Is Worrying Worth the Effort?

If worrying is basically unproductive and implies that your faith is weak, what is an acceptable alternative? Worry is a strong indication that your faith is being tested. How would you know if your faith is strong or weak unless it has been tested?

So if you are extremely worried, do you need to clear out some debris or garbage you’ve allowed to take up residence in your thoughts and mind? Worry is related to what is beyond your ability to manage, so clear out what is a hindrance to your faith. Put your trust in Jesus.

An alternative to worrying is believing whatever you’re facing will eventually be for your good. That is God’s promise. 

Keep this at the center of your attention until worry and doubt have been replaced by peace. Jesus promised, ”It is my own peace I give to you.” Visualize Jesus doing this. Permit this alternative to worrying to strengthen your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.                      

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Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.

~Colossians 3:23-24 Christian Standard Bible

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Which of God's Promises Are More Important to You?

“So many unfortunate things happened to me last year, and it’s hard to believe the rapid sequence in which they occurred!” These words came from a positive, energetic believer who is a person of faith. The parade of troubles pushed to the breaking point the person's ability to cope.

When troubles permeate your life, it’s important to believe that God is not necessarily singling you out for punishment. God is not responsible for bringing every bad and painful experience into your life. It may be the result of impulsive choices that would now be judged as inadvisable.

Philippians 2:13 is God’s promise to you: “It is God who works in you, helping you to want to obey him and then helping you to do what is required.” Keep in mind that “all things work together for good to them that love God, who are called according to his purposes.” With this attitude, better choices are possible, so praise God for being active in your life.  

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When you obey me you are living in my love, just as I obeyed my Father and live in his love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy.

~John 15:10-11 The Living Bible

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What Makes Jesus' Narrow Gate So Difficult?

How committed are you to becoming the person you know you’re capable of becoming at this moment? Here’s how to do your part. Guard against a negative or pessimistic attitude that’s so discouraging. Jesus points to the narrow way, which guards against discouragement.

David in Psalm 119: 71 said, “When you corrected me, O Lord, it was good for me because it taught me to listen and apply your word to my life.” What is God teaching you and where is he leading you today?

Tragedy befalls each person, but for those who trust in the Lord Jesus, there is hope for help and healing. The worst thing life dishes out will ultimately produce good for those who love God. Listen to his word: “Trust in the Lord and wait patiently for him.” Don’t give in to worry or anger. God will take care of you, so wait patiently for him to provide what you need. 

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Jesus replied, “…I will only reveal myself to those who love me and obey me. The Father will love them too, and we will come to them and live with them.”

~John 14: 23 The Living Bible

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What Important Lessons Are Learned from Past Distresses?

If preparing for a family gathering has created apprehension and worry in you, then it’s time to wind down and let go of all negative expectations. Calming yourself is a necessary emotional task for experiencing the potential happiness a family gathering can deliver.

If past gatherings have not produced the happiness you expected, whatever you now allow yourself to anticipate can set you up for what has always been. The alternative is for God to use you to gradually change an old system into a joyful reunion.

Many important lessons in life are learned from experiencing numerous disappointments and hardships. Yet we as humans strive to make life easy. One way to make life meaningful is to make it your objective to love God with all you’ve got so that all things work together for good because you do love him and are called according to his purposes. Think about it.

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I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

~Psalm 32:8 Revised Standard Version

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What Are Effective Solutions to Anger?

Chronic anger and resentment give birth to cynicism, which reflects a negative appraisal of situations, people, and life in general. Cynicism produces the pessimistic view that people are not good and their objective is to inflict suffering on others. Cynicism erects walls that foster separation and alienation.

The longer cynicism is nurtured, the more intense it becomes and then evolves into lack of trust for those to whom it is directed. People whose relationships fail may develop a pessimistic attitude toward all relationships and prefer to be alone.

However, the core attribute of a believer’s faith is trust that God is at work to bring about his perfect will for you. 

So be quick to listen but slow to speak because anger does not achieve God’s righteous purpose for you. As you accept this truth, your trust in Christ Jesus produces certainty that with the Lord God, all things are possible.                      

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Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and] slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; for the [resentful, deep-seated] anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God [that standard of behavior which He requires from us].

