The other day my wife was working on laundry in our bedroom and, as is her standard operating procedure, she had some sappy, corny, love-story movie on as she was folding clothes. I must learn to avoid these times because, as much as I hate to admit it, I often get sucked into the show and I have far too many, more important, things to do.
However, as I struggled with my dilemma on this particular occasion, one of the characters in the show exclaims to her nemesis, “You’ve ruined my life!” At which time I looked at Colleen and asked, “Did she really?” How often do people over-estimate the importance or effects of certain events in their lives? I remember the first real girlfriend I ever had that broke up with me and how devastated I was. Looking back now in hindsight: not a big deal! The older I get, and the more I understand about what is really important in life; the less I see that could “ruin it.” The fact is the only thing, or person, that could ruin my life, is me! How I live, either in obedience and faithful service to God and man or not, will determine my success or failure. In 1 Peter 3.10-11 Peter quotes from the Psalmist David saying:
“He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.”
Isn’t the simplicity of God’s Word beautiful? If we want to be able to love our lives and realize happiness then all we have to do is keep our tongues from speaking evil and lies, turn away from what God calls evil and seek what is righteous, desire the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4.7), and pursue it. Solomon in his God given wisdom said it in the most simplistic of terms when he wrote, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12.13).
What is troubling you and me is more often than not simply not worth the trouble! We are instructed to cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5.7). If we desire the blessings of God in our lives we must “seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness…” (Matthew 6.33). We must be obedient to Jesus (i.e. we must obey the Plan of Salvation and be baptized into Christ and His body for the remission of our sins) in order to receive God’s spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1.3) and we must be faithful (Revelation 2.10; 1 John 1.7).
As we begin to put a close to the year that is almost behind us, and look forward to a new year ahead, let us be determined to not let anything or anyone ruin our lives! If you are not a child of God, because you have not yet turned your life over to him in humbled, submissive obedience, do it today. Repent of your sins (Acts 17.30), confess Jesus as the only begotten Son of God (Romans 10.10), and be buried with Him in baptism for the remission of your sins (Acts 2.38; Galatians 3.27; 1 Peter 3.21). And if you have done these things…Be Faithful!