After hearing/saying “Happy New Year” over and over again, I can’t help but think about those who are miserable. It is especially painful when it has to do with your loved ones.You want what is best for them and it grieves your heart when you see them short-changing themselves. You pray and you plead, but nothing seems to work. It is as though they are on a mission to destroy themselves and have no interest in changing. What do we do?
The fact of the matter is that some will never change regardless of what we do. Even God doesn’t force people to conform to His will. However, we must not let this cause us to give up hope and to cease all effort to reach them. That puts us in a pitiful position. Yes, it’s true that we can’t help everybody, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Although the chance for change might be slim there is no chance at all if we don’t make an effort.
I am ashamed to say that I haven’t always given my best effort in this regards. It’s not like I haven’t made any effort. I tried and I failed, and I finally came to the conclusion that they will never change. They have spurned love, ignored counsel, resented rebuke,laughed at warnings, and responded to kindness with cruel deeds. And when that happens over and over it becomes more and more difficult to keep trying, because it seems a waste of time. You would do anything within reason to help them, but when you begin to believe that it is impossible you stop trying.
Making things sadder still is this– when we quit trying they usually start accusing. They accuse us of not loving them, not caring about their happiness, not respecting their opinions, etc. Although it isn’t true it hurts. More importantly, it also hinders. It reduces our chances of ever being able to steer them in the right direction and get them back on track. So, by the grace of God, let us never give up. Let’s keep trying even when it seems all our efforts are in vain. We ought to do what we should and leave the results to God. We might not reach everyone, but we won’t reach anyone if we don’t try. When we do our best we will reach someone and it just might be the very one we care about the most.
Please don’t give up! The last chapter hasn’t been written and as long as there is life there is a chance that it can be the happiest chapter in someone’s life. I marvel that some people never gave up on me and, even when it seemed impossible, God changed me completely. I owe it to others to never give up on them. It’s not my job to make them change, but to help them to the best of my ability, and that requires unconditional love.— HDS
