Brothers, if a man is overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also are tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1,2)
This is important to know if you are doing counseling. People get overtaken and trapped by their sins, so many times. Sometimes, when they come to Christ, they are already ensnared by a sin that will weigh them down. It is easy for us to tell people to repent. People need to repent. But what happens when a person truly repents, yet finds himself stuck in a sinful pattern? Do we assume that if the person has truly repented, that sin wouldn't be a big deal for him to get rid of? How many discouraged Christians are out there because they have a sin that is too big for them to handle. They wanted out. They repented. But they are still stuck there, and the sad part is, sometimes well-meaning people try to tell them that if they are really saved, they won't have trouble with sin anymore. Therefore, they must not really have repented enough.
Let us listen to people when they are trying to get help. We need to stop ignoring the fact that sin can entangle us. We need to get the person in Christ untangled from his or her sin. Then they can be free to serve the true and living God, and do the same for other weak believers. Let us be forbearing and patient with those who are struggling. And above all, let us have compassion and humility in working with struggling brothers and sisters. Let's see more people in the Body of Christ come free of their sinful struggles. Let's be a means of grace to others.
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