Hebrews 11:1-3
The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.
By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Anyone who knows me very well knows that I am a “card person”. I enjoy making cards for others…but I also keep a stash of “store-bought” cards handy, so that I always have something available for sending a note of encouragement, expressing gratitude or condolences…or just to say, “I’m thinking of you today.” Sometimes a person is experiencing something of which I have first-hand knowledge…the loss of a parent or sibling, a particular illness or injury – or caring for a loved one who is ill or injured, or the loss of a pet, to name a few.
Other times, I have absolutely no personal background that equips me to say, “I know what you are going through… I get it.” Thankfully, I do not have a terminal illness…I have never lost a child...I’ve never had to say “Goodbye” to a loved one who was deployed overseas or put in harm’s way…I have not endured a divorce or the loss of my husband. Let’s be honest…words of “wisdom” and “understanding” can seem pretty hollow when they come from someone who has never walked in our shoes!
Does this mean that we should not offer compassion and expressions of encouragement to others when we have no first-hand knowledge of what they are experiencing? Absolutely not! But we must carefully consider our words and actions…how they are conveyed…and how they will be received. For instance, telling someone who has lost a child that “he/she is in a better place” does not truly offer them comfort in the moment. When someone is ill or injured, describing your own illnesses and injuries in detail serves no purpose. If friends divorce, suggesting that they “get over it” isn’t right, any more than coddling them and encouraging them to wallow in self-pity is appropriate.
So what are we to do? How do we show compassion and encouragement to others? In these scriptures, we are given a great model. We can share our faith. Where we have first-hand knowledge, we can say, “This is how God got me through my loss/illness/divorce/challenge.” We can tell others, “I know that right now it seems impossible that things will ever be better…but I can tell you from my own experiences that you will look back someday and see how God was orchestrating things and caring for you the whole time.”
If you do not have personal experience, you can still encourage…by lending quiet support, doing little things behind the scenes, and more. A simple hug can speak volumes. You can offer to run an errand that might seem difficult or stir an upsetting memory. You can send a note or e-mail to simply say, “I’m here if you need me… for anything.” When you do speak, you can say, “I can’t possibly understand what you are going through. I know this must be incredibly hard. But I know that God has never failed me in anything…and He isn’t about to fail you, either.”
This is “unseen faith”! We don’t know where, when or how… we just know that God is…that He is ever-present – and always working for us. When our foundation is firmly established in a relationship with God and fortified by salvation through Jesus Christ, we can endure the unthinkable…the improbable…the devastatingly difficult and impossible. Our faith in God – seen and unseen – makes life worth living. It truly is our “handle on what we can’t see.” And one of the greatest gifts we can give to someone else is to offer them compassion because of our faith…and to invite them to share in it, as well.
Sometimes it is so hard to know what to say and do for another person. But if we really, truly love Jesus and trust Him, we always have a response that is appropriate. Simply tell them that God loves them… that He is with them…that He has never failed you, and that you have confidence He isn’t going to start now. What God has done for us, He will surely do for others. Who needs to hear this from you today?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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