I remember having a lot of questions growing up, and I recall doing many things I should not have done and getting into allot of trouble because of the choices I made. As a teenager and young adult, I thought I knew it all; ends up I was wrong about that! Because I thought I knew it all, I rarely, if ever, went to my father for advice or counsel. As I got older, I realized that my dad was, in fact, a vault of wisdom, and that had I sought his guidance earlier in life, I could have avoided a lot of grief and pain. Some might say I was “stuck on stupid”.
Now I realize that making mistakes and going through those tough times, taught me some good lessons, but as they say “we can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way”. My point is that there are times when our “unhappiness” is brought on because we think we know it all and charge ahead without getting good counsel and advice from those that have been there before. You may have heard that “a smart man learns from his own mistakes, but a wise man learns from the mistakes of others”. I can attest to the truth and accuracy of this statement.
So, if you desire to experience happiness in life and at work, I encourage you to seek counsel as you face key decisions in your life and at work. And, just as listening to the counsel of our fathers is important and helpful when we are growing up, so it is important to seek the counsel of our Heavenly Father, the one who created us, loves us immeasurably, and has a wonderful plan for our lives. Emmanuel, God with us, promises to never leave us nor forsake us, so you can count on him to be there for you; turn to him and trust him, especially when the going gets tough.
I know that, just as it is/was often hard to approach your dad about life issues, it can be uncomfortable to approach God, your Heavenly Father. So, How do you turn to him? God says:
If this is new to you, and you desire “a peace that passes all understanding”, ask God to reveal himself to you and to help you know that he is real. Acknowledge to him that you hurt and are unhappy and that you know you have done some things that have contributed to your own unhappiness (sin). Invite him into your life and into your heart. Put your trust in Him and his son Jesus, who died on the cross so that you and I can personally know and have a real, intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. He yearns to be involved in our lives. Ask him to change you and your life, to give you the peace and joy that you desire, and to direct the steps of your life going forward.
Here are two simple acronyms to help you as you pray:
PRAY
Pray for God’s leading
Respond to God’s direction and calling
Ask for and express thanks for God’s provision
Yield to God’s will
ACTS
Adoration (praise your Heavenly Father for who he is; let him know how much you love him)
Confession (seek Your Heavenly Father’s forgiveness for the things you have done that keep the two of you apart (sin))
Thanksgiving (express your gratitude for the many blessings your Heavenly Father has provided you)
Supplication (let your Heavenly Father know the desires of your heart)
Leave me a comment to know what God does in and through your life. God bless!
And, to better understand the power of prayer for you and your family, consider the following resources:
