Keep Moving 1/27/2020

Good  Morning,

This day started with some dreary weather and a hot cup of Door County Jingle Bell Java Coffee. I finished my prayer time for now and it is time to write.

Recently, I had the son of a friend tell me that he was quitting school and not finishing the last year and a half needed for his degree in engineering. I asked why and his answer was admirable but not well thought out. He told me that he heard his parents talking to someone  and they were turning down an offer for a vacation  with other couples. They said they couldn't  afford the expense at this time.

Their son dug a little deeper into this situation, knowing his parents  income and wondered why they couldn't  go. He persisted in his search for an answer and found something out that caused him to make his decision to quit.

His parents were saving money to help him pay off his student loans when he graduated. Then it happened. Satan sent him on a guilt trip and he felt terrible about their sacrifice they were making. So without discussing this with his parents he quit school hoping to finish some day later.

His announcement to quit without a discussion has left his parents devastated. I had advised him to seek out and discuss this with his parents before doing anything. I really thought he would do so. But then it happened
 Satan not only sent him on a guilt trip, he took him down the road of pride and mixed with unrighteous guilt it caused a huge mistake.

Think about this. If he had accepted the gift of his parents he would be in school working his way to a good job. The good job would let him pay his loans. The good job could also let him send his parents on a vacation or pay them back. He is an only child and his parents were sharing a blessing on him. They wonder why a heartfelt gift would cause harm. Our young friend in what he thinks is wisdom hurt his parents. He couldn't see that God was behind the gift. God is the giver of all good things.

Philippians 4:19 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have. 

When we act on what we don't  know or understand we open the door to advice from evil. I am hoping this can be turned around and I think it can. But it is a perfect example as to how pride and guilt accompanied  by what we don't  know can sink a person or a family. It would have been best to have sat down with his parents, pray, talk it out and stay on course.

We all do this when we don't  know what we don't  know about any situation that comes along. We look for a way to stop it and quitting on someone or something  is often an option.

So if you are faced with a situation that is causing you to think about quitting  on something you have strived and worked for, don't.  You just might regret it for a long time. Keep moving forward.

Marty