2022-03-05
Genesis 32:30 NLV
‘Jakob het die plek Pniël genoem, want hy het gesê: ‘Ek het God persoonlik gesien. Tog is my lewe gespaar.’ Die son het opgekom net toe hy van Pniël af weggaan. Van toe af was hy mank aan sy heup’ (verse 30-31 NLV). Die waarheid is dat sonder God se beskermende hand oor jou lewe, jy nie vandag hier sou wees nie! Die rede dat jy nie in die ongeluk gesterf het nie, of dat die gewas nie jou lewe geneem het nie, is omdat God nog nie klaar is met jou nie.
God het jou gered en jou geplaas waar jy vandag is. Nadat God klaar met hom gestoei het, het Jakob gesê: ‘My lewe is gespaar.’ Joune ook, nie waar nie? Die Bybel sê: ‘…Hy kan… iets uit niks tot stand bring’ (Romeine 4:17 DB). Hy wil dinge in jou lewe in plek stel wat nie vantevore daar was nie. Goeie dinge!
Let egter iets baie belangriks op: ‘[Jakob] het alleen agtergebly. Dáár kom hy ‘n man teë wat tot dagbreek met hom worstel’ (Genesis 32:24 NLV). Wanneer God oor belangrike kwessies met jou werk, doen Hy dit een-tot-een, nie as deel van die skare nie. Om in ‘n skare te wees kan jou inderwaarheid daarvan weerhou om sy stem te hoor.
Dit kan bedreigend voel om alleen by God te wees, omdat jou fasade en ego weggestroop word. Jou eerste impuls mag dalk wees om in die skare te bly, maar jy sal gou ontdek dat hulle nie die rusteloosheid in jou gees kan kalmeer nie. Daardie rusteloosheid is God wat jou vir ‘n ontmoeting roep! Moet dus nie, soos Jakob, bang wees om met Hom te worstel totdat ‘n nuwe dag vir jou breek nie.
Sielskos: Eks 22-24; Luk 13:18-35; Ps 136:1-12; Spr 6:30-31
2022-03-04
Spreuke 14:30 NLV
Vind jy dit moeilik om ander mense met hulle prestasies te komplimenteer? Wanneer iemand se naam in die geselskap opduik, voel jy goed omdat iets slegs met hulle gebeur het? Wanneer jy iets moois oor ‘n ander persoon hoor, voel jy genoop om te sê: ‘Ja, maar….’ en wys dan hulle negatiewe eienskappe of mislukkings uit? Hou jy aan om jouself met ander mense te vergelyk? Is jy behep met wat hulle doen, koop, dra en met wie hulle omgaan? Vertrou jy die mense vir wie jy lief is, of hou jy altyd dit waarmee hulle besig is dop? Die Bybel sê: ‘Innerlike kalmte bevorder die gesondheid. Jaloesie vreet ‘n mens op’ (vers 30 NLV).
As jy geestelik, emosioneel en fisies gesond wil wees, moet jy nie plek vir jaloesie gee nie, anders sal dit jou opvreet. Die ellendigste mense in die lewe is diegene wat met jaloesie gevul is. Dit vreet aan hulle en steel hulle vreugde. Al wat hulle aan dink is die dinge wat ander mense het wat hulle ook wil hê, wat tot wrokkigheid en twis lei.
Hoe oorwin jy jaloesie? 1) Erken dat jy ‘n probleem het. 2) Bekeer jou en vra God vir sy hulp. 3) Bid vir die persoon wat die teiken van jou jaloesie is. Begin om ander mense se suksesse saam met hulle te vier en maak ‘n punt daarvan om hulle te komplimenteer.
Onthou, niemand is so goed daarin om jy te wees, as jy nie. Jy het dus geen kompetisie nie. Wanneer jy weet wie jy voor God is, is dit nie nodig dat jy op enigiemand anders jaloers is nie.
