When rain falls on vegetation, especially mature plants, you probably won’t notice any immediate improvement.  It takes time for the rain to have a visible effect.

It’s no different when giving someone advice.  You do your best to try to guide that person, but you don’t see an immediate change.  But don’t stop trying to help him or her.  Eventually you should notice an improvement.  Even if you don’t, you fulfilled a noble purpose by making the effort.

A supergroup from forty years ago called the Bee Gees had a song with the following lyrics in it:
“Ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive!“

Don’t give up and resign from living.  There are still rewards which are yours to be had.  Hold on to life and do something to reinforce it.  If you are sad or in pain, joy or relief WILL return.  And when it returns, or if you already have some joy, all the more reason for stayin’ alive.  Ah, ah, ah, ah. 

Have you ever thought that someone doesn’t know as much as you about an experience if they haven’t gone through it like you have?  There’s a lot of truth in that.

A parallel thought is having commited a wrongdoing which you benefited from, but you later repented because you realized it was wrong.  Someone who hasn’t gone through that doesn’t know how tough it can be to not do it again. 

You see, turning away from a wrongful act like that is much harder to do than for someone who has never transgressed.  Your choice can make you stronger and better off than that person… but that’s no excuse to sin!