Love ❤️ thy Neighbor: The Cheerful Single Parent (Part 1)
Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Christians will not be mournful, depressed, and despairing. They will be sober-minded, yet they will show to the world a cheerfulness which only grace can impart. – {Child Guidance p. 146.3}
PEOPLE BECOME SINGLE PARENTS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS DEATH OF A SPOUSE, DIVORCE, A DELINQUENT SPOUSE, AN ABUSIVE SPOUSE ETC. HOWEVER THIS MUST NOT KILL YOUR JOY IN THE LORD BECAUSE GOD LOVES YOU NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH AND WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
Psalm 56:3-5, 8-11
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. 5Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?9When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. 10In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise hisword. 11In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
1 Peter 5:7
“Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you.”
SOME SINGLE PARENTS BECOME BITTER WITH EVERYONE BECAUSE OF THEIR SITUATION. AT TIMES THEY EVEN BECOME BITTER WITH THEMSELVES BLAMING THEMSELVES FOR THE DECISIONS AND POSSIBLY THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST. UNFORTUNATELY OTHERS PASS THEIR BITTERNESS TO THEIR CHILDREN.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
James 3:14-18
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
LET GO OF ALL BITTERNESS AND KEEP ON THE SUNNY-SIDE OF LIFE, BE OPTIMISTIC AND LEARN TO COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.
Psalm 103:1-5
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
It is not wise to gather together all the unpleasant recollections of a past life,—its iniquities and disappointments,—to talk over them and mourn over them until we are overwhelmed with discouragement. A discouraged soul is filled with darkness, shutting out the light of God from his own soul and casting a shadow upon the pathway of others. – {Steps to Christ p. 117.3}
Proverbs 15:13
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Psalm 27:13-14
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
