Soli Deo Gloria

You know how when you are sitting in a bible study, at church during a sermon, or just reading God's word all by yourself and everything that is being heard perfectly applies to someone in your life other than yourself? It's actually kind of distracting. I think, "Wow, I wish she could have heard that." Or, "Maybe I could memorize this and tell it to her and she will listen to me then." It makes it worse when the person you are thinking about knows a ton about God, and what His word says, and yet totally lives like it doesn't matter. Where do you even begin with those types? Prayer, obviously, but beyond that it gets fuzzy. When you see them, do you pretend everything is ok? When they fish for advice, do you answer like they know God, or like they don't? It gets so confusing.
My precious sister is in this particular situation. She knows what God asks of her. She has made a past proclaimation of belief, and yet it seems the soil was too shallow. What do I say? I've tried reminding her of God's truth. I've preached, I've reprimanded, I've begged, I've cried, I've prayed. I'm so confused by this whole thing. How does one see the arms of safety and love (and even felt the warmth of His blessing), and then run the other way? How does one know so clearly the consequences and yet still choose that action? Was she ever saved? Will she ever return to the arms of Jesus, broken and bruised, and beg for His perfect love and healing once again? And mostly, how in the world is God going to use this craziness for her good, and His glory?

I'm scared.

It hurts so bad to see someone you love so much fall into a pit, and then when you reach down to help them, they refuse your help.
"Hey, down there! Here's a rope. Grab it and I'll help you out!"
"No, thanks. I like this pit. It's getting comfy in here, after you get used to the musty smell. And, actually, I'm starting to see quite well here in the darkness."
"What? Don't you miss the sunlight?"
"Nah, not really. I'd rather not come out. The sun will just show all the dirt."

So here I am, holding the other end of the rope. Waiting. Praying and waiting for the day that God enables her to grab a hold of that rope and escape the pit. It's the waiting, and not knowing what's going to happen that really sucks. Soli Deo Gloria (only for God's glory) takes all I want and burns it to ashes. It takes all my best ideas, plans and words, and makes them totally obsolete. Man, that is hard.

Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!