Why are we looking for a reliable friend?
What do you value most in a relationship? Probably, every person in the world is looking for a reliable support and shelter, looking for someone who will always understand and come to the rescue. Trust is the main component of any relationship. We need support every minute, so it is these relationships that bring true happiness.
However, the world is fickle and unreliable, challenging us every day, often pulling the ground out from under us and depriving us of friends and family. God is the only true and reliable one. He is the only one who will never change His mind about us, who will never consider us too annoying, and who is always ready to help us, because God wants to save everyone.
What does faith give?
Faith in God gives more than meets the eye. By trusting in the Lord, we gain not only confidence in the future, which everyone craves, but also peace, tranquility, a sense of security and understanding. We trust God because we know Him, and He acts in our lives when we show faith. But faith is not a leap into the darkness. Biblical faith is trusting God on the basis of the evidence we receive in our personal relationship with the Creator and the evidence revealed in the Bible. God gives confidence that is unlimited in time. What could be better than to be sure that we are saved and accepted by His tender love.
No one and nothing can give a person such a sense of confidence. God is an ever-standing rock, always ready to receive and save the exhausted person. He speaks with love to each of us:
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
The Lord is the most faithful friend on whom you can always rely, and your trust in Him will never be in vain.
Why do we want to love?
Do you have someone you can tell everything to, someone who will always support and encourage you? When we have such people, life no longer seems so complicated and sad, and problems seem unsolvable. After all, it's easier together. When one person fails, the other half can come to their aid and vice versa. In marriage, people become very close and feel each other's joys and sorrows
Only a life partner can notice the subtlest change and sadness in the eyes of a loved one. He will try to help with sincere interest, because you are a part of him. And when something is wrong with us, we try our best to fix it. The family is a protection and consolation for a person! That is why we, humans, have a desire to start a family: we want to love and be loved, to feel supported and encouraged by our life partner.
The key to family happiness is kindness, frankness, and sensitivity
How to keep love alive?
But not everything is so perfect, you might say. If it was God who created the family (Genesis 2:21-24) and it is so beautiful, why are there so many divorces, family quarrels and misunderstandings? In reality, everything is different, why does it happen?
The main reason for the spoiled relationship is sin. First, it poisoned man's relationship with God by violating the Creator's trust (Genesis 3). Then, the first family was affected by the shortcomings in the relationship. Adam tried to justify his sin by shifting the blame to his wife (Genesis 3:12). When we try to justify our actions, we often blame other people: this is the consequence of sin. When we put our interests above our relationships, the family begins to fall apart. If a man prioritizes his work over his beloved, she will soon feel second or even third best, and begin to feel unnecessary or even like a servant. And when a wife doesn't notice her husband, doesn't respect him, and is busy only with herself, he won't feel like a real man, won't feel that he is needed, and, of course, won't make any effort to make his wife happy. Sin gives rise to selfishness, and it destroys relationships and families. But thanks to God's love, our sins are redeemed by the blood of Christ, and He gives us the power to fight against destructive tendencies and selfishness. If a person opens his heart and entrusts it to God, Jesus will transform him and teach him true love, unconditional and forgiving. This is not love on the terms of you to me, I to you, but a decision to do the best for another without expecting anything for yourself. We can learn three main secrets of happy relationships from the story of the fall:
As a husband and wife become one, they need to accept all the advantages and disadvantages of each other and be faithful. But at the same time, each spouse takes responsibility for striving for the perfection of their character. In general, we humans find change difficult, but we must admit that as we age, it becomes more and more difficult for us to change, which is why some people hesitate to change jobs, others drink for years, and still others will not lose weight. But in this context, thanks to the presence of God in the family, spouses have a serious ally in the struggle for the best version of each other. God is the mediator through whom it is best to resolve all issues, because in this way the change is softer, and the family relationships only get stronger. The characters of the companions improve and they love each other even more when they share responsibility and stand together with God in all life circumstances, treating the other half with love and patience. This is God's plan. In the family, a person is formed as a personality, and a sense of self-esteem develops. With God's help, the principles of true Christianity can be realized in the family, and its values can be passed down from generation to generation. Appreciate and cherish your family - it is a special gift from God that makes a person better.
Why are we afraid of getting sick?
