“And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.” ~ Luke 15:16
REFERENCE:
The prodigal son got to a point where he would gladly have eaten pig’s food, but “No one gave him anything.” It seems God permitted him to get to that low point in his life. If someone had supported him in his prodigal life, it would have delayed the day of his awareness. His affliction became the catalyst for his return. When he was in want, he came to himself. Trouble opens our hearts to receive instructions. Where you are now is meant to catalyze you into your better.
It was as if this young man was deranged. How do you explain his series of bad decisions—asking for his inheritance while his father lived, leaving home, and spending wastefully until he was with pigs? Yet, he awoke, paused, and appraised his situation; he asked himself some tough questions. He slammed the brakes on the downward spin. He refused to continue the bus ride to poverty and decided to come off at the bus stop since the bus was not going his way.
God puts us in certain situations so we can start thinking, acting, or spending correctly. Help from people in such situations only delays our ‘cooking time.’ To have a better life, you have to stop certain things you do that ‘take you to the pigs.’ Check how you spend money and time; be the architect of your change. If this ‘mad boy’ can be redeemed, you can too; you are not stuck!
Haggai said, ‘Consider your ways!’ The prodigal’s first step to conversion was consideration. He considered how hungry he was, that he might die of hunger, that servants fared better in his father’s house, and that he would be better off there. He concluded – I am better than this! I am a son, not a swine, a prince, not a pig, a leader, not a loser, a billionaire, not a beggar. Look at that situation and say, “I’m better than this!”
You are better than begging. You are better than what you have allowed life to throw at you and how you pray or serve God. Your marriage is better than this, and your business can do better than this. You are better than depending on someone and living from paycheck to paycheck. You are better than those friends, the sinful lifestyle, taking drugs, sexting, sleeping out, one step forward, three steps backward, and your crowd! Say, I AM BETTER THAN THIS.
PHOTO QUOTE
ADDITIONAL TEXTS:
II Corinthians 13:5, Haggai 1:5-7, and Isaiah 43:1
PRAYERS:
+ Father, give me the discipline of mind to sit down every often to consider and examine my ways. Help me to be able to confront things You will want me to change in my life.
+ I also ask for the grace to make tough decisions that will reposition me for a better life.
