Two different people asked me last week what you say to a person who is living in darkness. Neither time I knew what to say. These two conversations involved three different people. I was in that darkness myself, just two or so months ago. And nothing my friends could say or did say made a difference, even when I knew what the truth was. By darkness, I mean knowing the truth but not being able to grasp it or apply it. I don't mean being lost or unsaved. In the context of these friendships all people are in a relationship with Christ.
So I've been thinking about this question a lot. Is there some specific thing anyone could have said to me that would have changed things? I don't think so. If there was, I am fairly certain that it was said to me at some point over the last year and a half. I have those kind of friends - who tell it to me straight up, in love, and in Jesus' name. But it never mattered. As I said, the above referenced people, myself included, all have a relationship with Christ. Throwing us into a pit and blinding us from the truth is one of the biggest tricks that Satan likes to play on us. As children of God, when we doubt His promises, His truth, His love, Satan gains a victory. As long as we are in a pit (see Get Out of that Pit by Beth Moore) Satan controls our lives. I love the pit analogy that Beth uses in this book.
Anyway, the Holy Spirit really impressed on me Friday night to pray for one of these people. (As an aside, hearing from the Holy Spririt is something I really missed while being in that
pit!). So I prayed. And I felt better. I had been searching out the "right words" to say to these people based on my own experience, and wasn't coming up with anything. It isn't by my own power that I can say the right words to others and pull them up out of a pit. But when God says pray, and you pray, it's easy to see that's where the power is.
So instead of grabbing your friend by the shoulders and shaking them, it might be better if you prayed for them instead. You could always do both, but shaking someone who isn't listening is frustrating. And there is power in prayer.
This is heavy stuff. And I don't know the answer either. But definitely prayer makes a difference. And I have been there too, many times. If I'm not too far gone, making myself pray even when I think I don't want to, goes a long way into coming out of it. But sometimes you get past the point of no return and it takes awhile.
ReplyDeleteThough I do have to add that shaking someone, though it may be futile, can sometimes be a great stress reliever. :)
LOL that you said it was heavy! I tried to not even blog it, but it kept nagging at me! :)
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