Daddy Knows Best- By Jill

Recently, one of my sons told me that he feared he hurt his Christian testimony by something he had done. He wanted to see what being drunk was like and he took it upon himself to do so in front of his peers. Although he was ridiculed for many days at school, this was not what really bothered him. As I said, he feared he did major damage to his Christian walk and witness.

To help him understand, I reminded him first about God's amazing grace and forgiveness. That if he truly repented in his heart, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)." 

Then I showed him how the apostle Paul, a former persecutor of the church viewed his past, "but by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain, but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God within me (1 Corinthians 15:10)," 

I don't have the answers to why God allows his children to do stupid, even harmful things, but I do know I can trust Him completely because He sees the big picture we don't see. Perhaps it is to prevent us from being self-righteous and "... so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:4)."

My son's experience showed him that God truly knows what is best for us and that is why He warns us to keep our eyes on Him and seek His will in all we do. Psalm 23:19 says, "listen my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way." Jesus is, "the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)." We must guard our minds- "Above all else, guard your heart (mind), for it AFFECTS EVERYTHING YOU DO (Proverbs 4:23 NLT)." 

When we keep our eyes on Him, spending time with Him in prayer and in His word, our souls are restored and the simple are made wise (Psalm 19:7). When we spend time doing worldly, or in another word, sinful things, conforming to the world, God says,"... If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and His way (James 4:4 The Message Version)."