Have you ever quoted the verse about all things working together for good for those who love God to someone in extreme heartache and tragic devastation? Have you ever had it quoted to you in similar circumstances? Which did you enjoy more? That verse is in scripture, but it is better for you to affirm and embrace it because I have given it to you than for some would-be comforter to quote it casually. This is a powerful statement if it is spoken in first person by someone in the midst of great suffering, to affirm their steadfastness in me and declare that good will come of it.

Are you influenced by the culture you live in? This is inevitable, even as a fish is immersed in water. This influence can be good or bad, or a combination of these. Are you aware of the influence your culture has on you? Don’t assume that you are. It takes a deliberate effort. You are so close to it that you accept its values unless you consciously evaluate them. I want you to make this effort. Then you can embrace and affirm the positive things that it gives you, and oppose and reject those things that work against you. A fish has no alternative but to live in the water, but it can swim against the current. 

Are you led by the Spirit? How would you know? One approach is a logical deduction from scripture. If you know you are a son of God, you can make this claim by inference. That is not the same as knowing it by first-hand experience. How do you know this as a practical matter? Do you have thoughts that come to you during the day, popping into your mind from out of the blue? All these common figures of speech suggest that not all of your thoughts originate with you. I can speak in limitless ways, but this is a primary one you should be attentive to. If these are good ideas and you act in response to them, you will be able to see in hindsight you are led by the Spirit. 

When you meet an acquaintance and ask how they are doing, do you find that the most common reply is that they have been busy? Do you know anyone who would not claim this as the status of their life? Have you ever made the same statement to others? Does it appear to be an excuse between friends for not maintaining the friendship, or in a more general sense for not doing the important things that matter in life? My word contains an account of Mary and Martha. What do you learn from this? I know you have duties to fulfill. Can you relate to others without saying that you are busy?