“Listen carefully to the words of the wise;

apply your heart to my instruction.” Proverbs 22:17

What are you asking for right now?

Will it be everything you hope if you get it?

As I am getting older, I have had opportunity to watch a number of people struggle. Really struggle hard.

I have struggled hard.

Some of these people struggle hard because they have put themselves in the place they are in. This, almost without question is how my life became “miserable” the times it did.

The difficult part to watch is…they don’t (and likely will never) see the facts that where they are is of their own doing.

They then blame God for their pain.

It’s a hard road, this life on earth.

There’s a lot of confusion and anxiety for all of us.

We accept Jesus Christ as savior and we have confusion on what to do, where to go, how to go, how to do.

We live without him, in the carnality of the world, and we are confused about other things. Not less important to the human mind. Just different things.

For those of us living and walking with the Lord, I ask you this.

Are you really surrendered to him or do you say that you are, but attempt to manipulate your circumstances to fit your idea of what the Lord’s will is for your life?

Be careful for what you ask.

Be careful the steps you take to get what you are asking for.

Be careful to listen.

As we walk our lives out, we will have many people come across our paths. When we are in the middle of a big decision and must make choices which are life determining, future altering, be very, very careful who you trust and who you will take counsel from.

I have myself, and have watched many others take counsel from those around them affirming the decisions made or needing to be made which in the end are the absolute wrong course.

I think it important to note here that many of us “believers” when thinking and discussing this type thing tell ourselves and those in our circles to be very careful to not let those of “the world” influence us. Certainly, this is my thinking in writing here. However, I found it eye opening and a bit of a correction from the Lord today that we must also apply this to the “believer” group with which we hang. Case and point. Note Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians.

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us. For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:6-7

Yes, from even inside the walls of our beloved church, we can be influenced in the wrong ways.

But I digress…

We are masters at surrounding ourselves with people who will tell us what we want to hear as we manipulate and connive circumstances to fit our desired outcome all the while telling ourselves and anyone listening about doing the “Lord’s will”.

How often, much later we suffer our choices because we are then blindsided by the unintended consequences to our former actions and choices.

We only have ourselves to blame, yet we question the Lord. “Why me Lord?”.

Where are you at today?

Where do you hope to be later in life?

Are there choices you can make today that will help get you on that track?

If you are in a rough spot, is there any possibility you may be the one to blame?

If so, have you owned it?

Are you doing what you can to change the current circumstance?

If not, why not?

Sometimes the unintended consequences to our former and previous denial of truth and our manipulation of circumstances are not able to be altered or remedied. We can only accept and live with them until we face Jesus.

I submit, though, it’s more often than not our fault, through our unwillingness to do the right thing earlier, to listen to those we SHOULD have trusted, in life that bring with it the pain and agony we now suffer.

My own personal pain, if I am honest, in large part, was brought on by me. I lied to myself. I spoke half truths to others which helped me receive the affirmation and answers I wanted in order to get and do what I wanted back then. I listened to and counseled with others who affirmed my desires and the choices I considered. With time, slowly I avoided seeking counsel and friendship of those who knew me best and traded it instead for a circle of friends more inclined to “approve” of what I wanted to do. I became a shadow of my former self all while trying to maintain the image of “dad” my children expected me to be.

It was only later the real cost became evident.

Not once to my recollection, however, have I ever questioned the Lord and asked, “why?”. I knew all along the choices I ultimately made had a potential negative and painful outcome.

At the end of the day, my selfish desires won out and later, much later, the piper came to be paid. And pay dearly I have.

Be careful then the choices you make. At every step I implore you; begin to look ahead some. What will this cost in the long run?

What do those who know me and truly care for me say about it (should you even ask them)?

What do those around me affirming my desires have to gain should I follow through?

What are the lives like of those I am seeking to affirm me and would I wish to live their lives? (never, for example, ask a broke person for money advice)

If you struggle today, know, we all do.

It’s hard, this life.

We have choices upon choices to make all the time.

Sometimes, we nail it.

Other times, we miss…and miss badly.

When we do, we must do the best we can to correct course as much as is possible. Acknowledge the errors and decisions made (ultimately in selfishness) which led to where we are today, and let God in his infinite mercy come to comfort us as we walk through the (unintended ) consequences with which we must now deal.

-rob out