2025-11-11
Romans 12:6 NCV
A pastor writes: “God used a seemingly random skill to strategically position David. And the slingshot skill isn’t the only example… When David played the harp, it soothed Saul’s spirit [See 1 Samuel 16:23]. That’s how David met Jonathan [King Saul’s son]. That’s how he learned the customs of the king’s court. Without his musical skills, David wouldn’t have even gotten a foot in the door!
You never know what skill God will use for His purposes, so don’t underestimate the strangest of skills. God can use anything… for His purposes if we simply allow ourselves to be used by Him. God used Noah’s boat-building skills, Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams, and the Magi’s astrological knowledge. No skill is unredeemable or unusable in God’s grand scheme…
But here’s what you need to see: the greatest psalms came out of the worst circumstances… The most comforting psalms were written in the most uncomfortable situations. David is walking through the valley of the shadow of death. David is agonizing over his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. David is a fugitive hiding out in the caves of Adullam. David didn’t want to be in any of those situations, but [they] produced the profound lyrics we find in Psalm 23, Psalm 51, and Psalm 142.
Maybe you’re wrestling with depression or reeling from a mistake that seems unforgivable, or just sick and tired of being sick and tired… So you may not like your present circumstances, but they may be the key to your character development. And character development is the key to your future.”
Soul food: 2 Chr 1-4; John 10:22-42; Ps 83:1-8; Prov 26:13-16
Romeine 12:6 NLV
‘n Pastoor skryf: ‘God het ‘n onkonvensionele gawe gebruik om Dawid strategies te posisioneer. Sy gawe met die slingervel is nie die enigste voorbeeld daarvan nie. Toe Dawid op die harp gespeel het, het dit Saul se gees gesus (sien 1 Samuel 16:23). Dit is hoe Dawid vir Jonatan (koning Saul se seun) ontmoet het. Dit is hoe hy die gebruike van die koning se hof geleer het. Sonder sy musikale gawe sou David nie eers ‘n voet in die deur gekry het nie!
Jy weet nooit watter gawe God vir sy doeleindes sal gebruik nie, moet dus nie jou gawe onderskat nie. God kan enigiets vir sy doeleindes gebruik, as ons bloot toelaat dat ons deur Hom gebruik word. God het Noag se bootbouvaardighede en Josef se vermoë om drome te interpreteer, gebruik. Geen gawe is onnodig of onbruikbaar in God se groot plan nie.
Jy moet egter besef: die grootste psalms is onder die ergste omstandighede geskryf. Die mees vertroostende psalms is in die ongemaklikste situasies geskryf. Dawid loop deur die dal van doodskaduwee. Dawid kwel hom oor sy owerspelige verhouding met Batseba. Dawid is ‘n voortvlugtige wat in grotte wegkruip. David wou nie in enige van daardie situasies wees nie, maar dit het die diep woorde wat ons in Psalm 23, Psalm 51 en Psalm 142 lees, voortgebring.
Miskien worstel jy met depressie of steier jy onder ‘n fout wat onvergeeflik lyk, of dalk is jy net siek en sat daarvan om siek en sat te voel. Jy mag dalk nie van jou huidige omstandighede hou nie, maar dit mag dalk die sleutel tot jou karakterontwikkeling wees. Karakterontwikkeling is die sleutel tot jou toekoms.’
Sielskos: 2 Kro 1-4; Joh 10:22-42; Ps 83:1-8; Spr 26:13-16
2025-11-10
Psalm 1:3 NKJV
One key to fulfilling your destiny is realizing what season you’re in. If you don’t, you will feel exasperated and disappointed. For example, in some seasons learning to follow is more important than learning to lead. In some seasons handling failure offers more value than handling success. One of the biggest errors we make is concentrating all our energy on the next season, rather than enjoying the season we’re in, maximizing it, and gleaning its lessons. God wants to get you where He wants you to go even more than you want to get there. So, enjoy the journey, and understand that God will get you there when you’re ready. Your present frustration will give you a reason for future celebration if you stay the course long enough. God is developing emotional endurance inside you.
