difficult home issues
Difficult home issues can run rampant within the Christian household if allowed to do so. It is important to protect yourself and your family from these destructive devices.
Every Christian home will have its times of struggles, temptations, betrayals, non-compliance, bad behaviors, addictions, and what have you. This is quite normal for the believer's home life because Satan is hard at work, making sure he has done his part in breaking up the family unit.
Many Christian families experience various hardships, difficulties, and challenges on a daily basis and find it hard to pull out of them or have the victory over them, chiseling away at the peace and joy they so desire to have as a Christian.
Some of these concerns within your family unit may have deeper ramifications than what might appear on the surface of the issue itself. Difficult issues can have devastating affects on every member of your family, including outside of it as well.
what makes these issues so difficult?
The world has so much to offer in terms of things we can gain, do, or become in life that it also brings about temptations for sinning and for allowing or creating evil situations and consequences to happen to us. At times though, we endure pain and trials because God has allowed them to come into our lives as a way of testing our faith as well.
God's Word speaks on this subject and gives us instruction on how to view and react to them whenever they present themselves in our lives. We are to expect that there will be hard things to come into our lives. Consider these verses when dealing with difficult issues in your home:
- James 1:2-4 reminds us, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect, and entire, wanting nothing."
- 1 Peter 4:12-19 says, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of; but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."
- 2 Corinthians 11:3 says, "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."
- Matthew 4:1 reports, "Then was Jesus let up of the Spirit to be tempted of the devil."
- Matthew 10:21-22 says, "And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."
- Luke 12:51-53 gives an account from Jesus, "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
So basically, we cannot escape some of these issues that plague our families, but to root out what is harmful and wrong, not allowing evil elements to penetrate our home life, and to accept and endure those trials and tribulations that the Lord gives us to strengthen our faith and to put our trust in Him.
difficult challenges facing the christian family today
It is most certain that Satan will bring as much trouble and evil elements into your home that he can or is allowed to do. Some of them you may clearly see coming at you, but at other times he can throw a curve ball in your home so fast that it may blind you. I too have had both of these situations occur in my own family, and some are tough to foresee.
Here are just a few of them that can become very dangerous and troublesome within your home. A few of these may be sin-related, others not, but are tough challenges to endure within your home. Possibly you and your family could be facing a few of these extremely harsh and difficult moments right now. Consider this list:
- Extramarital Affairs
- Divorce
- Severe Depression
- Bipolar Disorder, Anti-Social Disorder, Schizophrenia (other mental conditions)
- Loss of a child, spouse, or other family member
- Troubles with the "Ex"
- Drug Abuse
- Sibling Rivalry
- Autism
- Alcohol Abuse
- Bullying at school or work
- Single Parenting
- Teenage Pregnancy
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's)
- Child Abuse
- Spousal Abuse
- Sexual Addiction
- Homosexuality
- Transgender Issues
- Lack of child support
- Problems of defiance and disobedience in your children, and many others
solutions for difficult issues
I know from experience, from within my own family as well as from other friends, how these challenges can bring the family unit clear down to a halt! But you cannot allow these issues, nor Satan's influence, to get the upper hand; otherwise, you take the chance on giving up, and ultimately, losing family members to these sins, addictions, and various tragedies.
This is where you must get tough with yourself, your kids, and perhaps even your spouse (Warning: this may or may not go down very well). But sometimes these difficult times call for difficult measures! Much of the battle we have is with our minds, and what we put into it. Whatever the mind is exposed to, whether it be good or evil, our bodies and behaviors tend to follow or act on it.
You may just have to "clean house", getting all things that are a bad or evil influence out of your home and family life. Monitor all that comes in or goes out of your home: books, movies, magazines, music, computers, cell phones, tablets, gaming cds, and so forth. Consider also the value in Christian homemaking, which will help you develop skills in creating a loving, nurturing, and spiritual home in which to raise your kids.
