Today's Scripture
"Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." - 1 Peter 5:7 AMP
Thoughts for Today
When trying to help a loved one struggling with a life-controlling problem, we need to be aware of the "Three C's": cause, control and cure.
We did not cause our loved ones' problems. They are responsible for the choices that led to where they are, no matter what the circumstances may have been.
We cannot control our loved ones' problems. As much as we might want to, we cannot fix them—only God can do that. Accepting this fact of powerlessness is the first step toward recovery for you as a helper.
We cannot cure our loved one's problems, but the Bible tells us that Jesus cares and we can trust him to help us through any situation. We must commit our struggling friend or loved one into God's care.
Consider this …
The best way we can help others is to take steps to get and keep our own life on the right path. As we trust God and make him the center of our life, he will take care of the rest.
Lord, I'm beginning to realize that I can't fix my loved one's problems, but it's so hard to let go. Help me turn all my anxieties, all my worries, all my concerns over to you once and for all. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from …
Close—But Not Too Close by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee. A complement to the Concerned Persons small group study, this booklet is written primarily for those who want to help someone close to them who is enslaved by the stronghold of a life-controlling issue. It is also designed to help someone who is suffering the consequences of a loved one's problem.
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