Ezekiel 3:19

“But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.”

Sometimes, one of the hardest things to watch is a loved one doing something that you know is wrong. You tell them the truth and yet, they continue moving in the same destructive path. You know the consequences that they will bring upon themselves, but you feel helpless to do anything about it. That can be a hopeless feeling, and a very frustrating one as well.

Throughout the Bible we see many stories in which the Lord sends someone with a warning about sin. That is not an easy task. Often the process of speaking truth requires that we confront someone who is sinning. We don’t know whether the person will receive the truth with repentance, or if they will reject it and reject us at the same time. But, when we find that those people that the Lord leads us to confront reject the truth, we must also remember that the Word of God is clear about one thing.

The Lord has given each of us free will. We are each able to make the decision to obey or disobey what He has called us to do. We cannot force anyone else to obey Him. That is their business, and that business is between them and the Lord. But our choice to obey or disobey is our business, and it is between us and our Father. We cannot take on the burden and feel responsible when someone we confront with the truth still chooses disobedience rather than repentance.

Today, if there is someone who you know is sinning, and you feel the Lord leading you to speak truth into that situation, then I want to encourage you to not be afraid. Instead, go forth and do what the Holy Spirit is leading you to do. Speak truth and life into the situation and when you have done it, no matter if it is accepted or rejected, and give thanks and praise. God is seeking to work through your life in a mighty way, and sometimes He calls us to His voice in this lost and hopeless world.