Workouts! ~ [S]FFT Coll. 2

WORKOUTS
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Unless you were trying to be funny, you wouldn’t pull over and ask a jogger on the side of the road if he or she needed a ride. And if you’re a gentleman but find yourself at a gym where you see a lady about to lift weights, you don’t stop and offer to pick those weights up for her.

There is a time, place and season for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1). In the cases mentioned, these people are trying to get in shape or stay in shape and you stepping in trying to spare them the exercise would only defeat the objective. It would also show that you’re missing the bigger picture.

Well, likewise…there are times when the LORD is trying to “workout” something in one of His children and as much as we would like to be helpful or a gentleman, it is more important that we are in prayer and in tune with God’s “bigger picture”. Like playing tug of war with weights, our stepping in and trying to spare someone pain might actually do more damage than good. We the helpers might end up hurting ourselves and the defeating the purpose of the other person’s trial. It’s important for us to remember that pain is one of life’s greatest teachers and God is the ultimate Principal.

Though this should be the exception and not the norm, there are certain cases when a person in sin might actually need to pay the due consequences of his or her actions, for the person’s own good. The Apostle Paul once wrote:

“…you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
– 1 Corinthians 5:5 (ESV)
Even more severe is the case we find in the book of Jeremiah where YHVH has declared His judgment on His people and told His prophet things such as:

“As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you.
– Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14
Now let me remind you; this should be the exception and not the norm. I am definitely not advocating that we don’t pray for our brothers and sisters when we know they are in need or struggling. In the case of Jeremiah, God Himself had proclaimed judgment through His prophet.

So unless you know you’ve heard from the LORD and therefore should not pray, be sure to keep interceding! Meanwhile, it would be a good idea for you to see what you can also learn from your brother or sister’s ordeal. Ask God what it is He might want to teach you through another’s experience. As a human race, we are all connected. Our lives and actions have eternal ripple effects and so any lesson that helps one, ultimately helps us all.

Chew on this!