“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” (Romans 12:10)
If you are going through personal trials and tribulations, if there is pain and suffering in your life, and you are the one that the Lord has blessed with a faith in Him that passes all understanding, if there is confidence in the assurance of your salvation, and you know that, no matter what it is that assails you, it is for His glory, then tend to the weaker ones that love you.
You understand the truth of Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
They may not.
They may not be able to fully comprehend the truth of Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
While you do.
Whatever it is, it may not affect you all that much, but you must remember that it may be affecting those that love and care about you.
Do not be flippant in your attitude, if the mind in you that serves Christ does not fear, you can rest assured that your flesh in some way does, so do not pretend that this trial is not affecting you in any way. That would be deceiving on your part, and in no way would assist those you know who may not be able to see as easily as you can the hand of God in these moments.
If you have been blessed to be able to understand, even in a small way, human nature, you can hear the trepidation in Paul’s words when he said, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.” (2nd Tim. 4:6)
I am not sure what it could be called, nervousness, anxiety, perhaps even a form of fear when our Savior said, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” Because He also said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death:” (Matt. 26:38a)
Don’t pretend that whatever it is that the Almighty has brought into your life doesn’t matter, that it’s a lite thing, an inconsequential time, that will not help those who cannot handle it as well as you may be able to.
In esteeming others higher than yourself means, without any disrespect towards them in any way, to lower yourself to their current emotional state without losing or negating your unmitigated trust in the fact that where you are is where God wants you to be. The Lord Jesus Christ did this when He said,
“Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28)
Paul did it when he said,
“What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 21:13)
To put it bluntly, none of us are as tough as we think we are, but those that are more Spiritually mature should hold up those brothers and sisters in Christ who are not.
You must reveal to them the Rock you stand firmly upon, and why. The weaker brother or sister, the weaker vessel, those still in the milk of the Word, those who have yet to experience what you may have been through many times already.
“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Heb. 5:14)
Your test my friends may be their test as well, and as the mature one, you are to reveal not pride, not self-assurance, but trust in the One who has put you where you are.
I know of no better verse than this one to offer you here.
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21)
Console them, let them weep over you if that is what they need, help them through whatever it is with the promises of the Word of God to ease their anxiety. Reveal the truths of the words of Job to them.
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:” (Job 13:15a)
It isn’t always because of sin that those moments arrive in our lives, it isn’t always chastisement, in fact, these days and times might not even be for you, but for them.
A calm assurance in His love and mercy towards us may be what they need to see from you, so that if He decides to do the same someday for them, they can reveal the same to others.
