If we’re living in obedience to the Lord, doing all that we know we ought to, by His grace; praying, reading the Bible, being kind to ourselves and others, confessing our faults, and we find ourselves in a season of storms, what we’ll need is encouragement to keep pursuing God and His righteousness. What we’ll need at the time reminding ourselves of our identity in Him and declaring His power. And we need friends who’ll propel us there.
If we’re living it up in sin, or wronged someone, as we unpack our story, what we’ll need is correction. What we’ll need is to say we’re sorry. What well need is to repent.
To everything there is a season. That’s why in a post earlier I said I will not join the “bash the Joel Osteen bandwagon”. Because to the obedient Christian, his message and messages like his applies. And even to the person who’s about to take their life, they need to be strengthened to not give up. It’s like that emergency sugar water you give your dying pet so that they can live long enough to get further medical attention.
Obviously we cannot live on sugar all day. If we live contrary to the Word of God, we need 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. The Bible says “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness …” 2 Corinthians 12:9
The same Bible says “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” Romans 8:37.
It is important for us to understand when to unpack what. Otherwise, dishing “repent” when the person needs encouragement, can make us, while probably having good intentions, come across as the friends of Job. And we all know how God felt about what Job friends said to Job. Job 42:7-17
I have noted, some believers who preach on “hell fire” and “our wretched-ness” all day long can come across very critical. In the same way, all the time about how “wonderful we are”, is just as dangerous.
The Bible is not linear, and has never been. Scripture explains Scripture. So let’s not cherry pick and apply. We must also carefully allow the unpacking of people’s stories before we go stamping verses around, calling people heretics etc. 