~James 1:19-20 Amplified Bible

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A Self-awakening to God's Purpose

To know your life counts for something special produces feelings of incomparable joy. It’s so easy to get lost in self-centeredness. However, God is patient and waits for us to accept that a more important purpose for living exists. Then we can focus on building a bridge toward a purpose and destiny with eternal value. 

Essential to this self-awakening is the belief that God has a purpose for you. When Abraham Lincoln gave his second inaugural address March of 1865, he spoke to a wounded and divided nation in need of healing. He wanted the nation to accept that Almighty God has his purpose in every turn of history.

The Civil War’s purpose was beyond ending slavery. The nation needed a new identity under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for everyone. Our task is to discover God’s purpose for us. To do so gives vitality and reason to become the person God intended. It builds energy  for accepting God’s purpose for you.                          

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Great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.  

~Jeremiah 32:18-19 New International Version

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Expressing Adoration with Thanksgiving

Reverence for the Lord builds a bridge to confidence, knowledge, and wisdom. Reverence also builds trust for managing crises which each person must face. Reverence for Christ Jesus builds faith to accept that "all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purposes".

When everything appears to be in place for us, displaying reverence to God by expressing thanksgiving demonstrates our heartfelt gratitude. Reverence for God helps us keep a right perspective on the transient nature of the material things we try so desperately try to possess. True wealth is only found in love for God and others.

This is what Jesus means when he tells us to lay up our treasures in heaven where they will be secure. 2 Chronicles 19:9 reminds us that reverence for the Lord helps us cope with situations that are beyond our control. Reverence for God places us in a position to receive all the help God is willing to extend to us.  

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A good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in his heart; a bad person brings bad out of his treasure of bad things. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

~Luke 6:45 Good News Bible

 

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, and offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship with reverence and awe.

~Hebrews 12:28 Amplified Bible

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Conflicted Within and Without

Conflict between individuals usually has its roots within one or both persons. When someone is troubled by conflict, it’s usually because of being forced to choose between different courses of action. After high school, I had to choose between a course of action that would please my parents or bring peace within myself.

One side argued for college and another for military service, which put me in conflict with my parents. This inner struggle represented distinct parts of my personality, each vying to be heard with their equally important viewpoints. This inner conflict eased when I chose the military, but tensions increased between me and my parents. 

Whether conflict is internal or external, decisions are demanded. The conflict with my parents subsided when they chose to honor and trust my decision. God does manage to “work all things out for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose.” It was during my time in the military that I came to realize God’s purpose for my life.  

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Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

~Proverbs 19:21 New International Version

I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

Isaiah 65:24 The Living Bible

Jesus answered, “You do not now understand what I am doing, but by-and-by you will learn.”

~John 13:7 Williams – New Testament in the Language of the People

Suffering: Friend or Foe?

A decade after Joseph arrived in Egypt, he occupied the second most powerful position in the government. God revealed in Pharaoh’s dreams that there would be seven years of abundant harvest followed by seven years of drought. Joseph managed programs to save the nation from starvation. He constructed warehouses and filled them with grain during in the seven years of abundance.

What made Joseph trustworthy? First, he never promoted himself as special. He gave God credit for interpreting Pharaoh's dreams. He saw himself only as God’s messenger. He never asked Pharaoh for privileges because he believed God had provided for him and protected him through all the suffering he had endured.

Suffering is often considered an enemy and a sign of God’s punishment. Adversity, though not always from God, can be used to strengthen your faith as well as your character. When harsh conditions are approaching, let them be the means for renewing your faith and trust in God. He will cleanse you and provide a more perfect way to live. 

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And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.

~Romans 8:28 The Living Bible

Hope Overcomes

There’s an awesome, prevailing sense of encouragement where there’s hope. Hope communicates a belief that obstacles can be overcome. Hope’s expectancy is "all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purposes." Hope can be present even amidst overwhelming conflict.

Jacob could have lived with his father-in-law indefinitely. His skill in livestock breeding had made his father-in-law wealthy, but now he was ready to return to his homeland. Perhaps Proverbs 13:12 had become a reality he could not ignore. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." So, hope encourages endurance until it’s time to go after what has seemed impossible.

