I have a cousin who is 90 years old. She called me a week or so ago and as she talked she told me several things showing she was very troubled. I felt so sorry for her. She has been a Church of Christ member all her life but knows nothing concerning overcoming on this earth through prayer and God. She just talks about her various troubles. (I realize these church groups do not often teach people how to overcome.)
She invited me to come see her. She lives 200 miles from me.
I wrote her and told her I would rent a car and come see her if she wanted to talk about spiritual things. I told her the fleshly things were not profitable. I sent her a portion of the writing: Dealing with destructive throughs ... Also I realized she has a fear of death so I included the writing: What happens when we die
I received a letter from her today. I suspected it would be bad. I "peeked" at the first line in the letter and read no more. She said, " Joan, it is evident you care nothing about your earthly family ...
At bottom of her letter I wrote:
===========
After mailing the return to her, I was praying asking God for help.
Paul grieved for the Jews ... Romans 9 ... I feel this type of grief when a person proves he cannot hear the word of God and cannot understand for this shows me that person does not have the Spirit of God and there is nothing in such as case as this that can be done to help such.
God reminded me of some of the prophets who were truly of God but their sons were sons of Beliel ...
There is an elect of God ... a remnant running through history ...
Isaiah said ... Isaiah 1:9 ... Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
If you have the Spirit of God, I suspect you can identify very much with this report.
The only thing I know to do is to commit yourself to God in this type of grief.
In my case, I am fortunate in that I do not have to be around such relatives. But even if you have an opponent living in your house, God is greater than that opponent and when you belong to HIM, HE will sustain you.
Jesus said ... Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Mt. 12
God knows our heart ... and Jesus sits at the right hand of God and intercedes for us at all times. We will overcome through HIM ...
Romans 8 ... Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
We overcome such things through God who upholds us with HIS word by the Spirit of God Who dwells in us. All who are of God go through this type of thing.
While we are very sorry for those who cannot understand, we can rejoice that we belong to God and that HE chose us for salvation in spite of what we once were.
I often just sit and say:
Praise God, thank YOU for my salvation ...
Praise God, thank YOU for my salvation ...
Praise God thank YOU for my salvation ...
Over and over, I keep saying this and it is amazing how the peace of God falls on me as I continue saying this and thinking of God saving me.