Before I begin, I'd like to thank you, dear readers, for letting me come into your life and to share good news with you. We surely know of all the bad and negative news in the newspapers, on the television, and just about everywhere you look. It appears there is a loss of societal innocence. It is evident that the crises of yesteryear pale in comparison to the tribulations now plaguing people on a daily basis. I strongly believe that good news can still be found; the pure promises found in the Holy Scriptures. We can and will shed a lifelong bondage of despair by realizing that we live in a fallen nature, and that there is a real purpose to all of our lives. Are our hearts beating by chance or purpose?
Did you happen to know that our inner being is impregnable by evil when we just keep a good watch over our thought? Surely it is a mysterious thing; our intellect is. Like a very comfortable pair of shoes, we normally do not want to part with them. We are complacent. We become too complacent to keep vigil over our thoughts. This is a big part of our problem spiritually. Sometimes we need to try on a new pair of shoes, a new direction in life. Often I see many disheveled souls, and I know for a fact that they appear to have little or no inner peace. If we are consumed with the lottery jackpot or fretting too much about what we don't have materially, then we miss the mark.
This world appears to have evolved into a one-night stand, so to speak. Instant gratification seems to take center stage. We have the instant lottery, instant coffee, instant loans and credit, instant food, instant entertainment, and the list goes on. Remember that fretting ultimately leads to evil and disappointment. But also remember that a spiritual resilience can happen after a setback if we just hold on to our hope and all of our dreams. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11: 1). Do we really have a genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are we ready to have it tested? Do we desire to do God's will? You know usually we have the tendency to walk by sight, not by faith. Of course the profitable way is just the opposite. Test everything before you make a decision. As long as the sun continues to shine, even you and I can become happy campers. All we need to do is to develop good discernment and not consort with those who wink the eye.
Consider this: What if I could explain the law of gravity or deliver an eloquent speech and persuade you with my stunning logic? What if I could classify animals according to their genus and species and write a lengthy scientific paper that wins an award? What if I had graduated with a perfect 4.0 grade point average and was accepted at the best possible university with a full scholarship? If I had done these but had never been instructed in philanthropy, I indeed would have missed the mark of this life. Does this ring any bells for you? What about God's priorities?
Our old human nature has always been hasty to judge another. Does that rash action produce anything good? We should never, ever, judge by appearances only (John 7: 24). If your feet say go but your conscience says no, don't go. Our modern-day culture seems to have evolved into measuring its morals by its own culture. My friend, this is quite dangerous. No wonder there is wickedness even in justice! To be hasty to speak will never produce a good listener. I have found it better to listen than to speak. "If one gives answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame" (Proverbs 18: 13).
The following is paramount in avoiding the haste that makes waste: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well" (Matthew 6: 33). What things? The very things you need to be truly happy and blessed. If you spurn anger and wrath, you'll be on the right track. Never be envious of those who seem to be prosperous in our modern culture.
A closing proverb: "He who meddles in a quarrel not his own is like someone taking a passing dog by the ears" (Proverbs 26: 17). Remember that haste makes waste. You will sooner or later "reap what you sow" (Galatians 6: 7).
From 2 Peter 1: 5-8
Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful.
As we can see, self-control will keep us from being hasty and creating waste. There is a time for everything under the sun (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8).
