Christian Families Falling Apart

Almost every day I hear about another Christian family that has a family member who seems to have gone off the deep end – falling into sin that they thought was unthinkable and never imagined would happen to them.

These are loving and caring families. Families who have devoted much of their life to the Christian values of marriage and child rearing – often times giving the majority of their time and energy to home educate their children. They are active in church, committed to the Lord and their families.

Of course none of them – or us – is perfect. We have all made mistakes, but it doesn’t equate to the dimension of heartache that is going on in many of our families.

What are we as believers to do when confronted with all these unbelievable situations?

Here are just some of the many promises that the Lord gives us in situations like this.

First, God always finishes what He starts.

“That He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil 1:6

Steve Green wrote a song based on this Scripture.

My husband had this song in his mind the entire day of July 4, 1992. It was as if the Lord was preparing his heart for the news we would receive 2 days later. In one day we went from our one-year-old son having an ear infection to having him diagnosed with leukemia.

We didn’t see this verse as a promise that Eric would survive, or be cancer-free, but that the Lord would complete the work He had begun in both Eric and our family. One big lesson we learned is that the Lord is always faithful – no matter what the circumstance.

Second, God is in control – even when we have difficulty believing.

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13 NKJ

One of my big struggles was the question of why my child had to go through all of this as a baby – chemotherapy for over three years, transfusions, surgeries.

 

Eric 1992

 

Towards the end of his chemotherapy we were in the outpatient area after yet another procedure. Eric was being his charming self – telling the nurses the next step and helping them as much as he could. Next to us was a two-year-old boy who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. He was fighting the nurses every step of the way. His mother finally had to lie across him to hold him still so they could do his procedure.

As I listened, my heart broke and I realized what a blessing it was to have Eric diagnosed so young. He had never known anything else, so even though he was going through similar procedures he was happy and cooperative. For him it was just part of his life.

Third, when we get to the end of ourselves, there we will find God.

“Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10 KJV

The Lord specializes in what looks impossible to us.

So if you are at the end of yourself and it looks like there is no possible way for your situation to turn out well, cry out to the God of the impossible.

I don’t know what the end of your current situation will be. I only know that the Lord we serve will be faithful to complete the work He has begun in each of us.

Finding Joy in the Journey,

Phyllis

You may be interested in reading more about Eric’s journey through leukemia.

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Phyllis Sather

Proclaiming God’s Faithfulness at:

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© 2011 Phyllis Sather

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Contact me at: Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com