Consequences of Positive and Negative Reality - Part 1

Everyone has escaped or will feel the need to escape reality in some way. At the beginning my military basic training, a young man suffered a grand mal epileptic seizure. The medics took him away and we never saw him again. He thought he could leave his medical issues at home, so he enlisted in the Air Force and ceased taking his medications.

Making an all-out effort to escape dependence on medication and a negative identity, he devised a plan that was doomed to failure. The young man's denial encountered a harsh reality. Imagine returning home and carrying the burden of shame and humiliation.

The young man in Jesus' story of the prodigal son fostered fantasies that also would end in failure. When these fantasies became contaminated with the stench of a hog pen, his ability to deal constructively with that reality surfaced. Reality instilled in him determination to go home and face his father who loved him. Acceptance of reality activates God's help, so if the need exists, choose to return and renew your relationship with him now.

Facing Tough Realities: Pressing On - Part 2

Some realities of life seem impossible to accept. A common response is to deny their existence. Dealing constructively with reality requires admitting all is not well. A popular song put it this way, "I never promised you a rose garden." God does not promise us a life absent of problems and harsh realities.

However, believing life is manageable with God's help opens the door for healthy change. Power struggles most often center around denial of reality. For example, striving with others to change their behavior or personality creates an attitude of hopelessness. Only Christ Jesus can change a person, but he will do so only with their consent and submission.

Ask yourself, "What do I need to see and hear to make sure I'm facing God's crucial realities for my life?" Dealing constructively with whatever those realities happen to be and asking God to empower you to change are choices you can make. Permitting God to speak to you through his word and by spending time in prayer are reliable sources for help.