What do you do when something breaks down? Probably, in most cases, we try to fix the breakdown right away. But more often than not, whether it's a phone or a vacuum cleaner, we realize that only a specialist can help. The same thing happens with health. By exchanging this gift for short-term pleasures and enjoyment, we lose incomparably more than we gain. The results and successes achieved at the expense of health lose their significance. After all, health is the bridge that leads us to all our dreams. Those who take care of their health are full of energy and strength, and are ready to realize all their desires and goals.
But often we borrow from our body, not realizing that one day we will not be able to repay the debt. Why do we turn to the Master only when we are powerless to fight constant fatigue and pain?
How to live a full and happy life?
When God created man, He revealed the laws of health, which are recorded in the Bible and lead to a happy life. The divine laws, including the laws of health, are not random at all, but are designed to enable us to enjoy a full life. Recent studies have confirmed this by showing that, compared to the rest of the population, Adventists are less susceptible to most common diseases and live 5-12 years longer.
The true desire to be healthy comes from the Source who wants to make our lives full, valuable, and useful to others. It is God who fully unleashes the potential of those who respond to His tender love and share it with their neighbors. We believe that through our consciousness we interact with the heavenly, divine, and that is why we, as Adventists, try to keep our bodies healthy, active, and vigorous. We don't smoke or drink alcohol for this very reason, despite the fact that Adventists live longer on average and get sick less, this is not our goal. The main goal is to keep our consciousness pure for as long as possible, preferably until the end of our lives, so that we can maintain our connection with God. After all, every Christian is a temple designed for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We take care of our bodies to be worthy of God's presence, to hear His voice to us, and to live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
So, if you've decided to take your health seriously, know that you are not alone. Our loving Father, since the creation of the world, has proclaimed the secrets that will help us maintain and restore our health.
Where do childhood dreams go?
What did you dream of becoming as a child? О! Back then, we had a rich imagination and could imagine ourselves as anyone we wanted. The heart was full of sincere faith in success, and the mind was full of ideas. But where does all this disappear with age? Why do little dreamers and space conquerors lose their enthusiasm and zeal over time? What is going on? Why do many talented people never realize their dreams and hate their jobs to the end of their days? We often attribute success to luck. But is it really so? As we grow up, each of us encounters difficulties on the way to our dreams, some of us overcome them, others give up. Indeed, when you give up, you can only hope for luck... Seeing so many disappointed and unfulfilled individuals, it becomes clear that our future is highly dependent on our efforts. Do not count on luck!
Not your favorite job or your life's work? - the choice is yours
When we see successful people, can we know how much work and worry is behind it? In our lives, nothing comes easy - everything requires effort! Most people know that behind success is 10% of talent and 90% of work, and yet many still sit in a comfortable chair hoping for luck! And although these 90% require constant effort, development and self-improvement, it is not as boring as it seems. Yes, it requires some sacrifices, but the movement towards the goal gives you the strength to overcome difficulties and gives you a reason to live. Development is the key to success, an opportunity to realize the most ambitious dreams. Don't let it rust - work on yourself!
We know that when a person does not develop, he or she degrades, but our Heavenly Creator knows this best. He gives us advice on how to develop and become successful in everything:
Let not the book of this law depart from your mouth, but meditate in it day and night, to observe to do all that is written in it: for then you shall make your ways prosperous, and then you shall be happy.
Joshua 1:8
In addition, all people are created differently and God has the best plan for each person. A true Christian seeks answers to all his questions from God, including why he was born and what his purpose is. It is through communication with God that we are able to see this plan and clearly understand what we should really be doing. This understanding helps us move in the right direction, develop harmoniously, and gives us motives for growth. When you know your purpose, you will no longer follow the crowd, you will become an individual and realize that you have a mission, big or small, but no one can cope with it better than you, because it is yours! You will feel your significance in the eyes of God and His plan for other people, because your development is valued not by how cool you become, but by how much you influence other people and change them for the better.
A person feels really successful and happy when he or she learns about God, changes his or her life and the lives of others with the help of God's love and His merciful laws written in the Bible. This happens through obedience and fulfillment of God's will, gaining a friendly relationship with our Heavenly Father. When we build a relationship with God, we find the most valuable things and receive everything we need to be happy:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
The Gospel of Matthew 6:33
The Lord not only helps us find our way, develop our best qualities, and succeed, but He also rewards our trust and faithfulness by offering us eternal life in a perfect world where there is no failure, no sorrow, and no grief.
Why do we love helping so much?
