How do we respond?

The Lord has blessed me with wonderful women in my life throughout various stages.  In college, I had great roommates who are still great friends, and Amber Norkett who took time every weekend to meet with me, teach me, pray with me, encourage me, and love me even when I made dumb choices!  I am so thankful for those women whom God used to help mold me during those years.  Amber moved after my senior year, but shortly after, God directed my steps to Desiring God Community Church where I met Nicole, Kelly, Beth, and Laura.  These women were such a blessing during a different phase... engagement and marriage.  Every single one of these ladies holds a special memory in advice I was given as I prepared to become Mrs. M.A. DeBruhl.  I am so thankful for these ladies and the wisdom God shared with me through them!  Kelly and I started meeting once a week for accountability and have now continued that for 2 or 3 years.

such a long introduction for my post, but these women have been on my heart lately, and one of those women led me to this...

So Kelly and I were meeting and talking about things in our lives, the joys of knowing God, the ugly sins, and the places we are in life.  Kelly informed me of a blog that is written my Carolyn MaHaney and her daughters, and they were going to start a series on Envy (which every woman should read!).  So I put it in my google reader and read along with the series post with much conviction!  It was about comparing ourselves with others and what Jesus' response is to that... go read it!

So of course we think about how we should live "not concerning ourselves with others" and think about Jesus' response to his comparing friend...


“Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22)


BUT it got me thinking deeper... "how do we respond when people come to us with struggles and concerns?"   I have been dealing with the way people respond to me when I ask them to pray for me about something that is happening in my life.  Most of the time people respond with "well I had a friend who...." or "well it took us 3 years..."  what are those responses?  COMPARISONS!  Not only do we compare ourselves to people and envy what they have that we don't, but we encourage others to think of their life situations in comparisons.... don't get me wrong, I think we can learn new things from others' life experiences and be encouraged that we are not alone, but what should be our first response?  THE GOSPEL!  Reminding them that the grace of God is meeting them in that place... that it is in God's sovereign plan and encourage them to follow him through the trenches!   Remind them that "no good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly" Psalm 84:11b.


I put myself in the boat of those people who try to encourage by telling people that someone else might have had it worse or sharing what worked for others, and I need to remember that it is the gospel that brings healing and contentment... not comparisons.  The responses I have received through this tough time that have warmed my heart and helped me to say "it is well with my soul" are those that have lead me to the gospel.  


Thanks to all you ladies who have walked along side of me and through all points of life helped me to say "God is good in ALL things"...