2019-09-15
Lukas 4:43 NLV
Fokus op een ding op ‘n slag. Word jy in verskillende rigtings getrek? Mense het dit aanhoudend aan Jesus probeer doen en sy aandag van sy doel in die lewe probeer aflei. Die Bybel sê: ‘Vroeg die volgende môre het Jesus na ‘n verlate plek vertrek. Die skares het oral na Hom gesoek, en toe hulle Hom uiteindelik kry, het hulle Hom gesmeek om hulle nie te verlaat nie’ (vers 42 NLV). Jesus was op die punt om te vertrek en hulle het Hom probeer oorreed om te bly. Dis hoe Hy gereageer het: ‘…Ek moet die Goeie Nuus van die koningsheerskappy van God in ander plekke ook verkondig, want dit is waarvoor Ek gestuur is.’ Hy het geweier dat sy aandag deur minder belangrike sake afgelei word. Hy was ‘n meester daarin. Almal het probeer om Hom in die rede te val. Almal het ‘n Plan B vir sy lewe gehad. Hy het egter in wese gesê: ‘Nee, Ek moet vorentoe na my doelwit toe beweeg.’ Hy het aangehou om te doen wat God vir Hom gesê het om te doen. Hy was vasberade. Hy was volhardend. Hy was gefokus. Wanneer jy dus ‘n dosyn verskillende dinge het om te doen, kies die belangrikste een en hou daarmee vol totdat jy dit voltooi het. Kies dan die tweede belangrikste een en doen dieselfde, totdat jy die lys voltooi het. Wanneer ons ons inspanning versprei is ons oneffektief; wanneer ons ons inspanning konsentreer is ons suksesvoller. Verspreide lig produseer ‘n dowwe glans, terwyl lig wat gekonsentreerd is, vuur produseer. Jesus het nie toegelaat dat onderbrekings Hom daarvan weerhou om op sy doel te konsentreer nie. Hy het nie toegelaat dat ander mense Hom gestres, gespanne of geïrriteerd maak nie. Hy is jou voorbeeld!
Sielskos: Gen 24:1-51; 2 Kor 6:14-7:1
Luke 4:43 NIV
Focus on one thing at a time. Are you being pulled in different directions? People constantly tried to do this to Jesus and distract Him from His goal in life. The Bible says, “At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them” (v. 42 NIV). Jesus was about to leave and they tried to make Him stay. Here’s how He responded: “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom…to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” He refused to be distracted by less important matters. Indeed, He was a master at this. Everybody tried to interrupt Him. Everyone had a Plan B for His life. But in essence He responded, “No, I must keep moving toward my goal.” And He kept right on doing what He knew God had told Him to do. He was determined. He was persistent. He was focused. So when you have a dozen different things to do, pick the most important one and stick with it until it’s complete. Then pick the second most important and do the same thing, until you’ve completed the list. When we diffuse our efforts we’re ineffective; when we concentrate our efforts we’re more successful. Diffused light produces a hazy glow, whereas light that’s concentrated produces fire. Jesus didn’t let interruptions prevent Him from concentrating on His goal. He didn’t let others make Him tense or stressed or irritated. And He is your example!
Soul food: Gen 24:1-51; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1
2019-09-14
Johannes 8:14 NLV
Weet wat jy wil bereik. Jesus het gesê: ‘…Ek weet waarvandaan Ek gekom het en waarheen Ek teruggaan…’ Kan jy dieselfde sê? Tensy jy jou lewe beplan en prioriteite bepaal, sal jy deur ander mense gedruk word om te doen wat hulle dink belangrik is. Jy lewe elke dag volgens prioriteite of volgens druk. Daar is nie ‘n ander opsie nie. Of jy besluit wat belangrik in jou lewe is, of jy laat toe dat ander mense dit vir jou besluit. Dis maklik om onder die tirannie van die dringende op te tree, om aan die einde van die dag te wonder: ‘Het ek enigiets bereik? Ek het baie energie verbruik en baie dinge gedoen, maar het ek iets belangriks bereik?’ Om besig te wees beteken nie dat jy produktief is nie. Jy mag dalk in sirkels tol maar nie enigiets van waarde bereik nie. Voorbereiding veroorsaak dat jy gerus is. Of om dit anders te stel, voorbereiding voorkom druk, terwyl dinge wat jy uitstel, druk produseer. Goeie organisasie en goeie voorbereiding verminder stres omdat jy weet wie jy is, wie jy probeer tevrede stel en wat jy wil bereik. Dit vereenvoudig jou lewe wanneer jy duidelik gedefinieerde doelwitte het. Spandeer dus ‘n paar minute aan die begin van elke dag deur met God in gebed te praat. Kyk dan na jou skedule vir die dag en besluit: ‘Is dit regtig die manier wat ek ‘n dag van my lewe wil spandeer? Is ek gewillig om die volgende vier-en-twintig waardevolle ure vir hierdie aktiwiteite in te ruil?’ Die regte antwoord op hierdie twee vrae sal jou stresvlakke verlaag deur jou te help om te prioritiseer.
Sielskos: 2 Kor 11:16-13:14; Matt 25:31-40; Ps 19; Spr 21:3
John 8:14 NIV
Know what you want to accomplish. Jesus said, “I know where I came from and where I am going.” Can you say that too? Unless you plan your life and establish priorities, you’ll be pressured by other people to do what they think is important. Every day you either live by priorities or you live by pressures. There’s no other option. Either you decide what’s important in your life or you let other people decide for you. It’s easy to operate under the tyranny of the urgent, to come to the end of your day and wonder, “Have I accomplished anything at all? I used up a lot of energy and did a lot of things, but did I achieve anything important?” Busyness is not necessarily productivity. You may be spinning in circles but not accomplishing anything of real value. Preparation causes you to be at ease. Or to put it another way, preparation prevents pressure, whereas procrastination produces pressure. Good organization and good preparation reduce stress because you know who you are, who you’re trying to please, and what you want to accomplish. Having clearly defined goals simplifies life. So spend a few minutes at the beginning of every day talking with God in prayer. Then look at your schedule for the day and decide: “Is this really the way I want to spend a day of my life? Am I willing to exchange the next twenty-four valuable hours for these activities?” The right answer to those two questions will lower your stress level by helping you prioritize.
Soul food: 2 Cor 11:16-13:14; Matt 25:31-40; Ps 19; Prov 21:3
2019-09-13
John 5:30 NIV
Know who you are trying to please. Jesus didn’t try to please everybody, so isn’t it foolish for you to try to do something even God doesn’t do? It was a settled issue with Jesus: “I’m going to please God, period!” And God replied, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). When you lose sight of who you’re trying to please you’ll always cave in to three things: Criticism, because you’re overly concerned about what others think of you. Competition, because you’re afraid somebody will get ahead of you. Conflict, because you’re threatened by anyone who disagrees with you. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things [that you’re stressed out over] shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). By focusing on God’s will you simplify your life! You’ll always be doing the right thing, the thing that pleases Him, regardless of what anybody else thinks. We love to blame stress on other people and on our obligations: “You made me do…I have to…I’ve got to.” Actually, there are few things in life apart from our jobs that we must do. So what we’re really saying is, “I choose to [you fill in the blank] because I don’t want to handle the consequences.” Rarely does anybody make us do anything, so we can’t blame other people for our stress. When we feel pressured, we’re choosing to let others put us there. The fact is, we’re not victims unless we allow ourselves to be pressured by outside demands.
Soul food: 2 Cor 9:1-11:15; Matt 25:22-30; Ps 24; Prov 21:1-2
