Day 120: Going Back For More

In life, there are things that are good for you, and things that are bad for you. Sometimes, they are hard to decipher, and become muddled amidst the business of life. But, sometimes, they are entirely obvious. Sometimes, people are cruel to us, abusive in some cases, yet we find ourselves still in their presence, still desiring to be a part of their lives.

We find ourselves going back for more.

It's incredibly hard to watch this all unfold, especially from the vantage point of a friend of the person obviously being hurt, over and over again.

And then we get to the point that we stop caring. We get to a point where we wash our hands of everything, and tell the person that they are essentially on their own because it's too difficult to watch them throw their lives away.

And how true that is.

It is so painful to watch someone suffer at the hands of another. But, there is nothing more painful than to watch that person go back to that abuse time, and time, again. It's almost as if that person is clutching to a hope that they refuse to dismiss.

They are holding on, no matter what.

And, even though I completely find myself identifying as the friend who can't bear to watch their friend hurt anymore, I wonder what would've happened if Jesus gave up on me. What if He walked away because He couldn't stand to watch me sin again?

I would be lost, forever, left to my own devices and sin.

But He will never give up.

He is mercy.

He is patience.

He is grace.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's right when people remain in abusive relationships, or put themselves in situations where they are repeatedly disrespected, but I can't fault their honest desire to see the people that are hurting them change.

That heart for change, mercy, justice, grace, is the exact same heart that Jesus has for all of us.

The thing we need to remember is that we cannot fix these people, only Jesus can. But, can we pray for them, show them love, mercy, patience, and grace?

Yes.

And I believe we're called to do so.

If you have someone who is being hurt by someone else, remind them that they don't need to subject themselves to that pain in order to “save” this other person. And remind them that they can't save that person, anyway.

Remind them that Jesus can save, and can do the same for their abuser as He did when He radically stepped into their lives and showed them mercy and grace.

Tell them that when they remove themselves from the situation, they can still show these people who Jesus is, and they can rest in His arms while doing so.

No one should be subject to hurting, but no one should be denied the chance for mercy and grace, either.

In Christ,

Lilia