Adversity is inevitable--but some problems can be prevented with wise planning
One of life's truths for singles and married people alike is that adversity is inevitable.
We'd all like to live a pain-free life, but that's just not possible. Even when you take reasonable precautions, problems are still going to show up.
Setbacks can be doubly traumatic for singles because we don't have a spouse for support. We can lean on family members, but they may be far away.
Can you prepare for trouble ahead of time? Is there anything you can do to lessen the impact of life's difficulties?
The answer is yes! Singles can avoid a tremendous amount of trouble simply by planning ahead. By making a few sacrifices now, you can prevent a plane load of pain later. Let's get started.
The wisdom of an emergency fund
If you own an automobile, you've probably already learned that adversity is inevitable where your car is concerned. All machines need repairs from time to time, no matter how well we maintain them.
What you don't want to do is be forced to take out a loan to pay for car repairs. Then you're stuck not only with the repair costs themselves, but also the interest on the loan, which can be very high. That holds true for charging emergency repairs on your credit card as well.
Planning is the key. Every payday, set aside a certain amount of money for your Car Repair Emergency Fund. It can be as little as $5 or $10, but start next week and be faithful on this.
Saving money is always hard, but it's oh so sweet
when an emergency comes up (and they always do),
and you've got enough saved to cover it.
This is important! Don't think, "Oh, yeah. That's probably a good idea. I'll do that someday."
Somedays never come. Take it from a 73 year-old guy who's been doing this all his life. This is the smartest way to live.
And don't dare raid that fund unless it's a true emergency! Otherwise you'll be right back where you started.
How to reduce your problems
Many singles simply don't believe adversity is inevitable. They think they can chug along, never having to face anything unpleasant. Wake up!
I can absolutely stone-guarantee that bad things are going to happen to you, even if you're a Christian. We don't catch a free ride either.
But it is possible to reduce the number of problems you have. Again, preparation is always worth the effort.
- Have the oil changed in your car at least every 4,000 miles.
- Have your teeth examined and cleaned at least once a year, preferably every 6 months.
- Get an annual physical exam from your doctor, even if you feel fine.
- If you rent an apartment, get renter's insurance.
- If you're using any type of tobacco product, stop! You're poisoning your body and it WILL catch up with you.
Nagging? You think that's nagging? Ha! You're going to bop yourself in the head when something bad happens if you don't plan for it.
They'll think you're a genius!
One of your goals should be to become as independent as you can. You don't want to be relying on your parents or friends to bail you out for the rest of your life.
Accepting the truth that adversity is inevitable will encourage you to take precautions, not live from paycheck to paycheck, and be able to respond sensibly when trouble does arise.
As you handle emergencies in stride (which you'll do because you've gotten so much smarter), your family and friends will be amazed at your maturity and good judgment.
Living in constant "crisis mode" not only wrecks your peace of mind, but it also does a number on your digestion.
How God figures into this
Some problems can't be solved with money alone. Like serious illness. I should know because I had cancer when I was 25 years old. I had good health insurance through my employer, so all of my medical bills were taken care of, but the spiritual and emotional toll it took on me required years to recover from.
Then I had cancer again just a couple years ago. But because I had purchased my own health insurance, it didn't wipe me out. It could have, if I hadn't been prepared.
Look: When we're young, we think we're invincible. We're not. Illness or a serious accident can hit anybody, any time. I'm living proof of that.
And then there are the deaths of loved ones and pets. These events are emotionally devastating.
This kind of adversity is inevitable, too, but if you begin to develop an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus Christ now, it will be so much easier to turn to him when tragedy strikes.
God is the rock we cling to when tragedy strikes.
You don't need to fear the future, if God is in your present. Yes, adversity is inevitable, but God is good. He sticks by his children in times of trouble. And that's one of the most important truths you'll find on this whole site.
Can't happen to you? Ha!
After reading the above article, you had one of two responses. You accepted the truth of it and are planning to take action, or you blew it off, thinking it's too hard to save money or you'd rather spend it on fun things now instead of saving it for an emergency.
It's a simple choice: Smart decision or stupid decision.
If you find that insulting, I promise you that the next time an emergency hits--and one absolutely will, because adversity is inevitable--you will regret that you did not take this advice.
Be smart, okay? Learn this lesson NOW, instead of learning it from YOUR OWN PAIN later.