Hope gives nourishment to the heart and soul until the body and mind are ready for change. Hope sees potential for the future and will risk hardship for future rewards. Jacob had to prepare himself for meeting his brother even if it meant his death. Hope springs eternal in every heart where Christ Jesus resides. God bless you. 

Gifts from God ~ Hope and Peace

Hope is a wonderful gift to receive, especially when the moment is dark and the future obscure. Hope is made possible by even the smallest degree of trust that whatever is encountered, God’s presence will ensure all things work together for our good. God’s gift of hope generates peace for the present moment and for the future.

Wounds inflicted to your heart and soul seek recovery and healing. Hope made possible by your faith believes God will heal those wounds. His purpose in sending Christ Jesus was not only to save you but to provide grace and mercy for every situation. God’s gifts of HOPE and PEACE are for you to receive and cherish.  Merry Christmas and God bless you!  

Looking Back, Moving Forward - Part 3

We as people tend to view obstructions negatively, as having power to diminish our happiness and peace. Obstacles impede progress toward planned objectives while becoming a source of frustration. Changing one's perspective is difficult, but it’s possible to view obstructions as teachers and opportunities for positive change. Perhaps God intends for obstructions to slow us down so we can view life differently.

How can obstructions become teachers for positive change? A doctor in his early forties who seemed perfectly healthy began to feel severe and chronic fatigue and reluctantly submitted to a complete physical exam. Immediately his colleagues confirmed he had cancer.

Any Illness is an obstruction to health and must be confronted. For this doctor, cancer was a wake-up call. It taught him to value life and every moment as precious. Jesus remind us not to get so caught up in the pressures of living we forget what matters for eternity. “This is your day, the day God has made, so rejoice and be glad for it.”  

Turning Points for New Beginnings - Part 3

My dad sometimes reminisced over opportunities he had let slip away. He wasn't much of a risk-taker, but in a real crunch he would muster up the courage to do what was necessary. When he needed a good job to support his family, his brother who worked at an aircraft plant told him about an available job. All he had to do was apply and the job was his.

Taking this job was a turning point for him. Turning points are those moments in time when change and decision-making are required but may be accompanied by anxiety or fear. However, these feelings can be thought of as part of significant decisions and required changes. Facing down these feelings is possible by believing God is always at work for your good.

Insight helps you see possibilities for starting over or changing directions. What gives power to insight is trust and faith in God's unfailing love for you. His desire is to help you through the turning points of life. Yes, God put his claim on your life but will never take possession without your permission.  

Finding Purpose in Life's Ups and Downs - Part 3

Integrity determines how success or failure is managed. Personal failure can be devastating because failure is attached to our values, morals, and sense of uprightness. It is not unusual to overestimate what we can do with the skills and abilities that God has given us, but failure does not require a denunciation of who we are as persons.

By his mercy, kindness, and forgiveness God will, by Christ Jesus, renew a meaningful and purposeful spirit within us. Finding purpose beyond failure is where integrity plays a major role. When we are enlightened and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, our integrity prevents us from lapsing into despair when failure, whether perceived or real, comes our way.

A friend was forced to take early retirement, but resigning to a life without purpose was out the question. Instead, he determined to find a new purpose for the remaining time God would give him. His integrity allowed him to use this crisis as a means for determining how all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.  

Crisis and Compromise: Choosing God's Way - Part 2

If you could choose to live your life over what would you change? Could you say, "Given the entirety of my life, I would want it to be the same"? Such a  person lives life with a healthy sense of integrity. This person has experienced the reality of God's word "that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purposes."

In fact, God desires for you to live a life of adventure and challenge while refusing to damage your integrity by deliberate, sinful choices. Do you realize that God gives you the right to determine your destiny? You can choose your own path, regardless of the cost to your integrity, or chose to follow God's plan and purposes as he reveals them to you.

There are internal, social, and spiritual imperatives for sustaining a healthy integrity. We can choose to live by specific values that identify us as the person God created and loves. We can choose to live by God's command to respect and love others as we love ourselves. Healthy integrity depends on putting God first in your life. These are choices God will bless.