2021-01-25
Proverbs 2:6 NIV
Personal growth involves four things:
(1) Environment. You must place yourself in a setting that fosters growth. Certain fish grow according to the size of their surroundings. If you keep them in a small tank they stay small, but when you release them into the ocean they grow to their intended size. The same principle applies to you. You must spend your time with the right crowd, in the right place, doing the right things, in order to grow.
(2) Strength. Author and leadership expert Peter Drucker said: “The great mystery isn’t that people do things badly, but that they occasionally do a few things well. The only thing that’s universal is incompetence. Strength is always specific!” When you try to be good at everything, you end up being good at nothing. God gave you specific strengths – identify them and use them.
(3) Change. Most of us want things to get better without having to change anything. The Bible says, “Let us…be taken forward to maturity” (Hebrews 6:1 NIV). To grow, you must commit yourself to not only accepting change, but to pursuing it.
(4) Enjoyment. Most grandmasters of chess learn and relearn their moves over a period of fifteen-years before winning their first world title. That’s almost one-fifth of their lives! If you’re going to spend that much time doing something, you’d better enjoy it! If the destination appeals to you but you’re not enjoying the journey, you’d be wise to seek God’s guidance and make sure you’re heading in the right direction. If you’re on the wrong train, don’t keep going – get off at the next station!
Soul food: Isa 22-25; Matt 10:1-10; Ps 100; Prov 3:7-8
2021-01-24
Proverbs 3:13 NIV
Our personal growth is something we shouldn’t neglect. If we don’t put time and effort into it, we can’t develop the skills God’s given us and be fully effective in His kingdom, or grow our relationship with Him. Here are three misconceptions about personal growth:
1) Growth only comes through experience. Imagine a footballer who spends hours kicking the ball at the goal every day, but never manages to get it in the net. They might have plenty of experience in kicking the ball, but in all that time they’ve never actually improved their game. Experience is only valuable if we learn from it. In order to grow, we need to constantly assess how we’re doing and readjust to get a better result next time.
2) Growth only comes through knowledge. Ever known someone who was very intelligent, but never seemed to accomplish anything of benefit for God, themselves, or others? They’re like an encyclopaedia filled with knowledge that has no value because it’s never used. A huge obstacle to personal growth isn’t ignorance, but having knowledge without the wisdom or desire to apply it. The Bible says, ‘Don’t just listen to God’s word…do what it says’ (James 1:22 NLT).
3) Growth is automatic. When we’re children, there are parents, teachers and trainers challenging us to develop on a daily basis, so without realising, we get used to being encouraged to grow. The problem comes when we get older and nobody is pushing us to grow or go any further. The truth is, we need to take responsibility for our own personal growth; otherwise it won’t happen. We need to make that choice.
Dan 6:1-24; Acts 12:1-19
Spreuke 3:13 NLV
Hier is drie redes hoekom ons nie persoonlike groei ervaar nie:
1) Ons dink dit vind slegs deur ervaring plaas. Om te glo dat persoonlike groei slegs deur ervaring plaasvind, is soos ‘n boogskutter wat telkens die teiken mis, maar glo dat hy verbeter omdat hy eenvoudig aanhou pyle afvuur. Ervaring is slegs winsgewend wanneer jy daaruit leer en begin om jou teiken te tref. Moenie jou lewe eindig met spyt oor die tyd en geleenthede wat jy vermors het nie. Gebruik van vandag af elke geleentheid wat God vir jou gee om te groei.
2) Ons dink dat groei slegs deur informasie plaasvind. Het jy al ooit iemand geken wat absoluut briljant was, maar tog nooit iets kon bereik tot voordeel van God, hulself of ander mense nie? Hulle is soos ‘n ensiklopedie gevul met kennis wat geen waarde het nie, omdat dit nooit gebruik word nie. Die grootste struikelblok tot persoonlike groei is nie onkunde nie; dis die illusie van kennis! Die Bybel sê: ‘Julle moet mense word wat dóén wat die woord sê. Moet dit nie net aanhoor nie, dan bedrieg julle julleself’ (Jakobus 1:22 NLV).
3) Ons neem aan dat groei outomaties kom. Wanneer ons kinders is, vind groei outomaties plaas. Gedurende daardie tyd is daar ouers, afrigters en onderwysers wat ons op ‘n daaglike basis uitdaag om te groei, dus raak ons gewoond aan groei. Die probleem kom wanneer ons klaar is met skool en niemand ons druk om te groei of te vorder nie. Die prys van groei is altyd minder as die koste van onkunde en stilstand. Die waarheid is dat indien jy nie verantwoordelikheid vir jou persoonlike groei neem nie – sal dit nie plaasvind nie!
Sielskos: Dan 6:1-24; Hand 12:1-19
Proverbs 3:13 NIV
Here are three reasons we don’t experience personal growth:
(1) We think it comes strictly from experience. Believing personal growth comes only from experience, is like an archer shooting arrows off-target and thinking he’s improving simply because he keeps on shooting. Experience is only profitable if you learn from it and start hitting your target. Pulitzer prize-winning composer Gian Carlo Menotti said, “Hell begins on the day God grants us a clear vision of all we might have achieved…the gifts we wasted…and all we might have done but didn’t do.” Don’t end your life regretting the time and opportunities you wasted. Use every opening God gives you to grow, starting today.
(2) We think growth comes strictly from information. Have you ever known someone who was absolutely brilliant yet never seemed to accomplish anything of benefit for God, themselves, or others? They’re like an encyclopedia filled with knowledge that has no value because it’s never used. The greatest obstacle to personal growth isn’t ignorance; it’s the illusion of knowledge! The Bible says, “Be…doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
(3) We assume growth is automatic. When we are children growth comes naturally. During that time there are parents, coaches, and teachers challenging us to develop on a daily basis, so we get used to growth. The problem comes when we get out of school and nobody is pushing us to grow or go any further. The price of growth is always less than the cost of ignorance and stagnation. And the truth is, if you don’t take responsibility for your personal growth – it won’t happen!
Soul food: Dan 6:1-24; Acts 12:1-19
2021-01-23
1 Corinthians 12:14 NIV
You cannot determine your spiritual gift any more than you can determine your eye color. The Holy Spirit gives us His gifts “as He wills” (v.11 NKJV). Notice three things:
(1) We are different from one another. “A body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body” (v.12 NIV). Why are there different gifts? Because there are different needs!
(2) We are dependent on one another. It takes every part working together to have a healthy body that will function properly. Paul writes: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!'” (v. 21 NIV). Not only is every member of the body equally needed, they are equally important. Some of us are verbal and others are quiet. Some are dynamic and others laid back. Some are leaders and others followers. Some are high profile and others are inconspicuous. But all of us are equally needed and equally important. It doesn’t matter who gets the credit, as long as the job gets done and God gets the glory.
(3) We are to be devoted to one another. “God has put the body together…so that there should be no division…but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a part of it” (vv. 24-27 NIV).
Soul food: Isa 17-21; Matt 9:27-38; Ps 96; Prov 3:5-6
