Can Character and Integrity Help in Coping with Injustice?

It’s not unusual to be blamed for something you did not do. What’s upsetting is being unable to convince the accuser that nothing hurtful was  intended. Most disconcerting is attacks on one’s integrity and character. This happened to David.

David’s character and integrity, combined with his leadership skills, pushed Saul to the limits of being able to cope with David’s popularity with the people. It undoubtedly hurt David to the depths of his soul to have been accused by Saul of wanting to kill him.

Listen to David plea to Saul from 1 Samuel 24: “Look at this piece of cloth I cut off your robe while you were sleeping. Recognize and understand I am not guilty of wanting to kill you. I have not wronged you, but you are fixated on trying to kill me.” Can you hear David’s defense of being  innocent? 

God’s word tells us not to grow weary in doing good, for he will reward those who do what is right by staying within the boundaries God has for everyone.  

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Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

~Proverbs 4:23 New International Version

 

I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.

~1 Chronicles 29:17 New International Version

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What Makes Apathy So Debilitating?

The danger of procrastination is that it can evolve into apathy. Apathy can be described as a lack of emotional caring about whether life is good or bad. Apathy can produce a lack of passion for life. 

When a person has passion for life, there is motivation for what has to be done.

The first step in turning procrastination into achievement is to change your attitude. God desires for you to achieve and be successful, so take ownership of what’s causing you to procrastinate. By your taking ownership, God is in a position to heal you spiritually and emotionally.

God designed you to achieve and care about your future. He never intended for you to be apathetic and uncaring. Listen to God’s word from Galatians 6:9: “So let us not become tired of doing good, for if we do not give up, a time will come when we will reap a harvest of blessings.” This attitude and the resulting action open the door for a new life filled with achievement.  

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Love sincerely. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Love one another tenderly as fellow Christians. Outdo one another in showing respect.

~Romans 12:9-10 Beck – New Testament in the Language of Today

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How Is Procrastination Outside of God's Perfect Will?

Overcoming procrastination takes determination. It also requires believing in your heart that absolute perfection is not required. The true perfectionist falsely believes he or she will be judged harshly by oneself or others if whatever needs to be done isn’t done perfectly.

The procrastinator tends to be in conflict at some level with family, friends, or fellow employees. This often leads to delays in completing a given task. The procrastinator will predictably lead a life of dissatisfaction and underachievement.

It is difficult to change, so it’s imperative to believe it is God’s will to do so. 

God is the giver of hope and strength to put into action what he intends for you to do. Let God’s word from Hosea 10:12 speak to you: “It’s time for you to turn to the Lord and he will come and pour blessings upon you.” By believing God’s words, you can defeat procrastination.  

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Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 

~Galatians 6:9 New International Version

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Do Commitments Strengthen Faith?

How would you evaluate these past few months in terms of your financial, physical, and spiritual wellbeing? For some, now is the time to modify your lifestyle in hopes of finding ways to resolve some difficult problems that are surely a precursor to a crisis. Would this address your relationships that need healing?

A primary reason for making a lifestyle change is that those we love are affected by our choices. Most people are endowed with enough self-control to stay focused on their commitment to make a needed change. Failing to stay focused can result in failure and severe consequences.

Seeing a commitment through to completion strengthens your faith and trust in the Lord God. Listen to Proverbs 16:3. “Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will succeed.” Joshua 21:45 adds, “Not one of God’s promises made to his people fail, for each is brought to completion.” God will give you the initiative and staying power to make sure your commitments reach their objective.   

                   

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I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.

~2 Timothy 4:7 New American Standard Bible

 

And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.

~Galatians 6:9 The Living Bible

                         WE WILL NEVER FORGET! 09/11/01

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When Trouble Comes Knocking

Trouble is no respecter of persons. It may come in the best of times or on the wings of a storm with explosive sound and fury. It’s presence, however, cannot be ignored or denied. Some people try to avoid trouble by refusing to believe it exists, even when it's no longer knocking at the door but has come barging in.

