtrodden or out of sorts, but the simple truth is: from time to time, we all feel bad about something. James encourages us during trying times:
James 1:2-3King James Version (KJV)
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Naturally, when we are going through extreme times, it doesn’t stack up very high with us when we are told that these situations provide patience. What we want at the time is relief.
During these times too, for someone to simply recite a slew of scriptures also provides little help. What we should do really is first talk to people for who they are: people here on earth struggling. We need to speak to people on earthly terms, terms that have understanding and meaning as people to people.
I think it was great that Abraham was able to accomplish what he did or that Moses was who he was or Joshua had the fortitude and courage he possessed, but while the scriptures do point out the high marks of many of these great patriarchs, there is a lack at times in the recording of their struggles with their doubts or faith. We do get a glimpse of it at some intervals when it comes to David for he appeared to go from an extreme high to a dismal low with his attitude.
No, we should feel bad. We shouldn’t feel many ways at different times, but we do nonetheless.
Spouting off how you handled something easily really doesn’t assist me at all. It probably doesn’t assist other people either for we all have different makeups and perceive reality differently from one another and thus, respond to events differently.
The core truth is that none of this is really an intellectual or cogitative problem. The problem we endure is spiritual in nature.
Romans 15:1-11 ESV
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, …
Yes, we lift up one another through scripture and by our consol. This involves being there for our brother when they are in need. Mostly, in times of crisis it isn’t even words that are needed, it is simple companionship.
Hard Times Ministries 