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transition in the family
by beatrice ofwona A little boy who soon realizes that he is able to tie his shoe laces must now surely lament because he will have to do this for himself for the rest of his life; that is growth, that is transition. A single man meeting a single woman will soon wed, but again they too must be prepared for the incoming children who will inevitably join in the family. The bills start piling up and life changes once again. However if one spouse dies in the midst of all these and leaves the other widowed, that again is another transition. And that is life. The youth too must contend with meeting in-laws who do not accept them and who will sometimes stand in the way of their happiness. Or a born again Christian may meet a non-believer and wish to get married but he or she must be guided by Scripture; 2Corinthians 6:14, 'Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?' Challenges of transition exist all around us- both for the believer and the non-believer. What can the righteous do when our foundations are being shaken? Two are always better than one and it is good to have someone who can speak for you or talk to you. If you are going through challenges, it would help if you could find a person from your congregation to share this with. God will send along someone who has been through a similar experience and who will help you cope because us Christians pass through all sorts of challenges so that we too can be a comfort to others when the time comes. 2Corinthians 1:3-4 says, 'Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. However, the best person to talk to in times of conflict is Jesus Christ because He is our refuge. Psalm 46:1-2 says, 'God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea'. Parents need to be firm in their faith so that transitions and challenges within the family are smoothly handled. Their children and those being nurtured under them should be instructed by example and not only verbally. Saving for the future is a prerequisite and the good news is that it is never too late to start saving. Transitions like widowhood are better handled when there are finances to close gaps. Planning one's time well again augurs well for change. It is good for everyone, parents included, to better their skills but they cannot both be too busy to care for their children and at the expense of running a family. Again, no matter how busy one may perceive himself to be, one should never be too busy for the Lord. It is scriptural to remarry when one spouse dies. Do not confine yourself to living a life of loneliness and idolizing a partner who has passed on. There is only one God-Jehovah and He does not take kindly to us worshiping other gods! Stay with the house of God and no transition within your family such as separation or within Church, like the changing of a pastor , will shake your foundations. Be rooted in the faith and expect transition and change-for such is life! May these words (sermons), from various men and women of God be a blessing to all. contact:[email protected] Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |