I'm going right back where I was a couple of days ago on here

I'm going right back where I was a couple of days ago on here. I write about what I see in front of me, and what I see is that some folks are just not open to be helped. And it's funny how the same people won't give any help if they are asked for it. I'm talking about being burdened down with care. It's no fun, and the irony of it all is that it really takes very little effort on the part of someone to really lift a burden off of someone else. When someone is downhearted it only takes a very small act or word of kindness or concern from someone to make all the difference in how they feel. I'm speaking from real life experience, and that from both sides of the coin. Listen to what the apostle Paul said unto the Corinthians: "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God" (II Cor. 1:3,4). There's a lot of talk about comforting folks there, in case you didn't notice. So why all the talk about God being the "God of all comfort," and everybody comforting everybody else? Because like the apostle said, folks are often in troubles. Go ahead and recheck it; that is what the man said. Listen my friend, if you are in this troubled world you are going to know some troubles. I'm a man who has literally made a living by "casting my cares on [the Lord]," as well as casting everybody else's cares on him as well (I Pet. 5:7). And I can tell you here and now that I get troubled sometimes, and I know that everyone else does too. I was blessed by a middle aged woman waiting on me in the post office last night, simply because she was efficient and cordial in her work. I looked at her and said to myself: "There's no telling what this woman is dealing with, but one thing's for sure, and that's that she is dealing with troubles in her life." I was telling my son about it when I came back out to the car, and I told him that the way I knew that she's dealing with issues is because SHE'S A HUMAN BEING, and she's in this world!

Sorry but there simply are no exemptions to this unfortunate malady. Like I said, I know very well how to draw strength, rest, and uplifting power straight from the Lord, and I am unspeakably thankful to be able to do so. But it's like I mentioned the other day, we are designed to give and receive help to and from one another as well. You may note that in one of the above quoted scriptures the apostle said that we comfort ONE ANOTHER with the comfort that we receive from God ourselves. That is why the apostles told us things like this: "So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow" (II Cor. 2:7). And this: "Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (I Thess. 4:18). And once more for good measure: "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do" (I Thess. 5:11). There are plenty more passages that say the same thing, so it's evident that there's more than enough of need for comfort to go around. So why make it difficult on ourselves and one another by being so resistant to receiving help when someone is trying to help us? Why lie and say "nothing," when someone graciously asks "What's wrong?" Believe me, if I'm feeling down and you ask me what is wrong, you need to get comfortable and listen up, because I WILL TELL YOU! I can't tell you how frustrating it is to be in a position to help someone and they just refuse to come out of clam mode. But the real spirit killer is when you are the one needing the help, and you are letting someone know it; and they basically stay in clam mode, or unconcern mode, or probably both. What can I say? Other than it really hurts. If I'm a betting man, I'll bet you know what I'm talking about. God has been gracious to me and given me and abundance of grace and skill in the fine art of comforting someone who is troubled. In fact, of all the facets of ministry that I've been privileged to minister in, that is probably my favorite mode to be in. I have to tell you that it is just plain old ugly pride to be in clam mode when help is offered to you, or when someone is seeking your help. It's as selfish as it gets in fact. Let me go one further and say that it is very displeasing to God to be such.

I've spent the last thirty four years, learning, knowing, and practicing being in tune with the holy Ghost; and it isn't difficult for me to feel what pleases and displeases the Spirit of God. Rejecting help from someone who is able to provide it, and offering none to someone who is looking for it is simply a displeasure to the heart of God. It is not like his heart to be that way. I'm aware that there are things that we can't just tell everyone about, but that is the exception, not the rule. We know that Jesus is the great and mighty helper of all mankind, but even he looked for some help from someone when he was suffering here: "Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none" (Psm. 69:20). So do you figure Jesus would have refused comfort from someone who was trying to help? He allowed Simon the Cyrenian to carry his cross for him (Lk. 23:26). I'll give you another oft quoted scripture of mine, and it says it all as well: "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2). I don't know about you, but my greatest joy is fulfilling the law of Christ. If somebody is trying to help you carry a load that's too heavy for you, DON'T PUSH THEM AWAY! Likewise if you can see that someone else is under a heavy burden, don't look the other way and expect someone else to come along and do it. IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! That's why you are the one seeing it. You ARE the one you're waiting for to come along and help them. Allow me to finish with this sobering admonition from the wisdom of Solomon: "If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?" (Prov. 24:11,12). So it's like I said, God is not happy about someone looking the other way; and he is not happy when we refuse comfort from someone who is trying to give it to us either. Amen.