Last night my wife brought up a topic that I was a little sore over. I have to admit that I got a little peaked around the collar and defensive under my skin. It is never fun when somebody challenges you to be a better person, when it entails stretching and growth. The challenge to me was to incorporate my ministry that I have for the Lord, by not ignoring my kids and keeping them in the dark. It also was to be proactively involved with them when I get home from work, rather than just picking up my laptop and turning the television set on. You see, I have been pondering this very thing for quite some time, but it is never easy when the Lord chooses somebody close to you to convict you of these very things.
The question that I have for you is what is your “Thief in the Night?” Is it a lack of parenting involvement when you get home in the evenings or on the weekends? Is it an absence from spending intimate time with your spouse? Could it be that you are not growing closer with the Lord, because of hindrances in your life that prohibit you from a deeper walk with Him? Whatever it might be, it is essential that we evaluate our lives and establish a pulse on our relationships.
I refuse to live in regret or in the past. I want to be proactive in investing in my relationships going forward. Just as I take the time to spend one-on-one time with Amy, I need to do that with my children as well. More importantly is that we need to spend time with our Maker. This however should never come between our family lives. They should all be molded together with a happy balance of time.
Will you evaluate if there is a “Thief in the Night” in one of your relationships, trying to steal your joy and depth that God would have you take a hold of? As for me, I am committing to a happy balance between all my relationships, and molding them together. In order for me to have a Christ-Centered family, I have to take steps to assure that happens…