Do you remember that wonderful feeling when you helped someone? You feel good and warm because you helped someone who needed it. At such moments, you realize that your own problems are not so big, but there are people who have it much harder. Realizing that we are the only ones who can help, we have an unusual desire to do so.
In service, a person finds joy and peace. The desire to help is inherent in us from birth. By giving love and attention to people, we receive incomparably more than we give. People who seek joy and happiness only for themselves will soon become disillusioned with life, never finding true happiness.
What can inspire us to serve?
In this world, we strive for many things, for new purchases, for a place in society, for fame and money. But when people sum up their lives, they usually do not complain that they did not buy a new iPhone, or that they earned little money. At this time, they regret that they did not spend enough time with their relatives and friends, did not communicate much, did not help people who needed their help. After all, the true joy of a person is not in gadgets or the size of their salary, but in how much you can influence and help others, make their lives better, happier. Those people who realize this, as a rule, have a brighter, fuller, emotionally and spiritually saturated life. Such people have a goal, a meaning, because they invest not in earthly things, which are quickly lost, but in eternal ones: in relationships with God and other people. After all, the Kingdom of God is a home for those who truly want to become its inhabitant, and not just chase after the benefits of our sinful earth:
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store 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.
Gospel of Matthew 6:19-21
Jesus took real delight in His service, His love healed so many broken hearts, He suffered for us to save us from sin and give us peace. What can compare to His love and sacrifice? We, as His children, feel deep love for the Savior and long to express our gratitude in some way. We try to alleviate the suffering of those around us and give them the same hope that we have by remembering what God has done for us. This is not only a response of the heart to God's love, but also the fulfillment of His will:
If you love Me, keep My commandments!
The Gospel of John 14:15
God's law is love:
For the whole law is contained in one word: Love your neighbor as yourself.
The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians 5:14
I think everyone knows what it means to love yourself. But what about the same love for all people?
Living here and now, we can already feel the joy of serving people and God. Those who believe in the Lord and do the will of their Heavenly Father will be rewarded by the Savior and solemnly called to Him:
"Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Gospel of Matthew 25:34
Let go of your doubts. God knows that we can truly love by entrusting our lives to our Heavenly Father. We are called to make our lives better by supporting and inspiring those around us.
Why do we want freedom?
What does freedom mean to you? It seems that modern society values freedom very much: it is a great advantage to live in a free state, to have freedom of thought and religion. Of course, we need all of these assets of society, as well as the literal ability to dispose of our time and whereabouts. We need freedom to achieve our goals, to feel strong and important. When we are independent, all doors are open to us, no one can stop us from fulfilling our desires.
We live in a time of independence, and the word freedom is taking on rather unexpected connotations. Society dictates to us that absolute independence will make us free and happy, and many people are afraid to even start a family so as not to be obligated to anyone and not to depend on anyone. But is this really freedom? What is true freedom like?
How to find freedom?
The most accurate answer, as always, can be found in the Bible:
So Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him: If you abide in my word, then you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
The Gospel of John 8:31,32
But we are already free, they thought, as did many of our contemporaries, to which Jesus responds:
Most assuredly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.
The Gospel of John 8:34
Yes, we are sinners, which is hard to realize because we tend to think the best of ourselves. Many people console themselves that they are no worse than others, and sometimes even better. People think that if they have not killed or robbed anyone, it does not concern them. But this is a mistake: sin affects everyone and is closer to us than it seems. This is confirmed by the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount:
"You have heard that it was commanded to the ancients, 'You shall not kill, and whoever kills shall be subject to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother is already subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother: "You fool," is subject to the supreme judgment, and whoever says, "You are insane," is subject to hellfire.
The Gospel of Matthew 5:21,22
The mere thought of doing evil to God or to people is already sin. Sin is anything that destroys our relationship with people and God, as well as anything that destroys us from within.
This means that we are addicted to sin. Our dependence is manifested in the fact that when we want to do something good, we are not always able to do it:
For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I do the evil that I do not want to do. But if I do what I do not want to do, it is not I who do it, but the sin that dwells in me. So I find the law when I want to do good, that the evil is in me.
The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans 7:19-21
Jesus is ready to make us free, and He wants to do it. But while He respects our freedom, He cannot do so without our consent. We are free to say to the Lord: "No!" and remain slaves to sin, or we are free to let Him into our hearts and find true freedom.
