How has this year been for you? Remember, you don't have to do anything wrong for something awful to happen. Just put it in God's hands and ask Him what it is that He wants you to learn from it.
Unexpected things can come out of nowhere. You don't have to be a victim of your circumstances; your reactions decide whether the unexpected can be a stumbling block or an opportunity.
If things have been tough lately just think "right now". This is my life right now, but it won't last forever. Our troubles don't have to define us if we let God use them to refine us.
The pain will subside. One day, it won't be the first thing you think about when you wake up. Put it under the blood of Christ and leave it there! Learn the lesson and then start moving towards the future.
Bold action is beautiful when needed, but it can be disastrous when what's needed is patient waiting. The hardest thing to do is nothing; but sometimes we need to stand still and let God move.
Sometimes life seems senseless. Examine your expectations. Reality has a way of dismantling unrealistic illusions. God can use what appears to be senseless to lead us to deeper wisdom if we allow it.
It's a mistake to believe the bad stuff is ALL BAD. Sometimes it can lead to new, brilliant things. The way forward is to take responsibility for your part and ask God to help you learn from it.
Life is messy. There is wisdom to be found amongst the mess. We are all wounded and broken somehow. There are no perfect lives, so be kind to others even though you aren't feeling the greatest at the moment.
Emptiness is something we will all face. The nothingness can feel like it is consuming, but it isn't. Acknowledge God's presence. Talk to Him. He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you, so don't listen to the devil when he tells you otherwise.
Finding clarity in the midst of this noisy, busy world is impossible without some personal solitude daily. It is essential to have some quiet time with God!
Don't waste effort laboring under the illusion that you can control it all. Life is unpredictable and messy, but it is also wonderful and beautiful; learn to ebb and flow through it.
The sad truth is that evil is never very far away. You will experience it many times throughout your life. You can survive with God's help, but you may not walk away completely unscathed. The price paid can be a powerful learning experience.
Learn to enjoy the journey. Life isn't a race! If you go too fast you will miss crucial parts. And there is no rewind on time.
Every step in life has a purpose. It's not always forwards. Sometimes we sidestep or go backwards. That doesn't mean you are a failure; it means you are living!
When we pretend there is no good or bad we are profoundly blind. Depravity shouldn't become a personal preference that we ignore in others. Evil thrives through relentless repetition until society accepts it as normal. You become immoral gradually; so be vigilant!
When you dehumanize people, it changes the way you treat them. Evil isn't hypothetical; it's effects are personal. View people as the living souls God created them and remember that He thinks each one was worth dying for!
Sometimes I wonder if I have done anything that has profoundly altered a person's life. This can be a good thing or a bad things! You can ruin a person's life or give them strength to carry on without even realizing it.
The power of speech is unfathomable. It can be cruel and divisive or helpful and healing. It can rob a person of their dignity or alter their perception of themselves forever. So guard your mouth and think before you speak.
Empathy is a natural condition for a human being who is mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy- this is what is intended by the word "humane". God has put within each person a propensity for compassion which should be nurtured.
Our actions have the power to tip the balance between hope and despair. Discernment about how to act and react is crucial. It's important that we tread carefully and respectfully always.
Carelessness ruins lives. Thoughtless actions lead to carelessness, which sets the stage for recklessness. Reckless people destroy others while they travel along their path of personal annihilation.
Life is not a problem to solve. It's a series of challenges and opportunities. Our response determines its quality. Only a fool makes an easy life his goal; the most satisfying experiences are often difficult.
Comfort is a beautiful servant or an ugly master. Living for comfort will prevent you from standing for what is true and right. Comfort should serve you in your trials, but a lover of comfort will poison his own soul and destroy himself.
Inspiration stimulates creativity. When we are in a creative space we listen, react, think, and talk differently. Creativity has an infinite number of expressions. We are at our best when we are inspired.
Cherish the ordinary. Allow the slow, mundane to heal you. A fast paced lifestyle can be exciting but draining. Find the simple pleasures that calm the mind and quiet the spirit. Focus on the joy of what you are doing and do it well.
Everyone is struggling. People don't walk around with signs stating it. When we are mindful of this we are gentler in our interaction with others. Create an environment that is compassionate and contributes to the growth in others.
Allow the Great Physician to work through you to restore hope to another hurting soul. It's a mistake to get completely absorbed in our own troubles. The more joy we bring to others the more we experience it. Kindness is a superpower.
If a person consistently behaves in the same way it is a pattern. Learn to recognize the patterns others display. We reveal who we are with our actions and there are good and bad patterns in every life.
Mourn the life that could have been. You can't ignore it; you have to deal with it. Physical wounds can become life-threatening if ignored; emotional, psychological, and spiritual wounds manifest internally in an identical manner. Acknowledge the pain, go through the grief, and put it in the hands of Christ so you can move on to discover the possibilities still ahead.
Sometimes we get so busy trying to exist that we forget to grow. We are not just what has happened, but also who we are capable of becoming. We need to find a way to flourish even if it means taking a new path.
Pain and suffering serve a purpose. They ask questions and direct our attention to areas in our lives that need adjusting. We generally see the value in blessings, but oftentimes we miss the ones hidden in pain. Sometimes we need to take an inventory of our lives and assess any areas that need changed.
