Jeremiah 17:6
"For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited."
Too often we can be guilty of turning life into a desert when it could be a well of blessings. Jeremiah made the statement that the heath lived in the parched places because it didn't see the good around it. That is sad because the heath has a choice to enjoy the good, but because it doesn't see the good it lives in parched, dried up places.
I find that many people are just like the heath in that they never see the good in any situation, and turn their life into a parched dry desert. This is a horrible way to live. All around you there is good that you can enjoy, but if you are not careful, you will live your life in the parched places of the negative.
Let me ask you, is the negative all you see in your spouse? Many a person has driven their spouse away by constantly berating them and seeing the negative. I don't think anyone means it, but it happens on a regular basis. Many people have turned their marriage into parched places because all they see is negative. Do you ever see the good in your spouse? Let me take this a step further and ask you, have to told your spouse about the good you see? I believe often we see the good, but fail to compliment and only criticize. If you don't want your marriage to become a parched place of negative feelings and comments, then you need to purposely look for the good and be sure to compliment your spouse about the good they do.
Likewise, parents need to be careful not to turn their relationship with their children into parched places. There are times when I truly feel sorry for children as I watch their parents constantly criticize and pick at them. Parents, if you are not careful, you will drive your child completely away from you because they get tired of living in the parched places of the negative. You need to work at praising your children more than you criticize. Don't get me wrong, you need to correct them when they do wrong, but you also need to be sure to praise them when they do right. Many parents have lived a life of regret because they drove their children away with their negative comments. Every parent should strive to make their relationship with their children a garden of blessings and not a desert of parched places.
Furthermore, church members need to be careful that they don't turn their church into a parched place. Do you see all the negative of your church, or do you see the positive? Church is to be an enjoyable place, and you should be careful about always pointing out the negative. If all you do is dwell on the negative of your church, then every sermon you hear and ministry in which you are involved will become a parched place.
Simply put, go overboard on looking for the good and complimenting people about the good they do. It is natural to point out the negative, so you will have to purposely force yourself to compliment the good in every person and place that you see. Let me challenge you to give your spouse, children and friends five compliments today. Then make it a habit that everyday to compliment and thank them for the good they do. By doing this you will have a better chance of not turning life into parched places.