Courage For Today

remember

Keep Your Life in Perspective

Strength

I don’t know about you, but sometimes when things don’t go your way, there is a tendency to look at the negative.  In fact, I’ve met some folks that just automatically gravitate to the worse possible outcome in any scenario.  Having a common cold suddenly means you have cancer. Being late on a bill now means bankruptcy is around the corner.  Not having a good job interview plants in your mind that you’ll never find a job.  If you find yourself in this frame of mind, I encourage you to begin working on changing your perspective.  Below are some suggestions and tips I’ve learned over the years that have helped me.  Start today giving them a try and see if your perspective doesn’t change over time:

  • Remember, you will be the average of the 5 people and 5 books you spend the most time with. Always surround yourself with what or who you wish to mirror.
  • Remember to always make sure you take care of yourself; your home-base. Don’t neglect yourself or “me time” to help you relax.  Sometimes that may be simply reading for 30 minutes.  It may be taking a long, hot bath.  Whatever it is for you, make sure you leave yourself some downtime.
  • A simple formula I use to help eliminate stress is what I call the 9-9-9 rule. Whenever I’m upset at something, I ask myself:  “will this matter in 9-days; 9-weeks; or 9 months?”  If the answer is no to all 3, it’s most likely not worth worrying about.
  • Make sure you connect with others, but avoid comparing yourself with others. It’s very easy in our performance based environment to compare yourself with others and a certain amount of comparison is unavoidable. However, if we do this too much, our self-esteem goes down.  Connecting and learning from others with like skills causes our self-esteem to go up.  Connect and learn with the tools God gave you; don’t compare with others and sell yourself short.  There is a huge difference between the two.  See yourself with the wonderful package you are and learn to capitalize on those strengths and don’t worry about someone else.
  • When you fail, as we all do, always maintain the following: (1) I can change it next time; (2) this is something to learn from; (3) it’s only temporary; and (4) only the process failed; not the person.  No matter how much someone fails, there is still value in that person.  Maybe not in the current process or job and maybe you have to part ways with someone, but always treat the person with value and dignity (and yourself) if you fail.
  • Continue pushing yourself to expand your comfort zone, despite your fears. Expanding your comfort zone increases your confidence.  If you’re not failing occasionally, you’re not trying hard enough.  Write down 5 things you would like to improve and work toward those goals as hard as it may be.

I hope these suggestions help you until we can get together again.

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Refine Me Like Silver

Faith

I don’t know about you but it seems like the past several months have just been extremely trying for several people I know.  I’ve seen my share of health issues and job concerns.  I’ve listened to concerns about finances and relationships.  All I could do in each situation is remind my friends of the goodness of God’s love and grace and encourage them to keep going on.

I suppose I have a unique perspective because I’ve certainly had my share of difficulties at various times in my life.  God taught me so much through my various trials and its those hard learned lessons that I can now share with my friends and loved ones and, perhaps, give them some hope during their trials.  It also helps to keep me grounded and reminds me that, as Christians, none of us are immune from trials.  It’s not a matter of if, but when.

When I am at the end of my rope and don’t know what else to do, it helps to remember these things:

  • Recognize Gods refinement in our lives:  Just like refining gold or silver, God continually molds and develops us into his image.  Sometimes the refining is painful and hurtful, but it always ends in a beautiful, shiny creation.  We have to trust the Lord during the refining process.
  • Look for righteousness more than solutions:  I am preaching to the choir with this point.  I know that I always tend to search constantly for a solution and worry myself beyond measure.  Sometimes, I just need to stop. I need to take a breather from searching “how” and realize that God already has the solution.  It’s just that HIS timing isn’t always in sync with my timing.
  • Remember it is not permanent:  While trials are inevitable, they’re only temporary.  It may seem like your trial is lasting forever and that you can’t take any more, but it will end.
  • Recommit to full surrender:  Sometimes, what we are experiencing is a conflict between what God is directing us to do and what we stubbornly refuse to do.  It often helps to surrender our full life and will to God and allow him to fully direct our paths, not fight HIM the entire way.