Sielskos: Eks 19-21; Luk 13:1-17; Ps 77; Spr 6:29
Proverbs 14:30 NLT
Is it hard for you to compliment others on their achievements? When someone’s name comes up in conversation, do you feel good because something bad has happened to them? When you hear something complimentary about another person, do you feel the need to say, “Yes, but…” and proceed to point out their negative traits or failures? Do you keep comparing yourself to other people? Are you preoccupied with what they’re doing, buying, wearing, and who they mix and mingle with? Do you trust the people you love, or are you always checking up on them?
The Bible says, “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones” (v. 30 NLT). Note the word “healthy.” If you want to be mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically healthy, don’t give place to jealousy or it will consume you. The most miserable people in life are filled with jealousy. It eats away at them and steals their joy. They think of little else but the things somebody else has that they want, which in turn leads to resentment and strife.
How do you conquer jealousy? (1) Acknowledge you have a problem. (2) Repent and ask for God’s help. (3) Pray for the person who is the target of your jealousy. At first it will feel awkward, but as you keep doing it, God will change your heart and replace jealousy with love. Start celebrating other people’s successes with them and make a point of complimenting them.
Remember, nobody else is as good at being you as you. So, you have no competition. When you’re secure in who you are before God, you don’t have to be jealous of anybody.
Soul food: Exo 19-21; Luke 13:1-17; Ps 77; Pro 6:29
Proverbs 14:30 NCV;
The Bible says, ‘Peace of mind means a healthy body but jealousy will rot your bones.’ If we allow jealousy to hold a place in our lives, it’ll eventually take over and consume us. It eats away at us and steals our joy. It invades our thoughts until we only see the things somebody else has that we want, leading to resentment and conflict. It stops us celebrating with others and sharing in their happiness when they achieve something. So we need to recognise jealousy as soon as it appears.
Here’s a quick checklist to help: 1) Do you find it hard to compliment others on their achievements? 2) Do you ever feel a sliver of happiness because something bad has happened to someone else? 3) When you hear something complimentary about another person, do you feel the need to say, ‘Yes, but…’ and then point out something negative about them? 4) Do you keep comparing yourself to other people? 5) Do you pay a lot of attention to what other people are doing, buying, wearing, and who they mix with? 6) Do you trust the people you love, or are you always checking up on them?
So how do we conquer jealousy? First, we need to acknowledge there’s a problem. Second, we need to tell God how we’re feeling and ask for His help. And third, we should pray for the person who is the target of our jealousy. It’ll feel awkward at first, but as we keep doing it, God will change our hearts and replace jealousy with love. When we’re secure in who we are before God, we don’t have to be jealous of anybody.
Exo 19-21; Luke 13:1-17; Ps 77; Pro 6:29
2022-03-03
Psalm 3:3 NKJV
When Elijah was at his lowest point, God told him these three important things: 1) Spend more time with God. ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD’ (1 Kings 19:11 NKJV). That was where God spoke to him in ‘a still small voice’ (v.12 NKJV). The word ‘still’ teaches us that instead of always working for God, we need to spend time with Him. If we don’t, we’ll run on empty and end up getting nowhere. When David was feeling overwhelmed, he wrote: ‘Many are saying about me, “God won’t rescue him.” But, LORD, you are my shield, my wonderful God who gives me courage. I will pray to the LORD and he will answer me’ (Psalm 3:2-4 NCV).
2) Don’t try to do everything yourself. That’s a fast track to becoming overwhelmed. Just because God’s given us a task to do, it doesn’t necessarily mean we have to work alone at it. Sometimes it means working as part of a team and getting it done through them. Elijah wasn’t alone. God told him, ‘I have seven thousand people left in Israel who have never bowed to Baal’ (1 Kings 19:18 NCV). God will bring people to help us when we need them.
3) Realise your assignment isn’t over. God showed Elijah there were still kings to anoint, battles to win, and a successor to prepare (see v.16). When we’re at breaking point, He doesn’t get angry with us. In fact, His Word says, ‘He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the dimly burning flame. He will encourage the fainthearted, those tempted to despair’ (Isaiah 42:3 TLB). We can always draw on His strength.
Exo 16-18; Luke 12:49-59; Ps 70; Pro 6:26-28
