Handle With Care!

Praise the Lord!!! My book "Cultivating Christian Faith" is now available in English, Portuguese, and French, and Lord willing, it will be available in Spanish after the first of the year. I really appreciate all the work that others have done to make this possible.

Handle With Care!

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” (Prov. 18:14)

The word “infirmity” in the N.T. Greek can carry the idea of simply being weak in abilities physically or spiritually, however, in the O.T. Hebrew the word invariably means sickness or disease. When one has a strong willing spirit to fight against sickness, he finds nourishment and support in the strength and tenacity of that spirit. It enables one to overcome many obstacles. Now, we know that it is impossible to defeat death, for it is the completed end of the sinful flesh. Nonetheless, in the battle against that old enemy life can be lengthened by a spirit that is resolved to fight back. The strength and determination of a strong spirit nourishes and sustains one in the battle. This is why we see some folk that overcome some diseases and some that are overcome by diseases.

The words “wounded spirit” means to break one’s spirit as a wild horse is broken from its free spiritedness and yields to the bondage of a master. When an individual takes upon themselves the liberty or the cruelness to break another’s spirit, they in truth seek to be master over the other person’s life. This always leads to tragedy. As one’s spirit is broken, the person loses all nourishment and strength to overcome the obstacles laid before him; in a life or death situation, death seems to hasten its victory over the flesh.

I knew a man who told me that his wife told him that he needed to stop fighting the disease and go ahead and die so she could get on with her life. He said when he begged his wife to call the emergency number she refused to do it, at least until her hand was forced by outside influences. This broke the man’s spirit, and the man lost the will to fight back and died about two months later.

True Christians know that we have but one Master; and we are not masters over any man. Great care must be taken to gently cradle a brother or sister that is suffering from sickness or disease. We must lend to their spirit all of the strength, nourishment, and support of our spirit that by some means we might aid in the battle they face. If one cannot do this, then it is best to stay out of the way and do no harm. God will not hold them guiltless who in the evilness of their spirit seek to break the spirit of His children. Handle with care!