Please, Put the Remote Down

Please, Put the Remote DownMilan Ford Well, it's official.My wife and I can no longer watch television together. And I must admit - it is largely my fault.While it pains me to share this with you, several years ago I contracted a deadly disease that is affecting men of all ages and ethnicities at an alarming rate. The disease is called O.C.F.Also Known As: Obsessive Channel Flipping.Some of the symptoms of this disease include:(1) An inability to watch an entire show or film in its entirety.(2) An abnormal distaste for commercial breaks.(3) An endless pursuit and search through movie channels I know I haven't paid for yet.(Pray for me - but sometimes I wake up hoping my cable company would one day make a mistake.)Since it has become nearly impossible for my wife (or anyone for that matter) to sit and enjoy watching any form of television with me, I decided to get some serious help. After seeking the advice of several close friends, family members, as well as a few cable technicians I knew, I soon discovered that my problem was much bigger than channel flipping.In fact, it is a problem that men, women, and a majority of the Body of Christ today have as well.Our problem: FINISHING.Whatever happened to that project you were working on (that you just knew was ordained by God), only to flip to something else less demanding because you were afraid of failing?Or what about that relationship you took before God in prayer earlier this year? Why were you so quick to flip onto something (or someone) else after that first sign of disagreement?It is amazes me how we (as believers) are at times some of the biggest channel flippers when it comes to life's challenges. When faced with adversity, we often surf for a better station, rather than to wait and see what God may have in store at the end of the program.Sometimes we forget that God (as described in Hebrews 12:2) is the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our faith. There is nothing that catches Him by surprise concerning our lives.While there may be times in our life that seem too difficult to watch and endure, we must find confidence in knowing that God does not view our life as some one-time program. He sees our lives as a series.A series that He has authored and gone before us all to finish.A finish that you and I do just can't afford to miss.While 2008 is indeed drawing to a close, and there still may remain some things you were hoping to accomplish this year, this is not a time for channel flipping.This is a time to finish the work that God has begun in you. So today, if you are in need of any words of encouragement (or accountability) in order to aid you in finishing this year strong......let me leave you with five good ones my wife gave me the other day:PLEASE, PUT THE REMOTE DOWN