Do you get a lot of prayer requests from your friends???
Do you often have somebody who just needs a shoulder to cry on, or just wants you to listen to their problems???
Maybe they don't really want....or will even listen to....your advice.
They just need to get whatever is on their minds....off of their minds....and, then they often feel better just because they shared it with somebody else!!!
Do you often have somebody who just needs a shoulder to cry on, or just wants you to listen to their problems???
Maybe they don't really want....or will even listen to....your advice.
They just need to get whatever is on their minds....off of their minds....and, then they often feel better just because they shared it with somebody else!!!
So....then, has this little scenario ever happened to you?
One day, it's your turn...and you are the one who has a problem, or you're going thru a trial, or you need a friend to pray for you....and, some of the very same people who you've been there for....just don't seem to want to listen.
Maybe you're trying to explain about why you're a bit "down in the dumps", and they come back with something going on in their life, or somebody they know who has it a lot worse...their problems are bigger...their mountains are higher...you feel like they're saying...
"But, what about me"???
"What about what I'm going thru"???
"Look at how terrible my life is"???
"How will I ever be able to get thru this"???
"Your little petty problem doesn't even compare to mine"!!!!
That might not be what they come right out and say...
but, that's the impression you are left with...so...how do you wind up feeling????
Please, please, please....don't get me wrong.
No matter what in the world we're going thru, if we stop and really think about it, there are others who are suffering much worse than we are!!!
But...when you're right in the middle of what you feel is a crisis at the moment...don't you just want someone to be sympathetic with you???
Don't you just want somebody to be your friend and to just listen to you....maybe like you've taken the time to do for them????
I'm truly trying to make a point here, but taking the long road, I know!!!
I love my precious Mom so much....and I'm realizing that fact more and more the older both of us get.
I shared with you all this week about one of her little sayings.
Something else that she says is:
"nothing ever stays the same".
(more on the topic, possibly tomorrow!!!)
So, whatever it is we're struggling with....more than likely the situation will get better....or, even possibly worse....but it will never stay the same!!!
Several years ago, I had a problem and I didn't share it with anybody at the time.
But, later on, I mentioned it to a lady I was talking to and her remark to me was,
"Well, I guess you thought about me and realized that my problems are much worse than yours"!!!!
I'm sure she didn't even realize what she was actually saying.
But.....
all of this got me to thinking!!!
How often have I possibly done the same thing????
When somebody asks me for prayer, or needs me to just listen....how many times have I thought to myself how petty their problem seemed to me, and even compared it to something that I was going thru????
I know how badly I feel when I just can't seem to get the support that I need from others....but, have I often done the same thing????
So....here's a thought I want to share with you.
What if I prayed a prayer....and I cast my cares upon God, like the Bible says to do....and I prayed "in Jesus name", just like we're told to do....
and, what if Jesus said to me:
"How can you even dare ask me to take your petty little problem to my Father?
What you're asking of me.....well, it doesn't even compare to what I went thru.
My own family wouldn't listen to me.
I went from town to town trying to get people to hear me....to realize how badly they needed a Savior....but I was rejected, laughed at, criticized. One of my very own betrayed me and sold me because of his greed.
I was spit upon....my beard was plucked out....a crown of thorns was jammed down on my head and blood ran into my eyes until I couldn't even see. My skin was torn from my bones from the beatings that I was given with bits of bone and sharp rocks. Even after I was so weak and had lost blood, and could barely see, or even stand....I was forced to carry the heavy cross that they would crucify me on, then I had to lie down on that cross while I was nailed to it....sharp nails driven into my hands and into my feet. Then, when they put the cross into the ground, the weight of my body ripped my hands and feet even more. I was bleeding....and the physical pain I was feeling....well, nothing you've ever felt could even compare!!! To make matters even worse, I was criticized while I hang there dying....even going to my death for those who were mocking me!!!
So...have you ever...or will you ever...feel anything compared to what I've gone thru???
And, remember, I did all of this just for you!"
As I wrote these words, I realized this:
Any "evil" thoughts I've had about what problem somebody is facing....if I haven't truly prayed for them, or if I tried to compare their problems with my own....
I am so very sorry!!!
Jesus would never say what I wrote.
He is our best friend, and we can take ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to Him!!!
So....if you feel like nobody is really listening to your problem....
just remember that Jesus listens....
and He cares....
and He is gonna love us like nobody has ever loved us...
or ever will!!!
Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly:
and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
In His Love...and with mine!!!
One day, it's your turn...and you are the one who has a problem, or you're going thru a trial, or you need a friend to pray for you....and, some of the very same people who you've been there for....just don't seem to want to listen.
