I mean, seriously?
A few months ago, this is what I found written on a bathroom stall wall at school…
“God, please help me. I am so alone!”
This is such a sad and disturbing engraving on a bathroom wall, especially on seminary property. Granted, I can understand a person who has come to school without knowing anyone and is having a hard time away from friends and family. It was lonesome for me for a little while, but not for long. The problem comes from the fact that this person went to such length in displaying it on a bathroom stall wall. This is more than just wall graffiti, but rather, this shows a possible desperate cry. As fellow Christians, this should be upsetting…no, it must be appalling to us. Why should we care? Well, if this was written by a fellow Christian then something is seriously wrong.
So, is this sufficient evidence that God abandons a person? I seriously think not. Over and over in the Bible, God promises that He will never leave nor forsake us. This is our hope.
This is not the end of the story…
Tonight, I went back to use the same bathroom while at work and this is the addition I found written on the bathroom stall...
“Get over it.”
Wow. I was utterly floored and broken hearted at the same time. To think that the first statement was too much, this response drives the nail deeper. Honestly, I cannot fathom the response of our Father in Heaven. Broken heart?
Yes, God never leaves us nor forsakes us, but do we often find ourselves leaving or forsaking each other? From the looks of this hidden conversation on a bathroom wall, it seems as though there is somewhat of a lack of concern for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We never know what a person is going through. We never know what is on the mind of the person who is next to us.
So, be challenged to invest in your brothers and sisters in Christ. Be challenged to encouraged and build each other up. Be challenged to live as Christ, not only to the lost around you, but also to other believers.
6 comments:
very sad....
perhaps this person, very likely a Christian, doesn't feel the god he once knew anymore? I know the feeling that brings...i know the pain that causes all too well...Of course i am only speculating, but you might not be too surprised to know that seminary students often end up in this exact position...in the last few months i have met more atheists with Th.D's and DD degrees from conservative christian universities than i could shake a bible at...all of whom have felt that aweful feeling of losing their god.
its a tough thing to go through
Kyle,
Great post! Thanks so much for sharing about that. It is so easy to look over people on campus who may be hurting and needing an encouraging word. But how true it is that we should never feel completely lost and alone... if we do, we have placed our feelings and ideas as an idol in our lives and are looking to them for fulfillment... not in Christ. He is to be our ultimate joy and strength... I know this is a struggle at times... I know from experience! :-)
that breaks my heart---first that someone would cry out in such desperation, second that someone would deny, diminish, almost make fun of that cry....
is THIS where christianity is turning? are we turning our backs on people and telling them to toughen up, to get over it?
if so, i'm truly sorry...i'm sorry for the times I've did such and not reached out to help someone in need....
Christ called us to a much different life- called us to love unconditionally, called us serve, to lower ourselves, to reach out to the hurting, to love the unlovable....I think we need to focus more on the life of Christ and view how HE lived and truly begin to measure ourselves to that.. I think if we honestly looked at our lives, we'd all realize there is much more that we need to be, ought to be, should be doing...
I challenge you & I challenge myself....
thanks for that reminder Kyle
Miss Sherri,
I think you hit the nail on the head... we should not be comparing ourselves to our circumstances or to others... but to Christ... He is our standard for life and if we are discontent with our place in life or circumstances around us, our focus is off... we must place our gaze on Christ; it is only there that people like that hurting man will find peace!
Kyle, that writing on the wall is truly heartbreaking. The tragedy of being alone is steep, but then the cold heartedness of "get over it" is even more steep. I pray that God places good, fruitful friendship in whoever wrote the original post, and I pray that God breaks the heart of who wrote the afterthought.
Great post, Kyle.
Thanks Logan. It is heartbreaking. I appreciate your comment. Be encouraged! Rejoice.
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