Better not to help?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
M

MyPottersClay

Guest
#1
It is natural as Christians to want to help and even sometimes "bail out" a friend or family member. However before we rush in to help, let's take pause and pose this question to Jesus. "Lord is it wise to use what you have gifted me with to meet this need or is this greater than my understanding". You see sometimes we want to help them out of... a situation that God has put them in the middle of...in order to do something in their lives far greater than we could ever understand.
Its tough to see struggle and stand idly by however, intervening in Gods plan we may end up doing more disservice than good. GB
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#2
I think we should always pray about it.

However, sometimes we must also pray that we do not deceive ourselves that its God's will not to help when its our own selfishness or unwillingness to go out of our way for someone else.

We have to examine our hearts.

I fall back on the verses that state whatever we do, if we do it for the love of God. He will make it work out for His glory

(paraphrasing :1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters ...Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.)
 
J

J-Kay-2

Guest
#3
It is natural as Christians to want to help and even sometimes "bail out" a friend or family member. However before we rush in to help, let's take pause and pose this question to Jesus. "Lord is it wise to use what you have gifted me with to meet this need or is this greater than my understanding". You see sometimes we want to help them out of... a situation that God has put them in the middle of...in order to do something in their lives far greater than we could ever understand.
Its tough to see struggle and stand idly by however, intervening in Gods plan we may end up doing more disservice than good. GB

I am going to share what I have written regarding Tough Love. I am bringing it here.
God bless you in your endeavor to find the answers you are looking for. Mine was
for a daughter 45 yrs old. So please read carefully okay ? Some don't take time
and misunderstand what is meant by the words tough love. God bless you. Prayers....
@@



I never ask anyone to speak against their family member regarding how
they deal with Tough Love if one feels it a touchy situation. I admire the
fact our friend wants to tone down what his meaning of touch love is.
In fact Tough Love for my situation, was years of having to watch a loved
one ruin a beautiful life and bring heartache to many. I have no problem
sharing because I feel there are other mother and fathers who are going
through similar situation. I believe many have cried buckets of tears seeking
God on their loved ones behalf. Years and years of praying. Journals we
look back and read those prayers and see what good those prayers did.
I think there are those who feel they have to do something similar and not
sure what to do. Prayer is the only answer, yet even then we really have to
be in tune to God and plead for guidance for us, or protection for the one in
need.
I would never tell anyone to practice it. I could not live with myself if I told
someone else to put a child out and something would happen to them.

Each situation is different. But chastisement in this situation I speak of was
not the TOUGH LOVE I bring to the board. Chastisement was something
I tried when she lived at home under our roof until she graduated and
married. She belonged to someone else by that time.

I tried to raising her in the best Christian environment and guidance according
to the Word of God. She was a beautiful person, but simply could not see
anything as wrong. I am not sure where her mind was, but she continued
on doing more of the things she could not do at home. Marriage was the easy
way to cut the cord and live her own life, her way.

I know it is strange speaking of an adult child ( by this time was divorced w/
2 children) and call it Tough Love. But as the tender years of her children
whom she loved dearly, were being affected, she lost them to their father.

Where does tough love come in now, in this picture ? After 2 stents in
rehab, and trying so hard to work and make a new life for herself, she would
slip back into old habits. We helped her without enabling her. When she needed
a place to live, she worked in town and was able to rent, etc. If she needed a
security deposit, we helped. If she was going to lose her apt. due to back rent
unpaid, we helped. When her furniture was sold she had in storage, and she
needed necessities, furniture, etc., we helped. But, she was still slipping away
from us. I shared Christ with her and she knew Him. She knew her struggles
were demonic and would call for prayer. Many of her letters and cards I have
kept over the years are filled with love and gratitude. Still she never asked to
come home. She finally had hit rock bottom and was trying to get her life back
on track. She needed medical attention, we offered. She needed dental work
we were in the process of helping her get that started when everything came
to a halt the night she froze to death, from having been left in a vehicle .

This is what Tough Love did to me. Her story is not a pleasant one and I am
not exposing everything. She would not care though, because she was just
like me, she was an open book. Tough Love... was knowing she had a need
and taking whatever her need was and seeing the joy on her face when she
opened up a shopping bag and find things she was in need of with out having
to tell us.

Christmas. Oh, my.... Tough Love.... Hardest time ever. She had become so
grateful for everything she received. She was like a child opening a gift and
would be so happy that it would be something she wanted but never told anyone.
She was 45 yrs old. It took so many years for her to find out living a life your
flesh tells you to do was leading to destruction. It was then she was repentant.
She was ready to start anew.

I will say it taught me to love those who were in the same condition she found
herself in. I at one time would have ignored that person who could not live a
straight and Godly life. I learned to love those she loved. I believe it was love
that brought her and I back into the Mother and Daughter bonding, and we
had something in common. We loved with the love of the Lord.

I believe if she could come back and tell you what Tough Love meant to her,
it would be the answer God gave me. It meant she was totally dependent
upon Him. She saw Him work miracles when she needed something. She
had a hard time forgiving herself. But she knew God had forgiven her.