Maybe you're trying to explain about why you're a bit "down in the dumps", and they come back with something going on in their life, or somebody they know who has it a lot worse...their problems are bigger...their mountains are higher...you feel like they're saying...
"But, what about me"???
"What about what I'm going thru"???
"Look at how terrible my life is"???
"How will I ever be able to get thru this"???
"Your little petty problem doesn't even compare to mine"!!!!
That might not be what they come right out and say...
but, that's the impression you are left with...so...how do you wind up feeling????
Please, please, please....don't get me wrong.
No matter what in the world we're going thru, if we stop and really think about it, there are others who are suffering much worse than we are!!!
But...when you're right in the middle of what you feel is a crisis at the moment...don't you just want someone to be sympathetic with you???
Don't you just want somebody to be your friend and to just listen to you....maybe like you've taken the time to do for them????
I'm truly trying to make a point here, but taking the long road, I know!!!
I love my precious Mom so much....and I'm realizing that fact more and more the older both of us get.
I shared with you all this week about one of her little sayings.
Something else that she says is:
"nothing ever stays the same".
(more on the topic, possibly tomorrow!!!)
So, whatever it is we're struggling with....more than likely the situation will get better....or, even possibly worse....but it will never stay the same!!!
Several years ago, I had a problem and I didn't share it with anybody at the time.
But, later on, I mentioned it to a lady I was talking to and her remark to me was,
"Well, I guess you thought about me and realized that my problems are much worse than yours"!!!!
I'm sure she didn't even realize what she was actually saying.
But.....
all of this got me to thinking!!!
How often have I possibly done the same thing????
When somebody asks me for prayer, or needs me to just listen....how many times have I thought to myself how petty their problem seemed to me, and even compared it to something that I was going thru????
I know how badly I feel when I just can't seem to get the support that I need from others....but, have I often done the same thing????
So....here's a thought I want to share with you.
What if I prayed a prayer....and I cast my cares upon God, like the Bible says to do....and I prayed "in Jesus name", just like we're told to do....
and, what if Jesus said to me:
"How can you even dare ask me to take your petty little problem to my Father?
What you're asking of me.....well, it doesn't even compare to what I went thru.
My own family wouldn't listen to me.
I went from town to town trying to get people to hear me....to realize how badly they needed a Savior....but I was rejected, laughed at, criticized. One of my very own betrayed me and sold me because of his greed.
I was spit upon....my beard was plucked out....a crown of thorns was jammed down on my head and blood ran into my eyes until I couldn't even see. My skin was torn from my bones from the beatings that I was given with bits of bone and sharp rocks. Even after I was so weak and had lost blood, and could barely see, or even stand....I was forced to carry the heavy cross that they would crucify me on, then I had to lie down on that cross while I was nailed to it....sharp nails driven into my hands and into my feet. Then, when they put the cross into the ground, the weight of my body ripped my hands and feet even more. I was bleeding....and the physical pain I was feeling....well, nothing you've ever felt could even compare!!! To make matters even worse, I was criticized while I hang there dying....even going to my death for those who were mocking me!!!
So...have you ever...or will you ever...feel anything compared to what I've gone thru???
And, remember, I did all of this just for you!"
As I wrote these words, I realized this:
Any "evil" thoughts I've had about what problem somebody is facing....if I haven't truly prayed for them, or if I tried to compare their problems with my own....
I am so very sorry!!!
Jesus would never say what I wrote.
He is our best friend, and we can take ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to Him!!!
So....if you feel like nobody is really listening to your problem....
just remember that Jesus listens....
and He cares....
and He is gonna love us like nobody has ever loved us...
or ever will!!!
Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly:
and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
In His Love...and with mine!!!
That is exactly how it happens most of the time though. Someone always is having more problems than you.
ReplyDeleteYou know until it is put in black and white, I don't really pay attention to detail. I know we all have our problems and I always try to have an ear, but Jesus could of said all that when we approach Him with our problems. I am so glad that He loves us and listens to us. I am a good listener and when someone tells me something, I try to give them the respect at that moment and try not to metion any of my problems. For I feel God sent them my way and wants me to just listen to them and not dwell on my problems.
ReplyDeleteI went out in town to today grocery shopping. Went to Wal-Mart heard a lady talking about all her health problems and then to Ingles and older gentlemen was talking about his heart surgery tomorrow. I just thought since I heard I will whisper a little prayer for these two people. Did not know either one of them, but I felt if God allowed me to hear then I needed to ask God to touch and heal them. I thought this went alone with your post today.
ReplyDelete