Can I Do This?

When he and she create something common, their affairs and cares don't decrease in connection with this union, but multiply many times over.

Working in the sphere of construction and home renovation, I noticed that single people don't build private houses for themselves and don't rent large apartments. They mostly content themselves with minimal comfort, and they don't need so much. But when a person has a family, and then children, the requests and desires of household members become so great that satisfying their needs requires many resources, time, and all kinds of service companies.

These families aren't afraid to take large loans and then spend several decades paying debts in order to live in coziness and comfort.

And as for household affairs, with creating a family and arranging domestic life they somehow become so numerous that you're constantly busy with something, and these affairs pursue you as a long list throughout your subsequent life. And to somehow escape from all these cares, families found themselves a loophole—going on vacation and paying big money to do nothing for at least some time and allow others to service their rest.

However good this vacation may be, you always have to return to the place that's called "Home," and then do everything that's called household affairs.

Solomon once called all our life vanity. But there's vanity without special meaning, and there are simple household occupations that gladden hearts and make spouses dearer and closer. Well, what's surprising if we were created to work six days and do all our affairs?

When all responsibilities in a family are distributed honestly and equally, then everyone knows what's expected of them and doesn't claim more. But into such everyday life and routine you can bring a small holiday for the soul and disturb the usual order of things by doing them with love.

Love is very wise and capable of thinking up what will make another's life happy, constantly gladdening the heart of your other half. Agape thoroughly studies the love language of a life companion and tries to periodically communicate in it.

It perfectly sees how someone labors for the family's good with all their heart or does their duties reluctantly because it's necessary. But one way or another, love prompts a spouse's heart to attack their friend with an active proposal: "Can I do this?" And then it immediately pours into work and tries either to do everything instead of the one who performs this labor, or begins actively helping another if it doesn't receive all the work entirely.

The goal of this lesson consists not in beginning to dream about such a caring life companion, but in becoming the one who, being moved by love, wishes to think in this direction and allow their love to build further plans for active participation in another's life. You can read these lines and think about where to get such a friend. Our goal is not to point you to a "fishing spot," but help you become that very fish that will gladden the one who has it, if, of course, this fisherman exists.

It is written in 1 John 3:18: "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." Caring for another, helping in affairs, and transferring another's burden to your shoulders—all this was the norm of happy relationships in all times, and I think Eternity won't be an exception in these matters, but will provide much more eternal opportunities to eternally think about the happiness of other eternal neighbors.

When I begin to reflect or speak about Eternity and how good it will be for all of us there, and how joyfully we'll care for each other in Heaven, lining up to serve neighbors with whom we'll intersect, then for some reason people listen to me with sadness, thinking that this beautiful time is still very long to wait for. But why wait? For us, Eternal life has already begun by faith in Jesus. The Holy Spirit birthed us from above for Himself, and then He begins to teach us the rules of Eternal life so that we would be wise children of God in every place. And God the Father Himself endows us with Heavenly agape, which produces in us both the willing and the doing according to His good pleasure.

It's not at all necessary to ask your spouse whether you can help them. Sometimes you just need to say this, declaring that you'll take on their responsibilities. When the heart wants to arrange a holiday for another, then love will always find suitable words and expressions for how to better announce this. It only needs a reason to manifest itself, and love has plenty of fantasies about how to do this.

I want to assure you that when you begin mutually or unilaterally to build your family happiness, it will certainly come into your family or into your heart. But let everything be with love, so that everything is honest and right.

Even if you decided to begin implementing something good through force, don't give up, but go forward, and happiness will catch up with you.

Only please consider that if you, following these counsels, constantly wait for when this happiness will finally appear, and you'll start doing everything from the heart and for the heart, then possibly you won't wait for what is spoken about here.

We very much like when we're sincerely valued and respected, when our good deeds are noticed and spoken about, when all our labors for others' good are received with joy. And wings grow on us! We want to do even more and be even better. But let these expectations be not the goal, but become a consequence of your good deeds. Live already now by the rules of Eternal life, think already now about neighbors' happiness, don't dream about yourself, and all these eternal laws will come into your life and line up in a beautiful queue to bless you with their joy and influence others through you.

I'll ask a question. How many people now think about your happiness and dream of caring for you? None or one, or very few. And how many people will think about your happiness in Eternity and do something for this? All. And has Eternal Life begun for you, or are you waiting for its beginning with Christ's Coming? Don't you want to join already now this group called "all," to become that exception to the rules that thinks not only about itself but also about others? Don't hurry to answer me anything. Share your thoughts first with God, and let Him help accomplish what will bring you joy and gladden your family.

The time will never come when I have no one to care for and no one to help and serve. And whether I need this now, I decide myself. Without God and His love I won't be able to do something correctly, although something good might result. But with Him and in Him I'm capable of anything. Without me, God won't do what He could accomplish with me, although He has sufficient means and strength.

God needs me and my decision to care for another, and then all His strength will become mine, and His love will attach wings of enthusiasm to me and think up many interesting types of service in which not only I will be happy, but also those to whom my care will be to their heart and will lighten responsibilities.

I want there to be a struggle in your families for willing performance of your own and others' affairs, which will become yours.

1. Please read Galatians 6:9-10; James 4:17; Philippians 2:4,13-14; 4:6-9; 1 John 3:18; 5:11-12; Ecclesiastes 6:10; 9:10; Romans 13:8-14; Exodus 20:9; Psalm 34:13-17; 37:25-28; Revelation 14:13; Luke 6:31; James 2:26 in light of this lesson.

2. What other verses from the Bible came to your mind?

3. What did you understand from this topic?

4. Does God call us to do good deeds without expecting reward for this?

5. Do you think Heaven will value what you begin to do good in your family by personal initiative?

6. Have any good projects of good deeds for your relatives and close ones arisen in your plans after studying this lesson?

7. Do you think performing someone's responsibilities will bring you special blessing?

8. Is it worth paying attention to what spirit and what mood you do good for your spouse and what goals you pursue?

9. Should I be the first to begin doing good or performing someone's affairs if my heart isn't accustomed to this?

10. Is it worth doing something for someone at all? Won't these someones sit on my neck?

11. Do you think it's difficult to do what this lesson teaches? If not, then why are there few who live like this?

12. If you have no experience doing others' affairs, what should you start with?

13. Does the Lord do for you something you could do yourself?

14. If the Lord teaches us to do good simply and even love your enemies, is it worth listening to this?

15. Does the Lord give strength and wisdom to those who take the path of caring for others and selfless service?