As difficult as it is, always remember that you are one of God’s Jewels and that God’s refining produces gems with immeasurable beauty.

For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.  Psalms 66: 10 (NIV)

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View From the Top

Encouragement

“God…made us alive with Christ…And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6)

Many years ago, I was fortunate enough to visit Chicago on a business trip.  I was working for a financial company and was asked to visit a State Court there in Chicago to testify on behalf of my company.  This was my first visit to the Windy City (and so far, only trip) so I was not so much interested in the business purpose of my visit as I was seeing the big City.  I wasn’t disappointed and I have many fond memories of the beauty that is Chicago.

I remember being able to walk from my hotel to the courtroom.  It was only a few blocks walk and I was amazed at all the hustle and bustle and commotion.  Pedestrians walking everywhere.  Cars honking at every little thing. Mass Transit trains rumbling through the City.  Everyone was in a rush and speeding from one place to another.  It was an amazing–and nerve racking–thing to experience.

On the morning of the trial, I navigated through all of the chaos on the street, and finally made it to the courtroom. Of course, I had to go through the mandatory security checks and then on the elevator to the 33rd floor of the courtroom building.  I am not a fan of high places, but when I arrived at my floor, I decided to glance down at the street from my new view.  What had been chaos on the ground was now calm looking and silent from above.  What changed?  The only thing that changed was my view.

Whatever you may be going through in life at this time, I can tell you it is very easy to only look at your situation through your own eye’s view.  I know because I have done so myself.  When you look at your situation only through your eyes and your own perspective, the view is often like my view from the street that day in Chicago–hustle, bustle, and chaos.  Instead, I learned to change my focus through Christ and remember that, as a Christian, I am already seated on His right side.

Most times, it isn’t your circumstances that need to change; it is your view of the circumstances.  Changing your view from a ground level perspective to a Heavenly perspective makes all the difference in the world.

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Blessed Beyond Measure

Grace

“Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. ”  (Psalm 89:14)  

It’s so easy in today’s world to let “life” get you down.  Each of us goes through the days, weeks, months, and years trying to make the best with what each day brings.  I know there have been days in my own life where I look at events and wonder “why” or “how.”  I wonder how things may have turned out differently had I made different decisions.  I wonder why certain things happened the way they did.  Many times, I can remember having my own “pity party” and feeling sorry for what I thought could have been.  I would focus on the problems and what I felt was going wrong, instead of realizing how good I really have it.

If you’re going through one of those “pity parties” in life, it helps to remind yourself of what is truly important in life.  Here are 10 things to remember that will help you realize you are truly blessed, regardless of your current circumstances:

  1. If you were able to get out of bed this morning and your feet touched the ground, you are blessed.
  2. If you have relatively good health, you are blessed.
  3. If you can breathe air through your lungs, you are blessed.
  4. If you have food to eat, no matter how basic, you are blessed.
  5. If you have a roof over your head and access to transportation, even temporary, you are blessed.
  6. If you have a loving and supporting family who believe in you, you are blessed.
  7. If you have close friends, you are blessed.
  8. If you have the ability to read and write and learn and practice your faith, you are blessed.
  9. If you have seen a sunrise and sunset, you are blessed.
  10. If you have witnessed the beauty of the ocean waves and the majesty of  the highest mountains, you are blessed.

Even during the darkest of valley, never lose sight of the fact that you really are blessed beyond measure.

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The Workers Are Few

Strength

I have some great memories of playing on the small farm at my Grandfathers, when I was maybe 9 or 10 years old.  It wasn’t a huge farm by any means, but for an old City boy like me it was something special.  I can remember that he had chickens running around everywhere; fields of corn; a fishing lake; and–my favorite–the old barn.  I don’t think I had ever seen a real barn before, but it was everything I had imagined.  Lofts of hay were everywhere.  At least one horse I can remember was in the barn.  There were lots of places to climb and jump and explore.  It was a dream world for someone my age.