Hiding from trouble is like hiding from the truth. Eventually reality becomes evident and cannot be denied. When I was a teenager, several hogs broke out of a holding pen and scattered over the countryside. Hours later after expending great effort to recapture these hogs that had taken flight, my dad admitted smoking cigarettes had damaged his stamina and produced irreversible consequences.

Trouble will test your integrity and endurance for doing the right thing. Galatians 6:9 instructs us not to "become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest, provided we do not give up." Regardless of how overwhelming trouble appears to be, ask God for strength and determination to endure. He will help you. 

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Jesus answered them…“I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!”

~John 16:33 Good News Bible

Self-Regulate! Don't Crowd the Edge

The majority of human beings intuitively know when they’re crowding the edge of what is healthy and acceptable. Self-regulation, or self-control, is a boundary marker designed to keep us within the limits of acceptable behavior. Competent self-regulation is dependent on our mental and emotional state to facilitate responsible choices.

Healthy self-control involves more than refraining from behaving in ways that are on the edge. So the more emotionally threatened you feel at any moment determines the accuracy of your judgments. Self-regulating what you think and how you talk is critical to believing you are emotionally unwavering in common sense.

Self-regulating requires exercising constraints rather than rushing forward without considering the consequences. Psalm 37:7 tells us to “be patient and wait for the Lord to act. Don’t be envious of evil people who seem to succeed in their evil ways.” Jesus was constantly waiting and encouraging his disciples to wait for God’s perfect timing. 

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While [Jesus] was still with them, he said: “Don’t leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do.”

~Acts 1:4 Contemporary English Version

And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.

~Galatians 6:9 The Living Bible

At the Right Time

Listen to this encouragement from God’s word. "Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not become too discouraged and give up.” For many people it seems that there is just no way out of a slump, yet St. Paul tells us to press on, continue doing good even in the worst of times.

          Joseph helped a former servant from the palace of Pharaoh, King of Egypt to be restored to his position. As a trusted servant he had tested everything the King would eat or drink. This man promised Joseph he would recommend him to Pharaoh when the opportunity arose. There are times when we desperately count on others to help even at great risk to themselves.  

Waiting for God's timing is difficult when we expect instant satisfaction. I can imagine Joseph waiting day after day wondering what happened to the man who promised to help him get out of prison. When we wait patiently for God's timing, we can be assured the results will be exactly what God planned for us.          

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“When the right time comes, I will make this happen quickly.

I am the Lord!”

~Isaiah 60:22b Good News Bible

God makes everything happen at the right time. Yet none of us can ever fully understand all he has done, and he puts questions in our minds about the past and the future.

~Ecclesiastes 3:11 Contemporary English Version

Must I Really Love THAT Person? - Part 3

When my granddaughter was four, she asked if we could take a walk around the neighborhood. About halfway around the block she asked, "Why is the sidewalk different? It's crumbling and I can see little shells in it." Her question caused me to question the values of the company who sold an inferior product.

The Roman Empire was among the first to use concrete for their structures, and some of those structures are still standing twenty centuries later. What gives personal values the sustaining power to withstand the trials and storms of life? Values must be firmly grounded in a clear sense of what is right and wrong.

God has given us Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit and his word to guide our walk through this world. The presence of God in our lives strengthens our values by telling us to strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love and the strength to endure. Whenever anything that is not pure, honest and true gets mixed into our lives, it must be identified and cleaned out. With God’s help, you can do it.  

Establishing Your Values? Choose Wisely - Part 1

When I was a fourth grader, life on the farm presented significant problems. My mother had been sick with high blood pressure. Abundant rain ruined my father’s crops. I was thrown from a horse and broke my arm. My uncle who witnessed this event, took me to Dr. Collins, the only doctor in the community, who set my arm.

Discouragement will come to visit everyone. If permitted, discouragement can strengthen personal values by clarifying what’s important. Values reflect our personal identity and help us to stand firm when confronted with hardships. Discouragement can cause others to lose sight of what’s ultimately important and produce regrettable choices.

Discouragement for my dad resulted in a change that he believed would be good for the family. Galatians 6:9 offers encouragement. "And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we do not get discouraged and give up." The issue is to trust God to meet your needs.