Our false assumptions and illusions prevent us from growing. Ignore the fact that they are erroneous and they will poison our lives. To grow, we mush face the harsh reality of truth and adjust where necessary.
Not everything your mind tells you is true. We look at the long journey ahead and overwhelm ourselves when instead we should focus only on today's part of the journey. Just one step in front of the other and we will manage to get there.
How do you make decisions? A good way to keep in tune with God's will for your life are the five absolutes:
HONESTY- is it true?
UNSELFISHNESS- how will it effect others?
PURITY- is it right?
LOVE- what's the motive?
EFFECT- will it bring God glory?
Every day you will face decisions. Our choices determine our path. Are my choices leading me to the goal of what God has intended me to be or away from it? Am I striving to become all God created me to be?
The simplest solution is often the best. In algebra, you get rid of the complications systematically until you are left with a simplified form of the problem; this makes it easier to solve. Sometimes this step in life can help us distinguish the noisy from the necessary. A desire for simplicity is a sign of wisdom.
We complicate our lives chasing things we think we need. We aren't victims of complications; we choose them by a thousand tiny choices. Take time to analyze the cost of each decision- both the immediate price and the future payments.
One choice made freely can lead to a thousand obligations or a million slaveries, depending on the situation. There is a compounding affect to our choices- purchase price, maintenance, and time.
Learn to say "no". Poor scheduling or insistent badgering by someone else should never become a stress in your life. Saying "yes" to the wrong things rob you of time for the right things. If you aren't free to say "no" then you aren't really free to say "yes".
The greatest threat to fulfillment is unrecognized spiritual needs. if you meditate on this you will have an epiphany. Life is not just a physical existence, but a spiritual one. Too many times we only focus on filling the physical needs and leave our soul starving.
There are three appointments which every person must keep- self, God, and death. You must find out who you are and what your purpose in life is. You must find your soul's relationship with God or it will be doomed to wilt. And you must prepare for the inevitability of death.
Don't pretend to b someone you are not. If you have to change who you are for a person, position, or place, then it's a bad deal. You'll never feel truly loved until you can be accepted as yourself.
Forgiveness is hard, but necessary. It's easy to say, but difficult to live. It is my need to forgive, not theirs to be forgiven. To forgive helps me to heal and allows me to move past the altercation. Leave the past in the past, you don’t live there anymore.
Recovering from trauma is slow and can be painful. Be patient with yourself and be gentle with your advancements. It's consistency that matters, not how quickly you move.
Stress, anxiety, unhappiness, and depression are signs. If we acknowledge these messengers, we can do some problem solving in life. If we ignore them, we will continue in the same cycle.
Remember your story. Look back over the memories and it will strengthen the relationships you have forged. Those who throw friends and marriages away forget the many ups and downs they have endured.
Don't just love. Astonish people with your love. Too many people see the harshness of others. As Christians we should be examples of Christ's love to those who cross our paths.
Don't just dabble in generosity. Live a life of staggering generosity. And do so without expecting anything in return. Do so with anonymity. Let God use you to bless others in ways no one else can!
You cannot have a meaningful life if your life is nothing but things and activities. When you count your blessings, you should not be counting material goods. If that's what you reference when you talk about a good life then you've missed the point entirely.
Everyone is going to hurt you. Find the ones that are worth the suffering and heartache. God loved you before you even knew Him. He thought you were worth the suffering of the cross.
Don't complain. It isn't attractive or productive. If there's a problem then find a way to fix it. If you can't fix it, then find the lesson in it. Constant complaining will only drive away those who would otherwise help you.
Give people the benefit of the doubt. Life is difficult and everyone is carrying a burden. Was someone short with you? Rude to you? Impatient with you? Have a little grace, because there are days when others have to have grace with you!
Death comes to us all. When death approaches, you will ask if you did what you were suppose to do to make your life count, not if you got everything you ever wanted. No one can take possessions with them, but they can lay treasures up in heaven!
Learn to embrace the person you are becoming. Your thoughts, words, choices, and actions are laying the building blocks for your future self. If you don't like who you are becoming then you have to change these things.
Ignore the critics. They will tear down in an hour what they couldn't build in a lifetime. Those who criticize you see something in you that unsettles them. They would rather attack you than investigate that mystery.
People who love you don't care about your status or wealth, they care about you as a human being. Appreciate them and love them fiercely.
It's the unseen moments in our lives that define us. Our quiet tumultuous experiences and our actions and reactions to them are what make us the people we are. The decisions you make when it's just you and God are the most important ones!
The question is not "what is the meaning of life?" but rather "What is the meaning of YOUR life?". You are a unique person. Find out who God wants you to be and what He wants you to accomplish with your life.
Can someone who is broken be healed and become more beautiful than before? The answer is yes. They will always bear the scars, but if they can love deeper, help better, and live a much fuller life than before if they learn from the experience.
Each of us will, one day, come to a time when we think what has happened to us is unfair. We will want to ask “why?” and may even decide to lay blame “It’s God’s fault!” or “It’s Man’s fault!” But, the true question that we each must answer during these trials is this- “Will you continue to trust and serve a God whom you will never fully understand?”
Are you ready to die? You prepare for a vacation. You prepare for your future. You should also be prepared for your death. No one knows when it will happen, so the best approach is to get ready now and be prepared for any moment!
