The Book of Proverbs gives us some amazing wisdom for life. Along with that, Solomon also exposes some common ways that people end up messing up their lives. Here are five. There are also suggestions as to how to avoid these disastrous mistakes in your own life.
How to ruin your life
1. Live your life as if there is no God.
The greatest mistake you could ever make in your life would be to live as if there is no God. Some people choose to believe that there is no God. Big mistake. Others claim to believe in God, but they still seem to live their lives as if he does not exist. Another big mistake.
Proverbs 9:10 NLTFear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 10:9 NLT People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.
2. Choose people who are spiritually foolish to be your closest friends.
You are basically a composite of the five friends you choose to spend the most time with. It is important to choose them well. “Show me your friends, and I will show you your future.”
Proverbs 13:20 NLT Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
3. Never learn to control your emotions.
Many people seem to live with the misguided notion that it is healthy to just let your emotions go with whatever you are feeling. “Just let it out!” However, the Bible tells us that it is a position of great strength and character to learn how to control your emotions. Happy people are able to control their emotions.
Proverbs 29:11 NLT Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.
Proverbs 16:32 NLT Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
Proverbs 25:28 NLT A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.
4. Stay down once you have fallen down.
Everyone fails at various points in their lives. But not everyone gets back up after they have fallen. The ability to get back up once you have fallen is one of the greatest indicators of your overall success in life. Never, ever give up. Whether you stumble spiritually or with some other area of your life, always be sure to get back up when you fail.
Proverbs 24:16 NLT The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
5. Fail to spend your entire life learning.
Wisdom and great success in life tend to follow those who are on a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. “You should get all you can, can all you get, and sit on the can.”
Proverbs 9:9 NLT Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.
BONUS! Disregard God’s principles for financial stewardship.
God’s Word is so amazingly practical that He has even given us many, many great principles that apply to our finances. Soak them in and thrive. Reject them, and you will struggle perpetually.
Proverbs 23:5 NLT In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.
Proverbs 22:7 NLT Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.
Proverbs 17:18 NLT It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for a friend.
Proverbs 10:2 NLT Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life.
Proverbs 6:6-8 NLT Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.
Proverbs 13:4 NLT Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.