I remember one particular afternoon, my grandfather decided that he needed to pick some of the corn from the fields and, worst of all, he decided that I needed to help.  I can remember not being very excited about helping.  I was in my own little world playing in the barn and the last thing I wanted to do at that time was learn how to gather corn from the field.  Of course, I went along for the adventure but learned quickly that my hunches were right; I would have rather stayed in the barn.

My grandfather walked with me down the long rows of corn.  As we were walking, he was explaining that if the corn wasn’t picked soon, it would all rot and not be fit to eat.  The timing was critical.  I remember how tall the stalks of corn were, all over 6 feet tall.  He showed me how to find the corn on the stalks and look for the corn that was ready to be picked.  He then showed me how to take the corn off the stalk; put the freshly picked corn in a basket; and move on down the row to the next stalk.  My memories of this farming adventure were not very positive.  I remember how hot it was.  The sun beaming down on us as we were sweating and itching while moving between row after row after row.  I remember how isolated and lonely I felt at times. My grandfather had ventured off several rows from me and I can remember how scary that was.  I was in this huge field of giant corn stalks, by myself, and not knowing which way to go if I had to go back to the barn.  I also remember how hard it was.  I had to look for the corn on the stalk, then look to make sure it was ready to be picked, then pick the corn and lug it around with my basket full of other corn that had been picked.  I would much rather have been playing in the barn.

The Lord reminded me the other day of our verse in Matthew that says in part that the Harvest is plentiful, but the Laborers are few.  I can see why.  Just like my experience that day on the farm, our attempts to labor in God’s Fields face the same obstacles:

  • The Lord’s work is uncomfortable sometimes.  Remember, when we labor in the Lord’s work, we trying to reach people that are usually resistant to God’s word.  There’s often tension and friction and even conflict. Unfortunately, it takes endurance on our part to carry on even when the going is tough.
  • The Lord’s work is lonely sometimes.  Many times I have worked on projects or events for the Lord and wondered why?  I wondered why was I wasting my time when seemingly no one cared or noticed.
  • The Lord’s work is not easy.  In most cases, the Lord leads in directions that will grow us and shape us.  That’s not usually comfortable.  Its’ much easier to stay where we are.

That corn on the cob later that day with dripping, melting butter was delicious.  But, few, knew what was involved to get to that point of enjoyment. Timing is critical.  We don’t know how critical our part is in God’s overall plan.  If you and I are not obedient and don’t follow God’s direction, it may be too late for some.

Has the Lord called you to be a Laborer for HIM in a certain area?  Is so, are you willing to work and endure the heat; loneliness; and difficulty of the Field of Harvest, or are you ready to return to the barn where it’s comfortable?

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Don’t Try to Dig Up What Faith Has Planted

Faith

My wife loves to work wonders in her small garden on the terrace of our city condo.  When I say garden, it’s not vegetables and fruit, but small plants and trees and an occasional flower.  There’s something relaxing and rewarding about planting a seed or sapling in soil and nurturing it along the way.  At first, there appears to be nothing but soil and water and fertilizer and the seed itself.  Over time, after much patience, with the right combination of sunlight and TLC, the results of her efforts begin to pay off and growth begins to take shape.

I remember one particular small tree that had not been doing well at all in its current container.  She had tried everything and decided that relocating the plant would be the plant’s best hope for survival.  After much effort and much patience in waiting for the tree to regenerate and grow, the plant eventually died.  As it turned out, the trauma of moving the plant to new soil and a new container ending up being more harmful than if we had left the plant where it was.  It would have been better to be more patient and allow the plant to blossom in its original container.

How much is real life like that? Are you at one of those seasons in your life when things just don’t seem to be working out?  Maybe you’ve tried and tried to work things out and you’re ready to give it all up.  Maybe you’re ready to change directions entirely.  Occasionally, God does tell us to change directions and take a different course; however, sometimes, God wants us to stay planted and simply have more faith that our current plans will generate fruit.  Be careful that you don’t dig up what God has planted and that you allow ample time for God to develop His plans for your life.  Remember, that our timetable is not always the same as God’s timetable for our lives.

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