This is going to seem like a random post, and I apologize. But for the one person who will read this, I promise there's a good reason.
Sometimes I get sad. There's just a lot of sadness in the world. But lately I've been thinking about the sorrow that can come from other people's actions. Not actions directed at you, but actions those you love and care about are taking that is hurting themselves. And they don't even see it.
That is just something that has always made me so sad. And it's not like a "let me cry about my feelings" sad, it's this deep sorrow for them, like a dull pain by seeing this slow spiral downward and knowing it's not up to you to change them.
Being in college I've seen things like this a lot. High school classmates going off the deep end, college friends who lose their way, others who struggle with depression or addictions or just plain loneliness. And that makes me hurt sometimes. I just want to run forward and tell them how they can be happy, how they can change, how they can stop spiraling down. But that's not my job. I can't change them. It's not my life to live. We all have agency to make our own decisions despite the opinions our parents, siblings, peers, or coworkers.
And now it's become very personal. A friend who is blind to something everyone else can see. A friend who has put themselves in a dark place. And the saddest thing is they think that is happiness when everyone who loves them is crying inside at the loss of a wonderful and happy person.
But it's not up to me. It's not up to anyone else. It's up to them. And those people who are lost, those people who seem like they jumped off the cliff and will never get back up, those people still have hope. There's still light available to them, they just need to see it. I know people can change. I know that with my whole heart. I have seen miracles happen in the lives of so many people, people who seemed to be gone for good. But in all of those circumstances it was there decision. They all one day found God and decided to come back to Him.
I'm not saying not to comfort those that need it. I'm not saying to turn your back on the wounded or disregard the pain of another. Please be there. Please be kind. Please love. But don't think you can change them, because you can't. Only you can change yourself. Allow God to work in others lives, just as He has worked in yours. And if you don't believe that, then try to see it. I promise you His hand is there waiting.
I don't want to end with this sadness, so I'm going to talk about some joy. I know that God lives. I know that God loves. I know that He is always there, whether we like it or not. He will never stop trying to bring us back to Him. That is all He cares about. He doesn't care about our past, our mistakes and our missteps. Christ covered those for a reason- to bring us back home. This knowledge is he greatest joy I have, and it's enough to wipe away any sorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment