2021-01-31
Philippians 2:3 NLT
Working with others can be a great experience, but it can also reveal insecurities in ourselves. Ever been part of a group project and worried that the others might make you look bad? We might feel this way when we’re working with people who aren’t really committed to the task and don’t put the effort in, so the final outcome could end up reflecting negatively on us. Or it could be because others in the group might prove to be better at something than we are, and we think that we won’t measure up (it can be especially difficult when we’re thinking about a skill that we’re proud of having).
These feelings reveal that we’re insecure about our abilities and identity in Christ. But Jesus said, ‘You didn’t choose me. I chose you’ (John 15:16 NLT). We already have His love and approval, regardless of what anyone else thinks about us. We are His choice. Paul wrote: ‘Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too’ (v.3-4 NLT).
God often places people around us to teach us something. He might be placing us with less committed people to help us grow our patience or to develop the gift of encouragement. He might put us with skilled people so that we can learn from the way they do things or find fresh inspiration. Rather than feeding our insecurity by focusing on how we’ll compare, let’s think, ‘What can I learn from this person? And if we’re not sure, we can always ask God to show us.
2 Kings 6:8-20; Eph 1:15-23
2021-01-30
Luke 12:48 NIV
If we want to use our God-given skills to their full advantage in His kingdom, it’s important for us to keep growing and improving them. To do that, we need self-discipline. When we have a natural talent for something and we find it easy, we might forget we need to invest time and effort into improving it. We might also find it boring, especially if it involves some degree of repetition or going back over the basics. That’s why we need to learn to discipline ourselves first.
In Galatians 5:22-23, we can read a list of the fruits if the Spirit – one of which is self-control. If we rely on our own strength, we’ll struggle to stay disciplined. But we have the help of the Holy Spirit. When we allow Him to work within us, He’ll help us to develop our self-control. Here are three reasons why self-control can help us to grow our skills:
1) Improving something often means giving up something else. We may have to give up some of our free time in order to practise and learn, and being disciplined helps us to stay focused and avoid being distracted by other things.
2) We need to take small steps. That can make learning and improving feel like a slow process at times. Self-discipline can help prevent us wanting to give up when we’re not moving forwards as quickly as we’d like.
3) There’s always room for improvement. When we can do something well, it’s tempting to just stop there. Self-discipline helps us refuse to settle for ‘good enough’ and instead keep reaching for the best we can be, so we can be everything God designed us to be.
Isa 42-44; Matt 11:10-19; Ps 107:17-22; Prov 3:21-24
2021-01-29
Ezekiel 8:4 NIV
When God gives us a vision for our future, it can change our lives. The Bible tells us God ‘creates new things out of nothing’ (Romans 4:17 NLT). Vision shows us the target we need to aim for, sparks a fire within us, and draws us forwards. If what we’re pursuing in life doesn’t come from a burning desire within us – from the very depths of who we are and what we believe – we won’t be able to accomplish it. That’s because along the way we’ll have to overcome obstacles, opposition, barriers, and resistance. Unless we’re totally committed to our vision, and full of passion for it, we’ll become discouraged and struggle to see it through.
Our vision often involves us having to step away from what we’re comfortable with and take risks. For many of us, that can be a scary experience, so we need a strategy to help us refocus on our vision and move forwards. Here are a couple of ideas:
1) Write it down. God told Habakkuk to ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets’ (Habakkuk 2:2 NIV). Writing it down help us clarify our thinking. Once our vision is in writing, it becomes a map to our destination. We should look at it often to:
2) Check our course. If we’ve previously thought about our vision and expressed it clearly, we should check how well we’re carrying it out. We could even talk to someone we trust and ask them to tell us what they think our vision is. If they can describe it clearly, we’re probably on the right track.
