A Facebook friend recently posted a comment about how we should take great care in our dealings with others. He spoke about being aware of our effect on their mind and person; particularly warning not to 'mark' their souls. All in all a noble list of 'do no evil' and be wary of your behaviours.
I agreed with most of his points; except this that evil persons can 'mark' our souls. Only you can 'mark' or torment your own soul. The saying: 'Selling your Soul to the Devil', is a just that, a saying. It is an impossibility to sell one's soul. The Lover of your soul is a jealous Protector and Owner of that precious Spirit.
This perceived feeling of 'helplessness' hinges on the precept that we are incapable, stranded, isolated and abandoned to our own devices, and self-strength, in the difficult times. Nonsense! 'My help comes from the Lord' - Psalm23
This help manifests itself in many ways, but most definitely and commonly in the form of family, friends and acquaintances. The 'help' especially put there by our loving Father to help us overcome all the upheavels and evils that life, in its totality, throws at us.
Even family and friends established in our paths, exhibit or allow themselves, to be influenced by this feeling of helplessnes; the inability to know what to say, or do or even (ridiculously) pray for another. I refuse to believe that there are times when there is nothing one can do. No matter how insignificant or empty that 'helping hand' may seem to you; you have no idea how it will affect the person you intend to help. So don't overthink your action, just go ahead and do it!
A person in turmoil will be experiencing varying degrees of emotion and despondency and is probably going through some of the following:
Step 1: Pain: Get them to: Feel the grief. Acknowledge the loss.
Step 2: Anger: Get them to: Identify anger points. Learn how to defuse this destructive emotion.
Step 3: Guilt & Forgiveness: Get them to: Release feelings of guilt and remorse. Learn to forgive themselves and others.
Step 4: Alone & lonely: Don't let them: Grieve alone. Get them to: Find strength and support from others.
Step 5: Reaching for help & hope (from within & outside themselves). Let them know: There are still great things to look forward to.
Remember that the person is most likely also harbouring a morbid preoccupaton with worthlessness, exhibiting a prolonged and marked inability to get on with daily activities, perhaps having hallucinatory experiences (reliving past events in their mind) and transiently playing back their trauma.
Keep all this in mind in your attempts to offer material and/or petition spiritual help and succour.
Personally; when I am unable to 'reach out and touch' somebody's suffering physically; my solution is to bring the problem to the Lord in prayer. And to me even this , at times I admit, seems so fruitless and fickle. But that is just the Devil, still playing his tricks, and especially so when he knows we are vulnerable to a loss of faith.
In my spiritual mindset, were I possessed of a God-given super-power at these times, I have thought of giving myself as a book to the afflicted person. The Book. Something to hold close, portable, personal. Easily taken along as company, support, diversion, interest, new knowledge, insight, comfort, hope and fimiliarity. A symbol of 'it will be alright', for I am with you. (Said with all respect to The Father, Son and Holy Spirit - books are such a love and insipration to many striving souls).
In earlier days I always carried one of those 'Gideon' pocket-Bibles (was traditionally green in colour, and I have had a navy-blue one as well - usually containing the New Testament and Psalms) in my inside jacket pocket. I have no idea when I stopped doing this; but I think it is time to start that again. Because if I can't be that 'Book,' (what are the chances Lord?) then I should always have a book, The Bible, close; and ready to part with as the need may be; to address and banish that worthless myth of helplessness.
I love you with the love of the Lord ~ SB
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