“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” I Corinthians 13: 4-7
I do not let many people get close to me. You can call it being introverted, you can call it battle wounds from childhood. Whatever you want to call it, most people are at arms length from me.
There are a few that I have let wrap around my heart and take up residence. I will love them until the end. I will fiercely fight for them and stand up for them in the face of opposition. I love these people with a First Corinthians kind of love.
But what do you do when all of your love and protection aren’t enough? Before I get an earful of comments, yes I do pray. Prayer is my first defense for anything. I know deep down within the depths of my soul how important prayer is and what God does through prayer. I also know that God does what He wants and allows what He wants in our lives, and it may not make any sense to us whatsoever.
With all of that being said, what do you do when you feel the need to do something on this side of heaven when a loved one is going through difficulty? You know, when you are so hopped up about what is happening to someone you love that you want to put your fist through the wall.
I don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all answer. What may work for me may not work for you. Some people need to go run or something else that is physical. Some people need to blare music in the car and just drive. Some need to be around others while some just want to be left alone.
No matter how you choose to deal with the difficulty that someone else is going through, remember that the focus should be them, not you. Figure out what they need, then take care of it. Sometimes when you think your help isn’t enough, it is all that person needs.
