Calling someone a fool is the worst thing you can say about someone according to the bible. (Matthew 5:22). Only what do we do when we see someone in our life doing foolish things over and over again?
Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.
If we know better then why do we keep repeating the same mistakes? Think about it, a dog vomits because its food did not settle right in its body. The same is true for us, if something didn’t settle right in our body why then do we go back to feed on it some more?
Stop making the same mistakes over and over again. Does it really matter if the new job is in a new city if you are only going to work the job for a year before you are bored and moving on to something else? Does it really matter if the face on the man’s body is different from the last face if the man is doing the same thing that you couldn’t live with before? Does it really matter if you take new classes at college if you did nothing with the last ones you took? The problem isn’t the job, the man or the course of study. The problem is you. You do not have satisfaction or peace in your life.
Stop putting off decisions in your life. How many times do I have to hear that you want to change all the while you never get up out of where you are? How many times are you going to wish things were different before you begin to change and pray and move to make things happen? Today, begin to prioritize your life. What do you really want? Complaining is so much easier isn’t it? It allows you to be lazy about the priorities. Playing the victim of your bad choices throws the responsibility off of you and on to someone else but the result is the same. You are still in the same spot. Stuck. You like that we feel sorry for you but I am beginning to think it’s wasted effort on my part. You are still in the place you are in because YOU CHOOSE TO BE. No one put a gun to your head. Prioritize your life.
You’ve been in church for so long, you’ve heard countless messages and yet you’ve never brought that knowledge from your head to your life. You are still searching for the solutions of the world because the godly ones seem boring. Instead it’s much more exciting to live your life precariously on the edge of disaster. It takes no effort that way. And your life continues in the spiral it’s been in and you say you can’t help it. And yet, you are the only one who can help it. Still, you throw the responsibility of it on others thinking it’s all of our responsibility to rescue you yet again. I ask myself though if I am your source then I am playing god when God is who you need the most, not me.
The wisdom of the world leaves you with nothing but foolishness. The word says to drink your wine with a merry heart, to be happy with the wife of your youth and yet you look for contentment in other things. In alcohol abuse, in drugs, in illicit sex, in your work, in porn when the simple solution was always a relationship with God.
It was always in a relationship with God and will always be. So what will you do? Will you continue to complain and go about your merry way accessing the things of the world? Meanwhile, you are sitting in church on Sunday trying to shake off the effects of Saturday night. Only the world is winning and the voice that was trying to lead you down the right path is dimming. You want something better for yourself but what are you going to do to get it? Another year is going down the drain. You can rescue it if you want to, only I’m not sure if you really want to. In your opinion there is just too much to lose. Only the loss is not in the way these things make you feel, the loss is your life.
Pastor Susan 
I am going to comment because this message is screaming at me, I am always complaining about my weight and go up and down every year, finally I told myself you need to learn more about eating habits, food and all that pertains. I went to the doctor for allegies, while I was there he said is there anything else I can do for you? I said “yes, I would like to know if you can refer me to a nutrionist.” I was so happy that I have finally stepped up to the plate, and would like to learn some things from the doctor instead of always thinking I know everything. I want to be accountable to a doctor, because that just helps me and not only that but knowledge is power. Everyone here at work always says “oh you know what to do you just have to do it” No actually I would like to learn “why?” things are more healthy, why the doctor says to eat 5 times a day and to graze all day….I am feeling really excited about this step I am taking, and the best part is my husband wants to help me and go with me:) YEAH do better when the family is on board. Taking a step and moving out of the same old place, doing something about it, and I have been praying about this for awhile and feel this is where the Lord has led me.
oh Vikki I am so excited for you! The first thought I had was of my weight problem… and I want to try along side with you 🙂
Oh that would be great, well my insurance will not pay for me to see a Nutrionist but will pay if I want Gastic Bypass or the Lap Band…go figure crazy huh? Oh yeah, and if I am diabetic, I said” that is what I am trying to avoid”. I have been doing my own research and studying weight loss, health, etc…. I am going through the Weight Watchers website, pretty good recipes and testimonials from people. I am on day 2 and feel real good about it, need to excercise more. I would love for us to write each other on how we are doing I am only on my second.
medical and insurances don’t make sense, i agree to that too. congrats on your day 2. yesterday i tried but found myself so hungry, i have great intentions but i always fail when it’s time to eat. i will think of you as i keep trying 😉
I can share your emails privately to each other if you want but you’d both have to email me privately and let me know it is what you want to do.
Jesus said, “He who is faithful in the small things will be faithful in much.” We try to take big bites out of our habits like somehow we are going to change in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye this side of glorification, when it is much more likely that we’ll get overwhelmed and fail.
“Baby steps, Baby steps…”
Accomplishing a small adjustment empowers us to accomplish more steps up the stairwell to success. If we look at any ladder, it’s made of incremental rungs, which just goes to show that self-help gurus talk too much about a radical change of our thinking patterns without many times telling us it is a work of a lifetime. If God takes in small steps at first, it’s because we are infants in Christ. The older we get and more practice we have at being like Him the more success and bigger bites we can take out of our bad habits.
Moving forward an inch is still progress—no matter what anyone in the cheap seats of life says.
I am well on my way, learning to cook more healthier is also been and eye opener, I have made it to day 7 it’s no longer a dreaded chore but has been great I have learned more from educating myself about nutrition, calories, fat grams, carbs and proteins…I think it’s coming out my ears (smile) I am still reading and learning more everyday…today I joined Calorie Count its a free web page you log your food intake and it gives you the count at the end of the day of your calorie intake. I am taking the baby steps and enjoying every minute of it–thanks for the awesome post Jonny.