Determine that your home will be a godly one. No one could have said it better than Joshua did as he took a stand for what was right for the nation of Israel and within his own home. He said it all in Joshua 24:15 as he proclaimed, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Monitor your child's friends and the influences they may have upon him/her. Make sure you know where your children are at all times, and who they are with. This makes a lot of difference in their lives. Some of these difficult issues with your kids may be resolved this way. Your children may think you are being too nosy or obtrusive in their lives, but you are the boss of them, and they may thank you for it later on when they finally realize you cared enough to watch over them that way.
You will want to make sure that God's presence in your home takes complete presidence, outweighing that of Satan's by not allowing evil and filthy words or images to infiltrate your home life. You may think this is a bit harsh, but I'm here to tell you and warn you, that when you give Satan just a little inch, he will take a mile. And when he does, he won't stop until he has defeated you. That's just how relentless he is!
Many solutions are presented in this world's system for a lot of these difficult issues and challenges, giving names/labels/abbreviations to some, using psychological treatments and therapies, possibly using some drugs to help ease one out the difficult situation they are experiencing. These are just a few you might find out there to be helpful:
- ABA therapy (mostly for autism)
- Behavioral therapies
- Drug therapies
- Alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers and programs
- Marriage/Couple counseling and therapies
- Massage therapies
- Music therapy
- Light therapy
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Physical exercise
- Grief counseling
- Help and resources from grandparents in the family
- Resources for single parents, teenage pregnancies, etc.
- Psychological interventions for those experiencing child/spousal abuse, homosexuality, transgender issues, divorce, or dealing with the "ex"
- Getting the police involved with domestic disputes, child abuse, or defiant teens, and so on.
a biblical perspective of handling difficult situations and challenges
As a believer in Christ, you will want to proceed with various solutions to these issues through a biblical perspective. I find these to be quite effective in helping me and my family as we go through various hardships and troublesome times.
I have learned that when you go to God first in times of trouble and pain, He will either come to your aid right away, or allow the situation and circumstances of the difficulty to manifest itself in the ways He sees fit to do.
However, you must first make sure that there is NO sin in your life, and that your conscious is clear before God. The fact is, when you go before God in prayer, your prayers will only go as far as the ceiling if you are praying amiss, or knowing you have unconfessed sin in your life.
David wrote about this from his own experience as he gives an account of it in Psalms 66:18, where he says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." And in 1 John 2:1 it says, "My little children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous..." Furthermore, we see this simply put in Titus 1:15, where it says, "Unto the pure, all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscious is defiled."
At times this can be a tough lesson, but as I have grown in my faith, I realize that some of these things do come about as a means of God testing me through various trials and tribulations. When He does allow us to experience pain and hardships in life; along with that, He provides us with abundant mercies and grace as we go through them. Somehow, the pain doesn't look or feel so bad when I am reminded of this promise.
The following are wonderful passages of Scripture that I have found to be helpful for me during difficult issues and in my time of need, and perhaps they will do the same for you also:
- Psalms 46:1-2 says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea..."
- Hebrews 4:16 reminds us, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
- Matthew 5:7 says, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."
- James 1:5 says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
- Isaiah 41:10 exhorts, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness."
- Hebrews 13:6 tells us, "So that we may boldly say, 'The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
- 1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
- Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to, "Be careful for nothing; but in everything in prayer by supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
- Romans 8:28 lovingly reminds us, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." Lastly in,
- Jeremiah 29:11 the promise is clear, "For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
In conclusion, you may see that although you are living the Christian life in the most righteous way possible; it will not keep you from Satan's evil tactics, various temptations, or from whatever other wicked things are out there in the world; nor will it keep you from experiencing difficult issues in your life and family home.
You must constantly stand up for what is right in your home and work life, or where ever you may go, regardless of the difficult issues you are facing in life. Ask the Lord for His guidance and help first, before looking to other options/solutions out there. He is the only One who can put your family back together, bringing about the joy and peace in your home that you truly desire to have.
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