Enemy Number One

Once we reach adulthood and are able to make decisions on our own, we have a responsibility to search out hindrances to a happy life that may lie in our way. Enemy number one (for almost everyone) stares back at us from an unlikely hiding place—the mirror.

We choose what to do and where to be. We choose to remain in sorrow and self-pity or search for an escape. The first place to look for the source of any woes we may have is within ourselves.

Paul encouraged people to examine and test themselves (2 Corinthians 13:5). This is easier said than done. None of us wants to find the warts and bumps we carry, so they go ignored and untreated.

It is easier to blame other people, circumstances or things for our woes. That never brings a solution—it is like discarding the mirror.

Rather than do that, our first response should be to take a good, long, honest look in that mirror and be willing to change the flaws we see—otherwise, our enemy wins.

Eat Those Words

We have all experienced times when we wish we had not said what we said! As Adlai Stevenson once put it, “Man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them.” How much more beneficial for our digestive system if we have fewer of those words to eat—especially the bitter and angry ones?

James said, “No man can tame the tongue” (James 3:8). Although that means words will make up part of our diet throughout our lives, with God’s help we can learn self-control and we can practice thinking before we speak.

In that way, fewer of our words will slip onto our dinner plates. Once we have learned to admit fault and have developed tact in our conversations, our diets will improve greatly—as will our lives.

Wasted Worry

We all have worries from time to time, and there are great lessons we can learn from them. If a problem can be solved, there is no need to worry about it. If there is no way of solving the problem, what is the use of worrying? Our anxiety will not make the problem go away.

Jesus gives some great advice in Matthew 6:27-34. He tells us that worry does not help in our concerns of life—actually worry detracts from healthy efforts toward solving problems. Learning how to handle concerns and therefore worries is a great benefit. We become stronger and grow in inner peace.

Ron's pen

"Happy New Year!" That greeting will be said and heard for at least the first couple of weeks as a new year gets under way.