I was talking to a guy in my office the other day about his life. For sure he is going through some bad stuff, but nothing uncommon to millions of folks all over the world. Of course telling someone that others are going through bad stuff too, (and that some are even hurting much worse), is not much of a comfort to someone who is living a pain filled life.
Although my buddy has not come right out and told me, I can tell that he’s turned to alcohol and possibly “meds” to ease his mind and erase his personal pain. He’s also hanging out with a guy who has lost his way, left his family, and is spending his time in bars and pool halls. This man is cranky and angry all of the time and is beginning to have serious problems at work which compounds his personal problems.
I told my friend that we all go through crap in our lives, some much more than others. Misery is common to all of mankind at some point or other, and it is one of satan’s most utilized tools. When it pays you a visit the only question is, “Who are you gonna turn to now?”
I told my young friend that he could turn to alcohol, drugs, violence, curl up on the couch in a catatonic state too depressed to do anything but cry, seek counseling from some secular psychologist/psychiatrist who has problems worse than his, or get mad at God and shake his fist at Him. But he should know that:
- Alcohol is a depressant and the last thing he needs is more depression in his life.
- Drugs will destroy even the strongest person and when you open that door, more often than not there is no turning back from the destruction and havoc it will eventually wreak
- Violence sends people to prison
- Sulking and feeling sorry for oneself solves nothing
- Secular shrinks need help themselves and succeed at only one thing: taking your money
- Getting angry at Almighty God is insane
At one point in my life I had problems far worse than my friend can ever imagine and I tried all the world has to offer to relieve my intense pain and it just intensified it. I contemplated suicide, but surmised that God created us to live forever. I thought about my sin filled life and wondered if the next life might be worse than this one.
Yikes!
Hmmm . . . What to do?
I found my peace when I turned to God.
I advised this young man to go to a church in Tallahassee of which I am familiar and talk to its senior pastor and allow him to provide counsel to him and then pray for him. I advised him to get involved in a Sunday school class or small group of Godly men there and ask them to pray for him and to pray along with them. I told him to put on the full armor of God daily and to focus on God.
The Bible states in James 5:16 “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” I related to my friend that I’ve personally seen prayer work in such mighty ways it made my hair stand on end. I love to see the Bible come alive with its truth and I’ve seen this verse come alive and ring true over and again when righteous men and women prayed for me and others.
I know for sure that if this man will pray to our God and focus on Him in his life, (and not focus on all of his assorted problems), he can conquer ANY problem facing him and succeed mightily. In fact I ask you to pray for my friend right now and help him get going in the right direction this morning . . .
Finally I told my young friend that life is like a book. Maybe the last few chapters have been dark and downright nasty, but he is writing the next chapters of his life right now, and they can be anything he wants them to be. They can be similarly dark, vile, repugnant, and filled with sin, or righteous, joyful, and brightly filled with God’s light. He can turn to the self-destructive choices the world has to offer, or he can turn to his loving compassionate God and find his peace. The choice is his (and ours).
Rev. 3:20
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”