The key to emotional endurance is going through high levels of disappointment that break us down so God can build us back up with a holy confidence. Can you imagine how David felt as he watched his brothers go off to war while he stayed home to tend a flock of sheep? But his day was coming. And yours is too. While you wait, don’t bypass God’s plans by taking shortcuts. God is setting you up.
But the bigger the opportunity, the longer it takes. The reason we get irritated is because we think big without thinking long. Reconsider your timeline, and be encouraged when it takes longer than you estimated. That means God wants to do something considerably more than all you can ask or imagine (See Ephesians 3:20).
Soul food: 1 Chr 26:20-29:30; John 10:11-21; Ps 133; Prov 26:7-12
Psalm 1:3 NLV
Een sleutel om jou lewensdoel te vervul, is om te besef in watter seisoen jy jou bevind. As jy dit nie besef nie, sal jy geïrriteerd en teleurgesteld voel. Dis byvoorbeeld in sommige seisoene belangriker om te volg as om te lei. In sommige seisoene is dit waardevoller om mislukking, eerder as sukses, te hanteer. Een van die grootste foute wat ons maak is om met al ons energie op die volgende seisoen te konsentreer, eerder as om die seisoen waarin ons is te geniet, alles daaruit te put en al die lesse daaruit te leer. God wil jou bring waar Hy wil hê jy moet wees, selfs meer as wat jy daar wil kom. Geniet dus die reis en besef dat God jou daar sal bring wanneer jy gereed is. God is besig om emosionele uithouvermoë in jou te ontwikkel.
Die sleutel tot emosionele uithouvermoë is om deur hoë vlakke van teleurstelling wat ons afbreek te beweeg, sodat God ons weer met ‘n heilige selfvertroue kan opbou. Kan jy jou indink hoe Dawid gevoel het om te kyk hoe sy broers gaan oorlog maak, terwyl hy moes agterbly om die skape op te pas? Sy dag was egter op pad. Joune ook. Moenie terwyl jy wag God se planne probeer vooruit loop deur kortpaaie te neem nie. God is besig om jou voor te berei.
Hoe groter die geleentheid egter is, hoe langer neem dit. Die rede waarom ons geïrriteerd raak, is omdat ons groot droom sonder om lank te droom. Heroorweeg jou tydlyn en wees bemoedig wanneer dit langer neem as wat jy verwag het. Dit beteken dat God iets aansienlik meer wil doen as wat jy ooit kan vra of dink om te vra (sien Efesiërs 3:20).
Sielskos: 1 Kro 26:20-29:30; Joh 10:11-21; Ps 133; Spr 26:7-12
2025-11-09
Hebrews 10:14 TLB
Author Dorothy Littell Greco writes: “For some perfectionists, the fear of making a mistake results in a sort of paralysis, causing us to agonize over every decision… To help you discern if [perfectionism] has crept into your life… consider the following questions: (a) Are you comfortable asking for help or only offering it? (b) Are you able to receive appropriate criticism without getting defensive? (c) Do you have a nagging belief that you are falling short of some illusive standard? (d) Do you harshly critique yourself? (e) Are you able to experience joy? An absence of joy might be one of the best indicators [of] perfectionism. It slowly squeezes the joy out of life by reducing creativity, accentuating mistakes, and making us slaves of success.”
The truth is, no matter how hard we struggle, we can never be perfect enough to satisfy the sin debt against us. And we don’t have to be! “Christ gave himself… for our sins as one sacrifice for all time and then sat down in the place of highest honour at God’s right hand… For by that one offering, he made forever perfect in the sight of God all those whom he is making holy” (vv. 12, 14 TLB). Notice: When God makes you perfect, it’s going to be for forever, and once you get your head wrapped around that truth, it will change your life.
Gigi Graham Tchividjian says, “We don’t have to be perfect to be a blessing. We are asked only to be real, trusting in His perfection to cover our imperfection, knowing that one day we will finally be all that Christ saved us for and wants us to be.”
Soul food: Gen 14:18-24; Ps 110; Heb 5:5-10
