If This Doesn't Fix It, Nothing Else Will!

I thought I needed to be loved, what I discover was I already had IT...

John 3:16

For a long time, I've been trying to figure out why I've become increasingly unhappy. I thought it was my job, or my family, or my marriage, or my friends, or my enemies... I've examined every aspect of my life, I've tweaked, trimmed, and turned them all upside down and inside out. But I still grow increasingly unhappy, day by day.

I am faithful to God, and I serve diligently in the church. I have a great career, a wonderful and successful spouse. I have a good home, obedient children, I have everything in life that should make one happy. I thought I had it all, but still, that elusive "happy" keeps slipping away. I know because I used to be happy all the time. Even bad times didn't make me unhappy. Something happened and IT all began to slip away.

Something is troubling me, and I just don't know what IT is. I've fasted, I've prayed and I've promised. You that are "spiritual", you know the drill. When Jonah was in the "Great Fish" for 3 days, he prayed and was delivered from the deep. Maybe I've lost something, and I just can't seem to get IT back, whatever IT is. What is happy anyway? What is sad? Emotions are something you feel, just sometimes hard to describe and hard to determine their source. Isn't it funny how sometimes the same things that will make you happy, will make you sad at other times. Maybe I didn't lose IT, Heaven forbid, I never had IT; wouldn't that be a kick.

I sure would like to fix this situation. Well, "Diagnose the problem, then prescribe the solution"; Sounds like a plan. Maybe, I am suffering from the Jonah syndrome, God told Jonah, to go to Nineveh, and he went in another direction. I'm always going in another direction. Sometimes 2 or 3 directions at the same time. Maybe, there is something I've forgotten to take care of that I've been directed to do by God. Jonah deliberately disobeyed God, but I can't think of anything like that. It would have to be something I've overlooked, or ignored.

More like Balaam, who besought the Lord until the Lord agreed with his plan to follow Balak's princes back to Moab. God told Balaam to go, but in the morning as Balaam prepared to depart, the angel of the Lord opposed him. Yes, maybe, it's Balaam syndrome. Maybe like Balaam, I've approached my mission with the wrong spirit, and now I've fallen out of step with God. Nothing will put you out of sorts like disobeying God.

Thank God for His grace. Even though Jonah deliberately disobeyed God, God's grace was sufficient. God didn't dispose of Jonah and simply select another prophet. Certainly God could have raised up an army of Prophets to replace Jonah. But God's grace allowed Jonah to wander, and in his wandering, sailors on their way from Joppa to Tarshish worshipped the true God, and made vows to Him. Jonah records a powerful prayer of repentance and commitment to the Lord. God's compassion and mercy is revealed as the Ninevites, repent upon hearing the Word of God, and God delays his destruction of this great city.

Why as Christian are we unable to express this same character of grace to our brethren? Sometimes it seems as though we just wait for our brethren to be "overtaken in a fault", so we can say "I told you so.." To be Christian is to have the desire to be like Christ in character and deed. Love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and faith are important characteristics to develop in a Christian disciple.

What we want most of all as men and women is to love and be loved. When we don't feel loved and desired, it may be blamed as the source of our unhappiness. What I've concluded is that whatever love we seek, the Love of God should be first. God Loves each of us, as much as He Loves the world or that great city of Nineveh. But we must love Him back. Until we learn to truly Love God, we will not be capable of honestly expressing Love to each other. As long as we're unfaithful to God, it's impossible to be faithful to each other in our personal relationships. What does it mean to Love God? Without Faith it is impossible to please God. Do you want to please God? Do you want to make God smile? When you say you love God, what do you really mean?

Are you "In Love" with God, or just trapped in a relationship of convenience or necessity. Be honest with yourself. Because if this doesn't fix it, nothing else will. If you really want to be delivered, get real with God right now, answer truthfully, because God will Love you regardless, His grace is sufficient, but you don't have to suffer another day, because you've been fooling yourself. Be honest with God and let Him teach you what real Love is all about. God's Love is real. The love that we've learned from the world is a cheap substitute that will not stand the test of time. Until you are "IN Love" with God, you have no love to share with anyone else. At least no real love, a cheap and false Idol god type of love, that will lead to destruction.

GOD'S LOVE has established the Kingdom of Heaven, founded upon the Gospel of Christ, Jesus was born, lived, died and resurrected for the salvation of mankind. Even Jonah knew while he was in the belly of the fish, that "Salvation comes from the Lord". Be sure that you're "saved". You must have a real relationship of Love with God. You know when you're "In Love" or not. If you're not "In Love" with God then I suggest you might want to have a sincere talk with Jesus about your salvation.

God is always in love with us, even when He puts us through tribulations and trials, it's all for our good. Like a good Shepard that see's His wandering sheep, His rod and His staff gently prods us back into the correct path. Let us not become angry with our circumstances and situations that we run from God. Wherever we run to, God will be there before we can arrive. You can run from God, but you'll never be able to leave his presence, until the day of Judgment. If you turn from God long enough, then God Himself, will gives you just what you've desired. Only God can cast you from His presence. However, the destination may not be pleasant or to your liking, and I here it's a one-way ticket.

If you don't have IT, you need to get in a hurry and get IT! IT is a real relationship with God. God suffered and died so that we might have a right to the Tree of Life. God went through "all that" just for me and you. I refuse to ignore Him, neglect Him, forsake Him and act like I don't even know Him. I will worship Him, praise Him, thank Him, pray to Him, study His Word, His Ways and admire His creation. When you realize that God's Love is all the love you really need, then you'll feel a whole lot better about all of life's circumstances and situations.

Family or friends will come and go, but God will always be here, even when we turn our back on Him, the way our family and friends turn from us. But when we turn back from our evil ways, God's compassion will welcome us home. It's unlikely the same is true of family or friends, that is unless they've been truly saved. Then and only then can the foundations of God's love; grace, forgiveness, and mercy, be shared with the brethren. If this doesn't fix it nothing else will!

Jesus is coming again!

J.W.O.S. Spread the Word.

Rev. Brian K. Shobe