HOW TO BUILD A LIFE THAT STANDS!

We had many memories as children. We were the outdoor generation- no phones, TV stations broadcast from 4 p.m., board games needed a playing mate! It was the “go out and play.” I rolled tyres. I participated in high jump with branches from shrubs around us. 

One of the things we did with soft sand was to build “birdhouses.” Our foot was the mould. We would put sand on it till it is compacted. We removed our feet gently to make a standing house. Some would fall immediately. We kept trying till it stood. But guess what- no matter how much we tried, it never stood the test of time. 

There are two prayers you must pray: 

First, let me not destroy the good things I have built. Second, let me not build again the terrible things I have destroyed. 

It is possible to destroy the good things you have built. A man spends most of his life building a good name, but the entire thing is lost with one unwise decision, a useless fling, or a silly compromise. There are testaments of wasted legacies. May you not be one. 

“Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.

Ezekiel 3:20 NKJV

It is also possible to build back the terrible things you have destroyed. Some habits you have bid farewell can resurface if you are not careful. 

For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

Galatians 2:18 NKJV

If you will not be caught in any of the two traps, you must be careful with the association you keep: 

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.

Proverbs 13:20 NLT

Do not allow sin to thrive on the grounds of secrecy. Deal with it in its infancy stage. Give sin a brutal blow. Do not seek accountability where your flesh will be comfortable. An ‘online pastor’ can teach, but your pastor on site who knows you and sees you more often can hold you accountable. 

Third, ensure the embers of your fellowship with God by His Word, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and godly brethren are constantly ablaze. Do not forsake fellowship. The lower the attention you give to fellowship, the stronger the grip of sin in your life. 

This is the summary that a man who destroyed everything good he built and built back terrible things he destroyed said to us as a warning:

That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NLT

May we finish well! 

© temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa