How is life treating you today? Can you say, “My life just couldn’t be better?” Everything is coming up roses, and I do not know how I can stand to be blessed any more than what I am. Your financially stable, the kids are in college, and your health is in check. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Or is it just the opposite? Is your life painting a very different picture? Are you at the end of your rope, ready to throw in the towel, and things couldn’t get any worse than what it has, and you’ve even entertained the thought of suicide? I know things can get out of control, you say to yourself, but how in the world did I get here? Well, my friend, unfortunately it happens to all of us. Perhaps for many years and a good part of your life, things have been going along as if an unseen hand is carrying you along, and then… Bam! It is like a runaway train. It is like your life jumped on a completely different track, and you are headed in the wrong direction, and you can’t stop it. You are screaming “STOP”, “STOP!”, but no one is listening. What am I to do, and how am I ever going to get turned around? I am so glad you ask.
My friend, do not make another decision until you have considered all your options. “What options?” – You might be saying. Well, did you know that there is nothing new under the sun and generations in the past have went through the same trials and tribulation that we have? At Least that is what King Solomon declared in the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one. “Oh I see”, you say, “This is my answer?” Is this what I have to depend on? It always goes to the religious solution, doesn’t it? And about this time, you are ready to turn the computer off in disgust. Really?! Then you are not desperate enough yet. You are a person most foolish! What do you mean I am not desperate enough?
I’ll tell you what I mean. Man wants to be his own god, and wants to handle his own life, especially when millions of dollars are involved. You say I am rich and I do not need anyone. Ok! I got it! Maybe that is true: you have all the money you will ever need; but let me speak to you hypothetically. What if your wife came home and told you that your child had a very rare disease, and there is no cure. She tells you the medical world is working on a cure, but it is only in the experimental stage and very costly. Now, let me ask you, what would you do? Would you tell the doctors to please do everything they can, and you will help by donating a million dollars. Will you beg them to do all they can to find the cure quickly so your child can be well, normal, and healthy? Sure you would! But your heart is racing like a runaway train because now you’ve just place your child’s life in the hands of a few scientists. Then, time drags on to two years, then ten years, and a million dollars became ten million, and now your child is barely hanging on; the doctors tell you they are close but not there yet. Ok! What are you going to do now? Can your money pay for your worry, and the gray hair it has caused? How about the sleepless nights, the pain of looking at your child that appears so helpless, fragile, and slipping away slowly out of your life. You say, “This is slim, to nothing, of this happening in my life.” Ok! Maybe you are single, gay, and you have money to throw away, and still have money left to burn, but all of the sudden your partner is breaking out with sores, and he hasn’t been honest with you. I know this is an ugly scenario, but these things happen, and many other things we can’t control. So I ask you, what will you do now?
Would it be appropriate and fair to suggest that you consider asking the Heavenly Father to help you now? The God and Heavenly Father who knows about pain, because He watched His son suffer horribly on the cross for your sins and my sins. He came to give us a new life, a whole life, a blessed life of joy and peace. Also, is it out of line to say, “I know you probably lay in your bed on those sleepless nights wondering if there is a God?” Well my Friend, I have good news.
He is as real as your wife laying there in bed beside you. He is as real as the air you breathe, the sun that rises every day, and sets every night. He greets the earth everyday with His presence but goes unnoticed by this spoiled and ungrateful generation. It is a generation that has so much and thinks that the world only rotates around their wants and needs. It is a shame that we always consider him last, when we should consider Him first. He has paid so much for mankind to have a true and blessed life, but we ignore Him, and act like we’ve got everything under control. Under control until our world as we know it falls apart.
I believe that before He returns to the earth that we as a people are going to have a rude awakening. We do not have to have a rude awakening. We could stop and repent of our sins, and give Him our lives as a nation. It would be nothing for Him to turn things around, but it only comes by each one of us doing our part. We can make a decision to love people just as easy as it is to hate people. Speaking loving words brings changes to the most ugly, ungrateful, and selfish people; and can turn them around in a matter of no time; if we as a people put it into action. If every couple that were getting a divorce, would stop in their tracks and decide this very day to test the power of love, they would be shocked at the results.
Here is a challenge for you. If you would take the next 30 days and decide that you were going test this love, and make it a point to do kind deeds of love, and even see if you can out-do one another. In other words, that you would speak only words of love to each other, and that you would only performs acts of love to each other. My friend what a difference it will make in no time. I promise it will create such a wonderful atmosphere in your home that you won’t believe it. I know you might be questioning the statement I just made, how can I make this kind of promise to you? Well, my friend, my husband and I had to do this very thing, and trust me it worked every time. Why? Because it is just as the Word of God says: “His love never fails”. The Bible also says that when you allow strife to enter your life or home, it brings confusion and every evil deed. You must begin to put the other person first; husbands, how about you start by coming home on time with a handful of roses for your wife instead of dragging in late and parking yourself in the recliner behind a newspaper. I promise you, it will reap an abundance of appreciation, and could really improve your intimacy as a couple. It is also equally important that moms start coming home and cooking some real meals for the family, and insist that all phones and electronic devices be put away so you can have a real conversation. There is nothing like getting involved, catching up on what is going on with your children, and especially your teens. This may be good, and then again, it could be and real eye opener. Either way, it is important to have some true family interaction. I’ll bet the first few times will be awkward, but this will show you how far from the shores of true family life you have strayed.
If you truly do this with all your heart, sincere and true to the 30 days, I bet you will want to extend it to another month, and the thought of divorce will grow strangely dim with the power of love having first place in your hearts and home. Lord, I ask you in the name of Jesus that you allow your presence to be felt in every word and act of love on those who take this challenge; and Lord, for mending the lives of these families, healing broken hearts, and allowing your joy unspeakable to fill them to the full measure.
Halleluiah!