The topic came up about always doing what others want you to do. You know how it is, brother needs help with money, sister needs help, parents need help and don’t forget about your longtime friend who is depending on your help through a crisis.

It is difficult to say no, especially to family. It does not matter if it is an important thing or a little thing how we handle the requests for help affects us in the long run.

In the natural, we tend to help one another, regardless. We feel an obligation to help those in need. We feel an obligation to be supportive. But what happens when your feelings of obligation, and your friends and family’s feelings of obligation conflict with your relationship with God. It comes down to walking in the spirit or walking in the flesh. How can we tell a family member that God does not want me to help you? How can you say to someone that I am not your savior, I am not your deliverer? How do you tell them to ask God for help, not you? As we used to say, that is a hard saying, who can hear?

When we do not consult the Lord, we could be getting in the way of what He wants to do in a person’s life. Instead of handing over cash, God may be about to supply that need in another way, but you have just stepped in front of Him. Though it may be difficult, we need to allow God to work in the lives of people. “God is good to us to bring us to repentance.” If we are always getting in God’s way, how can He bless those who are in need.

We all by-pass God from time to time to do what we want, never inquiring of Him as to whether we should or not. The spirit of God leads and guides us into all truth and righteousness, but how can he lead us if we never follow. Allowing the Holy Spirit to have his way in our lives is what it is about, but how often do we fail Him. Self is always at the forefront of everything we do, and everything we want. Self does not like to yield. However, in order to stay in fellowship with our Father in heaven we need to choose Him and His ways. “If any lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” It takes wisdom to deal with friends and family. When we ask God for wisdom, ask for help in situations, He gives it to us in abundance. The problem happens when it does not line up with what people think we should say or do. Therein lies the issue…. “We ought to obey God rather than man.” (Acts 5:29) In the end that is the only thing that will last, the only thing that will count when we stand before the Judgement seat of Christ. Then you might hear, “ I said…..”