The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Weeping for souls

I doubt this post will be very popular but should a Christian feel guilty about not being able to weep over souls even though he prays for them?

As you study more throughly the depravity of man and the holiness of God and see lost souls everyday and sincerely pray for them you will begin to weep. I would not feel guilty (there are better motivations), but would begin to look deeper into what you really believe about lost souls and their eternal destiny. I was so hardened that I had to pray for the very tears to even shed a single one-- Bring a bucket for God answers prayer.

Yes, I'm reminded of a sermon I heard titled "IS THERE A HELL"
Thanks Bill

Hi William,

I think you raised an excellent question. I don't know if I have an answer, but it's something that I've struggled with for a long time and have actually thought a good deal about for a number of years. Personally, I have an extremely difficult time weeping or often even shedding a single tear over the lostness of others. I've often been extremely convicted by the fact that my heart seems so hard when it comes to the lost state of others. I've prayed a lot about it and asked the Lord to soften my heart and help me to love others more, but I feel like I haven't made very much progress in this area.

I know we shouldn't place too much emphasis on personal experiences and should rely on the Bible to be our guide, but when I see other people care (seemingly anyway) so much about the salvation of those around them, I can't help but wonder where is that passion in my life. I'm not saying that I don't want my friends and colleagues and even those I don't know to come to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. I've often prayed for my friends, colleagues, others that they would accept Christ and I would be overjoyed to find out that anyone of them had. But, I can't say it's something that I weep over.

Anway, I've got a bucket in the closet, so I hope Joe is right.

I guess I didn't answer your question about whether a Christian should or should not feel guilty about it. I suppose I'm not sure at this point, but it's something I often do feel guilty about.

John

John,
So much of what you have written I find true in my own experience! Thanks too, William, for posting this question. It is something that has been often on my mind.

The second great commandment is to love my neighbour as myself and it seems to me that because I do not appreciate the awfulness of my own sin, and the punishment it deserves, I will be unlikely to weep for the souls of others. For that I do feel guilty. A friend has sent me a link to two sermons which, read in the order in which I have posted them, have gone some way to helping me understand how God views my sin.

http://www.pbministries.org/articles/payson/the_works_vol_2/sermon_07.htm

http://www.pbministries.org/articles/payson/the_works_vol_2/sermon_05.htm

I pray that you too may find them a blessing.
Yours in Him,
Brian.