Finished Reading “Heretics”

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  "G. K. Chesterton, the "Prince of Paradox," is at his witty best in this collection of twenty essays and articles from the turn of the twentieth century. Focusing on  "heretics" - those who pride themselves on their superiority to Christian views - Chesterton appraises prominent figures who fall into that category from the literary and art worlds... those who hold incomplete and inadequate views about "life, the universe, and everything." He is, in short, criticizing all that host of non-Christian views of reality, as he demonstrated in his follow-up book Orthodoxy. The book is both an easy read and a difficult read. But he manages to demonstrate, among other things, that our new 21st century heresies are really not new because he himself deals with most of them." (Goodreads)

"How do I help someone who does not want help?"

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I received an e-mail from a reader who asked "How do I help someone who does not want help? What do I do about people who don't want to change no matter how much we try to help? Do I stop communicating with them?"

These are some excellent questions, though difficult to answer in this forum. I will let you know that your situation is not unique and there are many people who are asking the same questions.

A good starting point toward an answer would be to recognize that we all needed help before we wanted it (Romans 5:6, 8). What would your answers be to the following questions?

1) What does Job 6:14 say a despairing man needs, and for what reason?

2) What does Galatians 6:1 say to the one who does the ministry of restoration?

Without knowing the details of your situation, I really don’t know how else to counsel you on this matter, but here are some things to consider:

1) Do you have all the facts concerning the individual?

2) Is their situation as bad as you thought? As bad as they thought?

3) Who does their situation really impact the most? What is the worst that can happen?

4) Sometimes the best thing we can do is provide an environment where change can take place in a person. Where are you getting your strength and support?

I pray this helps!

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