yikesaroo

Amen - I agree with your answers and submit as an excellent example, Nehemiah when he was rebuilding the wall at Jerusalem. Nehemiah gives instruction and encouragement to the people. "And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us" (Nehemiah 4:19-20). Nehemiah is there right beside them but not lording over them and/or micromanaging.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 1:9-10) How does facing a harrowing crisis help us grow in the Lord? How has a crisis helped your spiritual life? What is the value of learning not to rely on ourselves? What does this do to our pride? How does this improve our effectiveness as God's servants? I've been blessed with being able to logically assess most situations in my life although I have to admit it takes me about three days to process any crisis. One of my daughters was stabbed in the back by her "boyfriend" about six years ago and my first thought was, "just give me ten minutes with this young man with a baseball bat in my hands!" Not very Christian to say the least. I prayed to God that my daughter would be healed and that I would have no ill will towards this man. God answered both of my prayers and once again my faith was strengthened. God takes us through "deep water" to cleanse us, not to drown us. At the young man's trial, I was allowed to speak and through my faith in God and His faithfulness in my life, I was able to tell this man that I had forgiven him and that I would pray that he would seek God and receive Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. I could not have done this on my own. I don't know if he ever made a decision for Christ or not. Pride was not and is not an issue.

The only way we can comfort others with sympathy instead of empathy, is to experience some of the same problems, etc. others are facing. My strength and comfort come from knowing that God is in total control of my life. How can a person not be comforted knowing that the God of Creation loves them and only does what is best for them? I was diagnosed with cancer in December 2007 and I told my friends and family that this was the "path" that God wanted me to be on. It wasn't the path I would have chosen, but the Bible tells me in Isaiah 55:8, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. I knew that through what I was experiencing, I could help comfort others.