No one ever told me that my heart would feel this way.
Even the strongest Christians have their weak moments, but the sins of a friend can be depressing. Indeed, many times, a friend’s sin weighs even more than our own sin. We see evil from an outside perspective, and in small measure, we experience how God must feel.
It feels like heavy snow upon the heart. You watch as a friend delights in the world and buries their life in sin. You hope they will stop, come around, and realize what they are doing. You wonder what will happen next. You wonder if they know God at all. You pray that God will have mercy on another soul.
But rather than casting the sin out of our minds, acting as if it never happened, it is good to have heavy hearts. Scripture tells us to restore sinners in a “spirit of gentleness,” as if we were surgeons operating on our own child. When it comes to sin, we are dealing with something far more serious than we realize.
Furthermore, we can be susceptible to the same sins, so Scripture warns us to “keep watch on yourself” (Galatians 6:1). When we are apathetic or brash towards other people’s sin, we disregard Scripture and endanger ourselves, so God reminds us to feel the weight and tread lightly.
As you think of a friend or a relative who has made some poor decisions, take a moment to intercede for them and pray for your own strength