However, if you are a mentor, parent, mature child, or relative and maybe even if you are a friend (not acquaintance), your doing them more harm to simply cry with them and not attempt to provide new choices that would in the future provide better consequences for them.

The Holy Spirit will give you the right opportunity to provide this wisdom to them so before opening your mouth check to see if this is the appropriate time to provide the advice. Sometimes the best approach is to just “be there”. Then, you have earned the status to provide the wisdom at the right time. But that is not a “cop out” to excuse yourself from the divine appointment where God wants to use you to accomplish his task in the person’s life.

Folks in despair are rarely in tune with the Holy Spirit during those times. The reason they are in despair is probably because they have already missed the advice of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes they are “desparately” seeking to hear from God (through a Christian like you). Ever since Pentecost God has chosen to only operate on earth by using Christians speaking the Word in faith and power over situations. Just make sure that YOU are not the Hero but that your words are the real Hero’s voice into the situation.

The sappy “feel the pain” advice is just the soulish tool that Satan is hoping you will use to keep them in despair.

Blessings!