In my lifetime I have spent over a $1000.00 reading books to find solutions to my problems. "A Courage to Heal". "10 Stupid Things Women do to Mess Up Their Relationships", "Proper Care and Feeding of a Husband" and "How to Talk so Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk" just some of the many that I have had many copies of. I am sure if I look into my library I will still find a copy of one of these books today, highlighted and notes in the margins,
I have also attended parenting classes, therapy, interventions, and the like to find that solution that I needed to repair my marriages, my children's behaviors, and myself. I wanted a quick fix that would be long lasting. Sadly the fix-quick-books didn't even touch the trauma that I had endured in childhood, my first marriage fell apart with a huge bang, and my children at one time were removed from my care.
Those were some super dark and scary times. I had attempted suicide in my younger years to heal the pain and turned to alcohol to stave off the hurt I was trying to pretend that I didn't have. I was very promiscuous looking for the love I felt that I didn't get from my parents. I had two relationship that resulted in domestic abuse, three pregnancies, and more added trauma added to my diagnosis of PTSD. Still I searched for an answer in whatever source I could find. Well of course except the one that I should have.
The search for knowledge I was having is not a new one, it could be compared to the story of Adam and Eve. God told them to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God knew that the only source of knowledge was through Him. When Adam and Eve gained that knowledge they became aware of their nakedness and took fig leaves to cover themselves. The only problem with fig leaves is that once removed from the tree they die quickly. Thus their nakedness would once again become apparent. The fig leaf solution, one that would not stand the test of time.
This is what my self-help books were, my fig leaf solutions, quick but could not withstand the test of time. Dying as quick as I picked them. Once I turned back to God and his Word, I realized all the answers or SOLUTIONS I needed, I didn't have to spend money on I could just turn to the Bible. One book that covers everything I would need to be successful as a parent, a wife, and now as a grandparent. If by looking in the Bible on my own and I couldn't find the answers, the next step was to pray. Ask Him what the answer was, and then the Book, chapter, or verse would become evident. When I first started to do this it was a little freaky, how could I not have known this sooner. With time though God seen the problem coming and pointed me towards the answer even before asked. How loving of a Daddy to foresee your problem and guide you.
Ask yourself what fig leaf solution have I been leaning on today? Then ask God for the real solution.
Yours in Christ
Heather
Help From Heaven - Matt Redman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZTkJU9gzJA
Come Running Home - Chris Tomlin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK8fS81Mnko
Until You - Dany Gokey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvx8XlVNrlE
Waymaker - Leeland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29IxnsqOkmQ