Trying on shoes

Have you ever walked a mile in someone else's shoes? It's a life-changing experience.

OK, I realize that each person has their own grief and experiences, and that we can never truly, fully emphasize with an experience we've never been through. But just imagine for a moment that you are in someone else's shoes.

I would encourage you to walk a mile in the shoes of a fellow believer who is struggling with sin...especially before judging them.

How are your friend's circumstances difficult? How are they stressful? How are they emotionally hard to handle? Anytime we let our circumstances drain our energy, doing the right thing becomes 10 times harder. Of course, the ultimate goal is to not let our circumstances affect our behavior at all....nevertheless, sometimes we let circumstances take us for a roller coaster ride, and remembering this can help us forgive/empathize with our friends.

No, we shouldn't find excuses for sin. Sin has no excuse whatsoever. But if you have a friend who's struggling to overcome sin, don't judge him/her for the sin. Encourage your friend to keep trying to overcome it. Admire them for their strength in struggling to rise above circumstances. And pray for them, because prayer is powerful. Walk a mile in their shoes and understand this: because they are tempted, we know they are human; because they are making an effort to overcome temptation, we know they are growing stronger in Christ.