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“When a Loved One Sins”
Categories: Shepherd's Corner“But his sons (Samuel’s) did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.” - 1Samuel 8:3
We all have loved ones and people that we care about who have taken a different path; a path of SIN. This cuts to the core and then some because we know what their outcome will be if they do not change direction. Eli was a priest and leader in ancient Israel. God chose him to mentor Israel’s great prophet Samuel. However, he also had loved ones that took the wrong path. Walking the correct path is a choice. Our free will was given in the beginning in the Garden of Eden. “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”” - Gen 2. 16-17
It’s hard for us when a loved one sins, especially members of our own family (personal or church). In our loyalty, we sometimes either overlook sinful behavior or try to justify it. Sometimes our own moral code gets compromised. When we do this, we not only injure ourselves spiritually but take ourselves out of the place where we can be effective in helping them. We may say we don’t want to judgmental or unloving and want to keep the relationship. Or we may let go of our fear and love for God and turn to tolerance. Neither of these paths is a godly one.
We are strongly challenged to stay strong when a loved one falls away, especially when they self-identify as believers with a “slightly different” theology or “progressive views” on a matter. We are always to love but He tells us to pray as well! Pray without ceasing. This is where we find our peace, receive our wisdom for the situation, and can be effective in changing things.
It’s heartbreaking and painful to live in this kind of a circumstance, but God has strength and wisdom for it. He can also change things if we take our hands off, pray with faith, and love as He directs. This is a hard one but, God’s Word gives us the strength we need to endure and teaches us how to pray for the situation. We can be assured that in Him we can be at peace knowing that He has things in His hands always.