Isa 38-41; Matt 11:1-9; Ps 107:10-16; Prov 3:19-20
2021-01-28
Proverbs 22:3 NLT
Here are three things realistic thinking can do for us:
1) It helps to give us a sense of security. When we’ve thought through the worst that can happen and developed contingency plans to meet it, we can feel more confident and secure. It’s reassuring to know that we’re prepared. Disappointment is the difference between our expectations and reality. Thinking realistically minimises the difference between the two.
2) It gives us credibility. People who are continually surprised by things that go wrong soon lose their credibility. It shows that they’ve not planned or thought things through properly. But people who think realistically about what could happen, and plan accordingly, put themselves in a strong position, which encourages others to have confidence in them. So before we ask anyone else to be part of our projects, ideas, or visions, we need to ask ourselves: a) Is it possible? b) Have I identified and explained the pros and cons of achieving it? c) Do I have a solid foundation to build on?
3) It helps us to make an idea useable and workable. When we have an idea that we’re really enthusiastic about, we can rely too much on what we wish or think is happening, rather than what’s actually happening, so our ideas don’t have the results or the success we intend. Ideas and plans need to be built on solid foundations, and thinking realistically helps provide them. Solomon put it this way: ‘A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.’ So before we get too carried away by new project or idea, let’s think realistically about the steps we need to take.
Isa 34-37; Matt 10:32-42; Ps 107:1-9; Prov 3:13-18
2021-01-27
Luke 14:28 NLT
Jesus was realistic about a life spent following Him, and encouraged others to be realistic about it too: ‘If you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple…Don’t begin until you count the cost’ (v.14:27-28 NLT).
We might think that being realistic about things is the opposite of having faith. But that isn’t true. Having faith doesn’t mean we’re denying the way things are. Instead, faith connects us with our God who will help us face our reality, whatever that might be. Here are two things that thinking realistically can do for us:
1) Minimise unnecessary risks. All of our actions have consequences. Thinking realistically helps us determine what those consequences could be. This is particularly important when our actions affect others. There’s an old saying, ‘expect the best but plan for the worst’, and it’s actually a very good strategy for us to try. By thinking that way we minimise unnecessary risks. It helps to give us a goal, with a plan to reach it. We need a sense of hope in order to succeed, but hope isn’t a strategy. That’s why we need to think realistically in our planning.
2) Show what needs to be changed. People who rely only on hope for their success tend not to make change a high priority. If we only hope to be successful, we imply that success is all a matter of luck, and we needn’t be bothered about growth and change. But being realistic about where we are and where we want to be helps us discover what we need to change or learn to get there. Change alone doesn’t bring growth, but growth can’t happen without change.
Isa 30-33; Matt 10:21-31; Ps 104:24-35; Prov 3:11-12
2021-01-26
Acts 17:27 NKJV
The Bible says God ‘is not far from each one of us’. God doesn’t have favourites. Everyone can have God’s love and support, but many don’t realise it or accept it. They go through life relying on their own strength, looking for solutions in the wrong places, and living without God. Sometimes we can live like that too, forgetting that we’ve got God’s support. But we don’t have to. We can: 1) Lean on God’s presence. ‘God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you”‘ (Hebrews 13:5 NLT). 2) Lean on God’s people. ‘For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them’ (Matthew 18:20 NIV).
When Moses and the Israelites battled the Amalekites, God commissioned Joshua to lead the fight in the valley below while Moses climbed the hill to pray. But he didn’t go alone. He took his two lieutenants, Aaron and Hur. While Joshua led the physical combat, Moses engaged in spiritual combat. Aaron and Hur stood on either side of their leader to hold up his arms in the battle of prayer. The Israelites succeeded because Moses prayed, and Moses succeeded because he had others to pray with him. Just as an army can ask for air support, you can ask for prayer support.
Jesus said, ‘If two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven’ (v.19 NIV). Let’s hold on to the fact that we’ve got supporters – God and His people.
Isa 26-29; Matt 10:11-20; Ps 104:1-23; Prov 3:9-10