Now do you understand why Tough Love can't be one set pattern ? It works
differently because no two people are alike.
However, parents suffer more than anyone knows. Even when we are doing
what we believe God led us to do, it is by faith I believe He meant what He
showed me about her 'being dependent upon Him' and it was what He wanted
to draw her closer to Him before He took her from this earth.

Christmas is the most difficult time for us because it was the last time we saw
her ~
May all who have loved ones away from home, please keep them in prayer and
know God will do all He can possibly do to help them. It may not always be the
way we want but He never fails to hear....The prayer of the righteous avails much.
God bless all and know I am keeping many in prayer who at this very moment
walking the same path I did. Tough Love is Gods Love ~ That is when He does
His best work, because He is love.
God be with all who are hurting ~ May you and your loved ones be covered under
the wings of His protection. Amen ~
 
M

MyPottersClay

Guest
#4
Wow. ty for sharing that
 
Feb 16, 2014
903
2
0
#5
Its tough to see struggle and stand idly by however, intervening in Gods plan we may end up doing more disservice than good.
Quick question, are you suggesting that we have the ability to interfere with God's perfect plan?

Maybe God's plan is for you to always intervene, or maybe it's not. You don't know, so why try to guess whether or not you should help or not.

Help people. If it's not a part of God's plan, then surely God already foresaw you intervening and will adapt the plan accordingly.
 
M

MyPottersClay

Guest
#6
Im glad you brought that up. Case in point. Let's say your sister is not very good with money and frequently ask your parents for a little here and there. Never developing a sense of money management. absolutely your parents see her need, however, may it be that the Lord knows a time is approaching in her life that He needs to develop the principal of sound money management in her. As long as your parents "enable" her to continue making the wrong decisions financially they are in a sense getting in the way of God. This is when the parents should pray together "Lord is it wise to continue to assist her in her needs or is this something bigger than we understand, we yield to Your will and will stay neutral until we feel your direction. AMEN"
A week later in the paper your parents see a money management seminar at the local community college. Sometimes God wants to do something in someone's life far greater than we understand.
 
Feb 16, 2014
903
2
0
#7
As long as your parents "enable" her to continue making the wrong decisions financially they are in a sense getting in the way of God.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't God supposed to be in control over everything? God, who is in absolute control over everything, is somehow unable to follow through with his plan because her parents intervened?

If God is in complete control over our lives, then it would be impossible for us to disrupt his plan. Even if we intervene, he should have no problem either stopping us, or adapting the plan to our actions.

Sometimes, we have to stop letting people take advantage of us. If your child is financially irresponsible and you're confident they'll wast the money you loan them, then don't loam them the money. But there's nothing stopping you from finding other ways to help them. You can always help them find work, teach them how to be responsible with money in other ways, etc.

All you're doing is shirking your responsibilities and saying, "Eh, God will handle it." You're assuming God will do all the work and all you have to do is sit on the side lines. You're assuming God has a plan, and that you're not a part of it. But let's be real here, you don't know if you're a part of it or not. So don't assume and act accordingly to what you do understand.

Sometimes, you shouldn't act when someone asks for help. But this should only be done when inaction is helping them (such as refusing to give money to someone you know is going to spend it on drugs). This is different than not helping them, it's helping them through inaction.

If God has a plan, then you're unaware of what that plan is. So instead of worrying about whether or not you'll get in the way of the plan, just do what you feel is the most helpful in the situation. You don't know the plan - then don't worry about it. Surely, God being all knowing, will adapt his plan according to your ignorance, no?
 
Last edited:
M

MyPottersClay

Guest
#8
The point you made "helping through inaction" is what I am referring to. Sometimes we rush to ease someone's burden and doing so don't allow the person to "grow" from there mistake. Pain is a God given Gift that teaches us what is correct and what is not. If we take that mechanism away there is much hindrance that comes from their growth.

Simply put, running in to eliminate the effects of mistakes by our loved ones to keep them from pain does nothing for there maturation and sometimes it is better to turn it over to our Great Teacher. Some call it "tough love" I call it putting it in God's hands.
 
S

Sirk

Guest
#9
The point you made "helping through inaction" is what I am referring to. Sometimes we rush to ease someone's burden and doing so don't allow the person to "grow" from there mistake. Pain is a God given Gift that teaches us what is correct and what is not. If we take that mechanism away there is much hindrance that comes from their growth.

Simply put, running in to eliminate the effects of mistakes by our loved ones to keep them from pain does nothing for there maturation and sometimes it is better to turn it over to our Great Teacher. Some call it "tough love" I call it putting it in God's hands.
Sometimes natural consequences are the best of teachers. Sometimes they harden hearts.
 
M

MyPottersClay

Guest
#10
If the old adage, "refine by fire" were to have the fire removed, how would the impurities be extracted?

If the heart is hardened by the fire so be it, but don't deny the refinement process and the growth of a loved one for the sake of those who are unfixable.