Yesterday, my friend Alan Cross shared a brutally honest blog post reflecting on his son’s battle with cancer. I can’t summarize it adequately… just read it for yourself: “What To Do When Your Child Gets Cancer”.
Through Alan’s account, I’m once again reminded of the importance of simply loving people going through the most difficult of trials.
Christians often struggle when people they care about experience the valleys of life. We don’t know what to say. We don’t know what to do.
So we quote Scripture out of good intentions. We “Romans 8:28” people, and leave them hurting, wondering how THEIR situation works out for good. We “Philippians 4:13” people, and leave them questioning where God truly is, because they don’t have strength to cope one more minute. As Alan says, we “work out our theology” on them.
It’s not the time or place.
Advice?
It’s not what you know… it’s what you show.
Hurting people don’t primarily need you to say the right words, share the right Bible verses, or share great truths of theology.
Minister to them with presence.
With prayers.
By listening.
By caring.
Through love.
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
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