What Ever Happened To Family?
Our family is the most influential factor in our lives. Each of us are mainly the product of our homes. To many, our family reminds us of great memories of mom and dad, brothers and sisters, camping trips, birthday parties, sporting events, and good times. But to many, the memory of family is very painful. In the Bible in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 is says that just before Jesus returns people will be “lovers of themselves, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents, unloving, without self-control, treacherous, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…” Sounds a lot like our present culture. With a high divorce rate, confusion as to what gender means, people trying to redefine what marriage and family look like, absent or abusive dads, domineering moms, drug and alcohol abuse, violence and child abuse – no wonder the family is falling apart and in serious trouble. We have lost the true picture of what family was designed by God to be.
Many try to blame someone or something else for the reason their family is falling apart, rather than taking a good hard look at their own hearts and evaluate the bad choices they have made. The Bible is clear that the reason society is so messed up and our families are messed up – is because our own hearts are sinful at the core. You don’t have to teach a child to lie or be selfish, it comes naturally. We feel guilty because we are guilty before a Holy God and our consciences remind us of that fact daily. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Do we turn from that which we know in our hearts is wrong and turn to God to restore our family to what it was designed to be, or do we continue in the same sinful behavior that has and will ultimately destroy us? A person once said, “If you keep doing what you are doing, you will only keep getting what you get.” That is so true. Unless there is a will to change, our situations will remain the same. Acts 3:19 says, “Repent, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, and that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
I believe that is the solution to a fractured family, to confess our sin to God and turn from that sin and willfully follow God’s design for the family – for husbands and wives – for children. Then and only then will we find great joy and contentment when we are living in obedience to our Creator who designed the family in the first place. May God grant you peace in your home as you seek Him.
