Suicidal friend. Please pray for him

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on July 19, 2014 at 8:32am

I agree. I remember hearing a sermon quite awhile back by Max Lucado called, The God Who Stoops. Jesus stooped to help us. The sermon wasn't about what I'm going to share, but the "stooping" part is because it involves self-sacrifice, and, yes, we ought always to pray and not give up. We help each other by prayers, and when prayers are answered, faith is strengthened. (2 Cor 1:10-11)

When interacting with others, we are always going to experience moments of emotional connection to our own past trauma and generally our first response is to want to resist emotional expression. It's OK though to weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice (it's noteworthy to mention that not many walk away from those stirring up positive emotions). 

It would be very difficult to totally maintain being unaffected emotionally, IMO. Even Jesus' heart went out to people, such as to the widow in Nain, when He raised her only son (Luke 7). 

It's OK to even engage empathically, meaning to feel and experience what someone is feeling and experiencing. Crying with someone isn't anything to be ashamed of. 

Being neutral and detached is also OK if you are someone who tends to show weakness towards co-dependency, someone in his or her own healing process. Such a situation may be, as you said, designed by God to work for your good, as well, teaching you more about developing healthy boundaries when showing your own emotional side. 

There's really nothing wrong with being human. The problem is in being fallen. 

What I'm learning is that avoiding isn't the answer when emotions are being stirred up. Not becoming a slave to the emotions is the answer.

All of us need the support from people who can provide safe, non-threatening and non-demanding relationships. What better place can supportive relationships come from than the Body of Christ?

All of us need to become involved with mature, emotionally and spiritually healthy people, in order to learn what loving relationships are truly like. 

It is very commonly believed and taught that we are to want others to be independent, not dependent, but interdependency is what the Bible teaches and involves being both dependent and independent, a mutual exchange where each person is receiving from and giving to the other person.

It takes healthy boundaries to keep a relationship from turning into a dependent one. If someone is dependent on you, without having any independence of their own, or vice versa, then both people in the relationship are part of the problem. Interdependent relationships are healthy. If you find yourself in such a relationship, it's a perfect situation for God, along with both of you, to use the relationship to help both of you, together, to heal and grow [this applies not only to spouses, but to friends, family, church members, co-workers, and everyone God brings into your life, even therapists :) ]

The attitude of Christ, regarding "stooping" is found in Philippians 2:

…6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.… (NASB)

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Permalink Reply by Tammy on July 24, 2014 at 12:53pm

I did a Max Lucado Bible Study called Grace. In that study, he also taught that same lesson about stooping. I thought it was incredible.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on July 24, 2014 at 4:00pm

Here is a copy of Max Lucado's sermon:

http://www.preaching.com/sermons/11674480/

I wasn't aware of the bible study. I have seen the video of him giving the sermon.

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Permalink Reply by Tammy on July 24, 2014 at 5:57pm

Yes, that is the same one he shared in that study.

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