When Life is Less than Ideal

We go through various stages during our lives, from the time we are born to the time we die.

Ideal stages for a Christian might look something like this:

1. Nurtured by godly, loving parents, learning biblical principles (Psalm 78:4; Ephesians 6:4).

2. Choosing to follow Christ, developing attitudes and actions accordingly (Romans 10:10; Philippians 2:12-13).

3. Committing to God’s purposes for our life's work and building relationships on biblical principles (Ephesians 2:10).

4. Eventually retiring from a career, but never retiring from serving the Lord (Psalm 92:14).

However, few of us have had such a life. So how do we deal with our less-than-ideal lives?

Scripture promises hope and help:

If our early years weren't good, we can still find salvation, forgiveness, and deliverance from the Lord (Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 1:6). 

We are not limited by a lack of biblical nurture nor are we held responsible for our parents' sins (Ezekiel 18:20).

If we've made bad choices as an adult, we can repent and ask God to use those things for our good (1 John 1:9; Romans 8:28; Philippians 3:13-14). We can make godly choices starting now!

Whatever our age or stage in life,

Let’s set things straight and do things right.

Let’s seek to fully serve our Lord,

Forget the past, and trust His Word.

~ Gail

--------------------
Some additional biblical principles:
1. Refusing to sin against our parents even if they were not ideal:
Let's Grow Up! 
2. Refusing to use our less-than-ideal past to excuse our sin:
Bad Blood
3. Taking our growth in Christ seriously:
What it Takes to Grow in Christ 
4. Having a godly marriage even if we had bad examples growing up: 
Are Some People Destined for a Bad Marriage?  
5. Avoiding emotional divorce as we age:
Shades of Gray Divorce  
6. Avoiding getting stuck in our past sins and mistakes:
3 Steps for Dealing with Past Sins 

FREE E-BOOKLET:

Why not add some more of God's Word to your schedule by having a 1-minute devotion like this one delivered to your email each weekday. Sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet that will help you add joy and depth to your Quiet Time. Find out more HERE.

 

Bible Love Notes