Faithfulness

Based on recent events in my dear friends' lives, I have been overwhelmed with heartache. I have prayed to God asking how this act of unfaithfulness could have happened and He revealed to me my own unfaithfulness to Him in each sinful act I commit. I still struggle with how these things are possible amoungst God's children and I again am reminded that we all sin. What I am learning is that there are people all around us hurting and struggling to maintain their commitments. Commitments to God and commitments to family are so often the ones that Satan attacks. Repeated attacks without reinforcements gives way to wondering off and wondering off gives way to the hardening of our hearts. This callused condition of our soul lends itself to becoming the empowering nature of self and seeking to be fulfilled through lustful pleasure rather than the love and grace of God.

All too often we are so overcome with how this person has hurt us through their act of unfaithfulness, that we react with a similar nature. We say to them -"you hurt me and I no longer want to be your friend. You have wandered too far from God for our friendship to remain." We simply write them off and harden our hearts toward them. But is that what we are called according to scripture to do? I sought out the answer to that very question and the Holy Spirit directed me to study the book of James over the past couple of weeks. Last night was the conclusion of that study (for now) and as I read the last few verses for a second time from the Message translation, God spoke clearly to me. Why should we maintain relationships with those who wander from God? So that through God's work in our lives and our prayers for them, He might draw them back to Himself and prevent them from destruction and an epidemic of wandering off.

James 5:19-20 (The Message)

"My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God's truth, don't write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God."