Miserable Comforters

Yesterday, as i was having supper with a brother and sister yesterday, he commented to me there is this mindset going around that says that "one always ought to be strong". That one shouldn't let himself be weak. That it's simply a matter a decision of moving on.

The well-meant advice has the form of: "It's ok to be down for a while, but you should get out of it."

Hmm... I think in a way, this mindset isn't very balanced, nor is it fully biblical. Because it has this rather legalistic overtone to it. Instead of helping remind and point the struggler back to seek God, it makes the struggler to work harder on trying to 'snap out of it', and suppress the negative thoughts on his own efforts. But the more you try to struggle using your own decisions and mental strength, the worse you sink into despair when you realise that you can't get out of it.

Is the problem totally with the strugglers, then? I don't think so. (Of course, some will have pride... but that's another case...)

I fear we sometime may condemn others without truly understanding their pain. Think we would do well to remember Job's anguished reply to his friends' prescribed platitudes in case we want to advise someone without seeking to understand first:

Job 16:1-5 1
Then Job replied:
2 "I have heard many things like these;
miserable comforters are you all!

3 Will your long-winded speeches never end?
What ails you that you keep on arguing?

4 I also could speak like you,
if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
and shake my head at you.

5 But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

I mean, it's one thing to tell a sluggard, a lazy bum, who refuses to take ownership of his life to get up and move on. But it's totally another thing to tell a guy with a broken leg to "snap out of it and move on". I think the crippled guy would probably stare back at you and say, "My leg may be broken, but my middle finger isn't! Come, let me show you..."

Haha. Anyway this dear bro mentioned that Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven... blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted..."

Yup. Yet another reminder again why it's so important to study the Word of God properly, to handle it correctly. Else we may end up making rules where God's Word never said anything, and not lay down the rules firmly enough, where God has clearly commanded...

After all, isn't all Scripture God-breathed and useful for thoroughly equipping the man of God for every good work?

Just some thoughts. There's so much more to think about. We people are so complex. But thank God He knows how to fix us and make us new again.