2 Traps Every Family Must Avoid

God loves family!

He created it before he created the church because when a family is strong, a church will be strong. Furthermore, when families are strong, a city will be strong.

The family is a structure God intended to be safe, loving, leading, growing, and generational. It’s the foundation of a society, and God wants to bless it and do miracles through it.

“The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent/house of the godly will flourish.”

Proverbs 14:11

It’s my belief, that every family has a purpose in God and can be safe, loving, leading, growing and generational.

This is for your family!

Loving each other, having time around the table, and bonding through growing relationships. Teamwork, unity, and love emanate through the home. This is what God has for your family.

But we know this is easier said than done.

The truth is our families are attacked in a variety of ways. Because God has great potential in our families, they are a target. The agenda of the devil is to make our families unsafe, unloving, no leadership, no growth, and generational patterns that are unhealthy.

To accomplish this, the enemy loves to use mind games and traps that spread division, strife, and broken trust. These must be defeated so our families can thrive in what God has planned.

When we know these mind games and traps, we can defeat them.

“so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.”

2 Corinthians 2:11

So, here are two common traps that families must avoid.

First, what happens in the home stays in the home.

This is pride trying to hide areas that could use support and help. When we close off our lives from help, we cannot grow and be healthy. The truth is, all of us need other people in our lives to help us be better; furthermore, this is the same for our families.

Keeping secrets only hinders the family from health and open communication. When we allow pride, embarrassment, and ego to get in the way, our family cannot move forward. Too many marital issues, parenting issues, communication issues, money issues, and more are not dealt with because of this trap.

However, when we get things in the light something good can happen. When we expose an area of need God can heal it. When we open up for help, help can come. Too many times families suffer in secrecy instead of coming forward in humility and being helped.

Is there something in your family that you’re hiding?

I encourage you today to reach out for help. Don’t let pride rob you of the potential God has for you. There’s nothing wrong with needing help because none of us have all the answers.

God lives in the light, the devil lives in the darkness. God moves through open communication. The devil moves through lies and secrets.

I say it this way: if we hide, we die, but if we get in the light, we live.

Reaching out for help can be going to a pastor, counselor, group leader, and or a trusted friend. Please refuse to live in secrecy. God has something better for you.

Second, do as I say, not as I do.

This sounds good but it doesn’t work. All of us model what we see. Our marriages, our kids, and our families are displaying behavior based on what they’re seeing done.

We can say I love you, but if our actions don’t show it, the words will be forgotten. It takes words and actions, to fortify behavior and the culture we have in the home.

This is biblical. James said it’s faith and works combined that make our faith alive. We can’t say we believe and do nothing. What we do shows what we believe and then gives credibility to what we say.

“Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

James 2:18

Our families must see actions backed up with our words, period.

Right now, what we’re seeing acted out in the home, has been seen in the home. So, do you like what you’re seeing?

Think about it, what we’re getting is a product of what we’re doing. Wow!

Please know our families are watching everything we do, and they’re responding accordingly. Our actions are speaking louder than anything else; therefore, choose to have your words and actions match.

When you mess up, apologize and make it right. When something is a pink elephant, tackle it. When there are unresolved issues, speak to them and seek a resolution. Always choose humility because that’s where God moves.

Someone has to be a proactive leader and set the course with vision. Healthy families, purposed families, strong families, loving families, and talking families are intentional. They don’t just happen.

In fact, if someone doesn’t lead, the family will go to the lowest denominator. No talking, isolated with technology, hollow meals, no trust, no leadership, secrets, and split a part in the heart. None of us want this, but too many families live with this.

It’s time for something different!

We can defeat the mind game traps and have what we all want. A family that is safe, loving, leading, growing, and generational.

His story can rewrite our history and give us a new future for our families.

Move forward and defeat the family mind game traps!

PD