Comments on: Spiritual Sponges 2

By: Donna K

Donna K — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:25:14 +0000

I agree “tough love” is hard to do and many times you will be viewed as cold and uncaring but we have to come to the point where we realize that we are just enabling that person to continue doing what they are doing and not helping them.

By: Timothy

Timothy — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:17:07 +0000

Witnessing 101 Thank you for the encourgment on this! It makes since cause I have been on the side of tough love and i really respected my parents for doing it. I will continue to listen to the spirit and not go off my fleshly feelings

By: Shannon

Shannon — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:37:02 +0000

Cool….When you pour into someone’s life, and you don’t see any fruits, the natural transition would be to withdraw. But hopefully we are relying on power the Holy Spirit and not our natural tendencies. I think it is important to articulate the reason why you are withdrawing and we cannot fear their reaction. They are going to be mad and hurt. The impact of that conversation will have more meaning when they run out of people they can wear out. The biggest struggle for me is to discern the emotional level any particular bad sponge is at and address it at that level. Some may be ok with, “You are wearing me out, I cannot pour into until you wring out” others may be at a different emotional level and probably couldn’t handle such a direct, bold statement…..but there still needs to be a conversation.

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:35:33 +0000

One more comment about tough love – I’ve experienced it personally and I needed it. It works. It does build character, and I’m thankful someone was strong enough to do that for me.

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:40:52 +0000

Thanks Jimmy – that makes perfect sense. Tough love is one of the hardest things for me personally – and I know it’s the right thing to do too sometimes.