Walking With God

HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD ONCE WE PRAYED FOR HELP FROM GOD?

Everyone has at least one problem in life.  Many of us are well-equipped to handle our problems while others are not or have failed in their attempts to right the wrongs they have committed.

But God asks all of us to follow HIS guidance for problem-solving.  If you are struggling with addiction, sexual immorality, abuse, poor interpersonal relationships, or anything that is affecting your life in adverse ways, God has a plan!  If you can follow the instruction below, you will be on the correct path toward pleasing God:

1/ Pray about your circumstances and then wait on God’s timing.  While you wait, spend time helping others who need assistance—it will help not only them, but you too.  Another strategy is to live as blamelessly as possible while you wait for God to answer.  Waiting time is not wasted time--when we wait on God’s timing, it creates an ability for us to trust in Him.

2/ Trust in God’s power.  Assess your situation and be honest in your assessment, whether or not you feel it can ever be resolved.  Give glory to God for the good things in your life, knowing that God is bigger than your circumstances.  Genesis 17:1 tells us that God said to Abraham “I am God Almighty.”  Remember, God controls the sun and the moon and is involved in every detail of the world and your life.  He is all-powerful and all-knowing.  Trust in Him.

3/ Listen to God’s voice.  He may be speaking to you in various ways—maybe through other people and definitely through His word in the Bible.  You will discover that there may be sins in your life that you need to correct.  There may be relationships that need to be mended and healed.  You will receive direction if you can listen to God’s voice and choose to receive Him.  (John 1:12)

4/ Obey God.  Is there a commandment that can be applied to your situation?  If there is someone you need to forgive, tell God that you forgive them and then reconcile with them whenever possible.  God didn’t give us the Holy Bible to make us smarter sinners.  He gave us the Bible to study, comprehend, and then take action.  When we obey God, we develop a new heart so that we can avoid our sin nature.  John 15:14 says that we are friends of God when we do what He commands us to do.  Has He asked YOU to start or stop doing anything specific in your life?

· Ask God for forgiveness.

· Learn from mistakes and avoid impulsiveness.

· Apologize to those you have hurt.

· Make restitution; you can fix it if you follow God’s instruction.  In some cases (distance, death, etc.) you won’t be able to make restitution, but as far as it depends upon you, be at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).

5/ Go to church.  One of the benefits of church attendance/membership is that you can seek guidance from Christian leaders if you are unsure of what to do.  Not only can you receive wise counsel, you can also, in time, become a person who can provide wise counsel, helping others in the process.  If you currently have no problems, plan on them later.  No one escapes problems in this life!

6/ Love God and trust His guidance.  Have faith—even with problems, we know we are saved by faith and faith alone.  Assurance of eternal salvation and preparing to meet God are the most important things in this life, because eventually we all pass from this life into eternity the moment we die.  Are YOU prepared?

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER WHEN WALKING WITH GOD:

What if any liberty you might have in your life causes someone else to stumble?  This happens time and time again.  As an example, Jesus knocks on the doors of alcoholics, helping them to understand that the destructive power of alcohol can be overcome through obedience to God’s word.  Alcohol can provoke crime, cause disease, encourage gluttony, and is a deliberate act to numb pain or problems.  It is a vicious cycle that causes problems not just for the alcoholic, but for others associated with the alcoholic.

· Think of it this way:

o If you never drink you will never get drunk.

· Another way to think of it:

o It’s ok to have 1 drink if you can control yourself.

Otherwise alcohol can become a problem in anyone’s life, including yours.  The same holds true of controlled substances.

· Trust that God’s word can help you overcome all obstacles in life (1 Peter 1:21).

· Seek answers (Luke 11:9).

· Live faithfully and with an outward hope for all to see (Colossians 1:22-23).

· Try to do good in the world by helping others, utilizing your experiences as an “overcomer.”