2020-09-17
Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
Imagine God comes to see you, and says you can ask for anything you want and He’ll give it to you. What would you ask for? Top exam results? A new car? Or maybe you’d ask for awesome prayer times or the gift of prophecy. Well, this happened one night to Solomon in 1 Kings 3. While he was asleep, God appeared in his dream, saying ‘Ask! What shall I give you?’ (v. 5 NKJV). Solomon could’ve asked for anything – more money, more land, a closer relationship with God – but he asked for ‘an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil’ (v. 9 NKJV). What exactly is ‘an understanding heart’? In the Hebrew text, ‘understanding’ is translated from the verb ‘shama’. It can also mean ‘hearing’ or ‘listening’. Solomon’s asking for a heart that hears, a heart that listens. Being able to really listen to the people he governs, and listen to God, means that Solomon’s perfectly placed to understand the full picture and make fair judgements over his people. It’s an amazingly selfless request – it’ll help Solomon be a better person, but that’ll radiate outwards and help him meet the needs of the people he leads. Solomon understands his God-given responsibility to them, and in that moment he chooses something that’ll benefit everyone, over a nice, ‘I deserve this’ personal reward. So how can we apply this to ourselves? If we ask God for ‘an understanding heart’, it’ll help us truly listen to other people so we understand their situations and feelings. It’ll help us hear from God and discern how He wants us to act. It’ll help us meet their needs and build relationships with them.
Eze 43-45; Luke 22:39-53; Ps 19; Prov 21:3
Jeremia 17:9 NLV
Ons almal ken mense wat dit goed bedoel, maar jy is nooit seker of hulle wel iets sal doen as jy vir hulle vra om dit te doen nie. So gaaf soos wat hulle is, is hulle onbetroubaar. Jou gevoelens is so; baie keer kan jy nie op dit staatmaak nie, omdat dit nie noodwendig die beste vir jou in gedagte het nie. Dit is meer geïnteresseerd daarin om hulle eie sin te kry. Jou gevoelens kan byvoorbeeld opgewonde wees om inkopies te gaan doen, wanneer jy nie geld het om te spandeer nie. Dit verlei ons om kaaskoek te eet wanneer ons ekstra kalorieë probeer vermy. Dit laat ons tot laat televisie kyk, terwyl ons vroeg môre moet opstaan. Ons gevoelens is wisselvallig. Dit verander soos die wind. Tog is dit verbasend hoe baie mag ons hulle in ons lewens gee. As gelowiges, het ons iets wyser en meer betroubaar as ons gevoelens om op staat te maak – die Woord van God. Wanneer ons sterk oor iets voel, is dit nie altyd maklik om te bepaal of ons in ooreenstemming met God daaroor is nie. Jeremia sê vir ons: “Die mens se hart is deur en deur bedrieglik en ongeneeslik. Wie weet regtig hoe sleg dit is? ‘Maar Ek weet! Ek, die Here, deursoek alle harte en geheime motiewe…'” (verse 9-10 NLV). Hy doen dit deur sy Woord: ‘Die woord van God is vol lewenskrag en energie. Dit is skerper as die ontleedmes van ‘n chirurg. Dit sny diep tot binne-in ons innerlikste wese, tot in ons gewrigte en murg. Dit vlek ons diepste motiewe en oorwegings oop’ (Hebreërs 4:12 NLV). As jy waarlik daarin geïnteresseerd is om bo jou gevoelens uit te styg, sal jy die Woord van God die bepalende faktor in al jou besluite maak.
