Here’s a one-word question we need to ask ourselves frequently: helpful?
In 1 Thessalonians 4.1, the Holy Spirit speaks through Paul:

“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God.”

Everyone wants to progress more and more and grow financially, spiritually, and emotionally in every way. No one wants to go backwards; however, according to the Word of God, the path to progress is to walk in the way that pleases God.

That is, “to please” refers to what is convenient, helpful, and has a positive purpose. So, if something is helpful, it’s because it’s good for you, and what doesn’t help you is the opposite.

So, when you start to ask yourself, “Is it helpful?” In certain situations, you often realise how many unhelpful things you do for yourself and who you want to be. Because if you want to progress more and more, certain things will not match your goal.

Let’s go to some practical everyday examples:
• You’re going to watch football all weekend, okay? If you are a 14-year-old boy aspiring to be a professional player, I would say it’s helpful. Now, if you are a father of a family or a husband, is it helpful to spend the whole weekend ignoring your wife and children and doing only what you like? You owe attention, presence, and participation to your wife and children. Should you be stuck in a football game all the time?

• You should stay in this vegetative situation in front of a mobile phone, a television, or a computer and ignore your family all the time. You women have to ask yourselves if it is helpful to stay on the internet for hours and hours scrolling your finger on the mobile phone screen, watching videos. You have things to do and solve, and stay in that slump. Should I do that? Will you progress by doing this? That’s what the text above talks about.

So, start considering if the way you have lived is helpful for you. And if you are true and sincere, you will realise that although one side of yours likes that, the side of judgment, of reason, the side that the Spirit of God speaks to you, tells you that you should tear it out of your life.

You are a carer of yourself and are responsible for your choices and decisions. So make sure that what you spend time doing and what you choose to do is helpful; if it doesn’t suit you, cut it from your life without mercy.

https://www.universal.org/renato-cardoso/post/convem/