What should I be doing to turn this around?

on Sep 20, 2025

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: A longtime friendship has ended, and it has broken my heart. My friend has stopped going to church and will not return my calls. All of this started after she became a social media fanatic, sort of creating her own lifestyle. I am compelled to do whatever it takes to put this back on track; otherwise, I’ll feel like all these years of investment were in vain. What should I be doing to turn this around? – B.F.

A: There are many things that confront us in life that shape our thinking and our desires. When someone has been accustomed to going to church and doing things that please God, and suddenly their lifestyle changes, there is reason for concern. We all should be on the alert because for many people, it doesn’t take much to divert attention from the more important things in life.

Just think about the incredible number of messages that rain down on us every day: television ads, emails and social media, phone calls, magazines, junk mail, videos, billboards, conversations – the list is almost endless. How many of them subtly convince us that the road is paved with possessions, or beauty, or money, or fame, or any of a hundred other things? How many of them persuade us that the most important thing in life is financial success or the esteem of others? It is hard to resist the cumulative impact of so many messages.

But God says our thinking must be shaped by His truth. What this world calls valuable, God calls worthless. What this world scorns, God exalts. The Bible says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways” (Isaiah 55:8, NKJV). Pray for those who have drifted from God and gone the way of the world, and be consistent in your life as a testimony to the Lord.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)