Sielskos: Eseg 43-45; Luk 22:39-53; Ps 19; Spr 21:3
2020-09-16
James 3:2 NKJV
Striving to do better is a good thing, but try to have realistic expectations. Everything in life isn’t black or white; there are gray areas and some “in-betweens.” Everything can’t be perfect all the time, and everything isn’t horrible all the time. Deciding to skip a meeting or social event because you’re running five minutes late or have a blemish on your face, or cancelling an entire trip because a flight is delayed, or feeling like a terrible human being over one innocent mistake, is sometimes referred to as “polarizing.” This leads to frustration and negativity. To maintain your joy in life, you must accept that you won’t be perfect all the time, and neither will the people or things around you. When you expect perfection from life, you tend to expect the same from other people. And that kind of unrealistic thinking not only meets with a great deal of disappointment when your expectations aren’t met, it puts unbearable pressure on the people you care about and can eventually destroy those relationships. Why not give people a break and stop demanding something from them that they have no ability to give you? The apostle James said we all stumble, fall, and offend in many things. So if we all make mistakes – and we do – learn to accept that it’s just part of the human experience, and relax! Question: In what specific ways do you need to be more accepting of the “imperfect areas” in your own life, or in the way someone else’s imperfect areas affect you? And before you answer, think about this: “Love is patient, love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV).
Soul food: Eze 40:10-42:20; Luke 22:24-38; Ps 24; Prov 21:1-2
Ecclesiastes 4:6 NIV
It can be challenging to live a balanced life. We can either end up working too hard, striving for more, and becoming exhausted. Or we can rest too much, become lazy, and rely on other people. The author of Ecclesiastes highlights this problem, and believes that one handful of rest with one handful of work is the answer. Living this way means that life is balanced. ‘Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.’ To have a balanced life we must live by these two Scriptures: 1) ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7 NIV). 2) ‘Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour’ (v.8 NIV). When we fail to do either of these two things, we’ve opened the door for the enemy to attack us. Too much of anything, even a good thing, is a problem. For example, work is good. But too much of it causes stress, which can result in sickness, resentment, discouragement, and the breakdown of our relationships. Food is good. But too much of it can lead to health problems. It’s good to be organised. But if we become a perfectionist we can become fearful of failing, and that can lead to stress and arguments with others. Any area of our lives that get out of balance will rob us of the joy God wants us to have. Maintaining a balanced life is one of the biggest challenges we’ll probably face, but God can help us to be able to do it.
Eze 40:10-42:20; Luke 22:24-38; Ps 24; Prov 21:1-2
Jakobus 3:2 NLV
Om te probeer beter doen is ‘n goeie ding, maar probeer om realistiese verwagtinge te hê. Alles in die lewe is nie net swart en wit nie, daar is ook grys areas. Alles kan nie die heeltyd perfek wees nie; en alles is nie net altyd sleg nie. Om te besluit om nie ‘n vergadering of sosiale gebeurtenis by te woon net omdat jy vyf minute laat is of n puisie op jou gesig het, of om ‘n hele reis te kanselleer omdat ‘n vlug vertraag is, of om soos ‘n aaklige mens te voel omdat jy een onskuldige fout gemaak het, word soms ‘polarisasie’ genoem. Dit lei tot frustrasie en negatiwiteit. Om vreugde in jou lewe te behou, moet jy aanvaar dat jy nie altyd perfek sal wees nie, en so ook nie die mense en dinge rondom jou nie. Wanneer jy perfeksie van die lewe verwag, verwag jy gewoonlik ook dieselfde van ander mense. Sulke onrealistiese denke veroorsaak nie net groot teleurstelling wanneer daar nie aan jou verwagtinge voldoen word nie, dit plaas ook ondraaglike druk op die mense vir wie jy omgee en kan uiteindelik die verhouding vernietig. Hoekom gee jy nie mense ‘n blaaskans en hou op om dinge wat hulle nie in staat is om vir jou te gee nie, van hulle te verwag? Die apostel Jakobus het gesê dat ons almal baie foute maak. As ons dus almal foute maak – en ons doen – moet jy leer om te ontspan en te aanvaar dat dit deel is van die menslike ervaring. Op watter spesifieke maniere moet jy leer om die ‘onvolmaakte’ areas in jou lewe, of die manier wat iemand anders se onvolmaakte areas jou affekteer, te aanvaar? Voor jy antwoord, onthou die volgende: ‘Die liefde is geduldig en vriendelik…’ (1 Korintiërs 13:4 NLV).
Sielskos: Eseg 40:10-42:20; Luk 22:24-38; Ps 24; Spr 21:1-2
