Life’s journey
At the start of our life we are a newborn helpless person. We are totally dependent on our parents for our well-being. Our mother provides nourishment and our father provides security. Both of them provide love and support.
Exodus 20:12 – Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
As a young child we learn many things and like a sponge we soak up information. Our experience moulds us and slowly we become more and more independent. We become frustrated and demanding when we don’t get the things that we want. This may lead to temper tantrums and behaviour that we would only expect in a two year old. I am sure you have heard the expression “the terrible twos” but if you haven’t I suggest you look that up.
Of course we all know that’s a normal part of growing up. Learning acceptance and tolerance are difficult lessons. It’s particularly difficult when we are a child. It means that we have to give up on our natural self-interest. Our interest in preservation of ourself.
If we are lucky we grow up to become a confident, well-adjusted and loving person. Someone who appreciates others and acts with respect and tolerance. Unfortunately, and I include myself in this, many of us are not that lucky. We are for many years self-obsessed and act primarily for our own gratification.
Philippians 2:3-4 – Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Life’s pleasures
There are many good things in life. Things that bring us pleasure and satisfy our needs. There are also many bad things that happen in our life and they may bring misery and harm. Of course, the actual psychological effects are determined by our own mindset and attitudes.
The crux of the issue is that we experience things that bring us pleasure and things that bring us pain. We soon learn to differentiate between the two.
In our progression through life we naturally favour things that bring us pleasure and meet our needs. We enjoy feeling good and seek out more of the same.
Because we are all individuals we have different needs. But there are some things that we all have in common. We all seek out things that enable us to live in comfort and to enjoy our periods of relaxation. We all have a need to be appreciated and to be of good health.
Matthew 6:19-21 – Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Life’s lessons
There are many lessons in life and we discover that the inner child remains with us for a very long time. I did state that respect and tolerance are things that are difficult to learn as a child. But they are even harder to learn as an adult because by then any lack of them can become deeply ingrained. It is really important to form good values at an early stage of our life.
Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
So, being a parent carries great responsibility. The value of a loving family is something that I discussed in my recent blog titled, “Family and friends”. But, even if the important lessons were not all learnt as a child we still have an opportunity to learn them as we progress through life.
In fact, the bible shows us that events in our life are important in that they subject us to trial and test our faith. Difficult times are great tests of character. They mould us and teach us to remain resilient. Remember that we are never too far into the abyss to be abandoned by God. Like Jesus we are subject to trials and tribulation but by perseverance we have the opportunity to achieve everlasting life with Him in Heaven.
1 Peter 4:12 – Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Romans 5:3-4 – Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
1 Peter 5:10 – And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
Being reborn
Immediately on experiencing my epiphany I knew that all things did not revolve around me. I realised that it was not about me.
John 14:26 – But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
I am now at an age where I realise what’s important in life. When I was younger I thought that I knew it all. But I didn’t and I now know that what’s important is not of this world. It is not about the accumulation of wealth, assets and acclaim but rather about following the word of God.
It is certainly not about me !
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