2022-10-14
2 Korintiërs 4:9 NLV
Elke probleem waar voor jy in die lewe te staan kom, leer jou iets van jouself. Dit wys hoe jy dink en waarvan jy gemaak is. Mense reageer op probleme op drie maniere: 1) hulle weier om dit te aanvaar, 2) hulle aanvaar dit en verduur dit, of 3) hulle aanvaar dit en probeer om dinge te verbeter. Hoe reageer jy op probleme?
Paulus was ‘n probleemoplosser. Hy het geweet dat hy met God aan sy kant sou seëvier. ‘Ons het hierdie skat egter maar net in breekbare kleipotte – die allesoortreffende krag kom van God en nie van ons nie. Op elke manier word ons onder druk geplaas, maar ons word nie verpletter nie; ons is verward, maar nie wanhopig nie; ons word vervolg, maar nie in die steek gelaat nie; platgeslaan, maar nie vernietig nie’ (verse 7-9 NLV). Wat moet jy dus doen wanneer jy voor probleme te staan kom?
1) Verwag hulle. Aangesien probleme onvermydelik is, moet jy jouself geestelik en emosioneel daarvoor voorberei. As jy vir God se beste bid en Satan se ergste verwag, sal jy jouself in ‘n goeie posisie bevind om die probleme wat oor jou pad kom, op te los.
2) Sien die groter prentjie. Jy kan nie bekostig om deur emosie oorweldig te word nie. Jy kan ook nie bekostig om in die klein dingetjies verstrik te raak en dit wat belangrik is, uit die oog te verloor nie.
3) Hanteer een ding op ‘n slag. Richard Sloma het gesê: ‘Moet nooit al die probleme op een slag probeer oplos nie – gee een-een aan hulle aandag.’ As jy verskeie probleme het, maak seker dat jy die een waaraan jy werk heeltemal oplos, voor jy na die volgende een toe beweeg.
Sielskos: Ef 1:1-4:16; Joh 3:9-21; Ps 89:1-14; Spr 23:10-14
2 Corinthians 4:9 CEV
Every problem you face in life introduces you to yourself. It shows you how you think and what you’re made of. People basically respond to problems in three ways: (1) they refuse to accept them, (2) they accept them and then endure them, or (3) they accept them and try to improve things. Which of the three people are you?
Paul was a problem solver. He knew that with God on his side, he would prevail. “We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again” (vv. 7-9 CEV). So when it comes to having problems, what should you do?
(1) Anticipate them. Since problems are unavoidable, prepare for them spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. If you pray for God’s best and anticipate Satan’s worst, you will find yourself in a good position to solve the problems that come your way.
(2) See the big picture. You can’t afford to be overcome by emotion. Nor can you permit yourself to get bogged down in the minutiae and lose sight of what’s important.
(3) Handle one thing at a time. Richard Sloma said, “Never try to solve all the problems at once – make them line up for you one-by-one.” And if you’re facing lots of problems, make sure you actually solve the one you’re working on before moving on to the next one.
Soul food: Eph 1:1-4:16; John 3:9-21; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 23:10-14
2022-10-13
1 Korintiërs 13:5 NLV
Wanneer jy op dit wat jy het om te bied eerder as die behoeftes van ander mense fokus, kom hulle dit agter en verloor gou belangstelling. Jy kan selfs in ‘n poging om jou geloof te deel so verdiep raak in jou aanbieding en om ‘resultate te kry,’ dat jy die ander persoon koud laat.
In sy boek, Presenting to Win, wys Jerry Weissman uit dat wanneer mense kommunikeer, hulle te veel op die kenmerke van hul produk of diens fokus, in plaas daarvan om die vraag: ‘Kan jy my help?’ te beantwoord. Die sleutel, sê Weissman, is om op die voordele, nie die kenmerke nie, te fokus.
Hy skryf: “‘n Kenmerk is ‘n feit of eienskap van jou of jou maatskappy, die produkte wat jy verkoop of die idee wat jy voorlê. ‘n Voordeel, daarenteen, is ‘n feit of eienskap wat jou gehoor sal help. Wanneer jy mense wil oortuig, is dit nooit genoeg om die kenmerke van dit wat jy verkoop aan te bied nie; elke kenmerk moet in ‘n voordeel vertaal word. Waar ‘n kenmerk dalk irrelevant tot die behoeftes of belangstellings van jou gehoor mag wees, is ‘n voordeel, by definisie, altyd relevant.”
Om vir die ander persoon om te gee, moet altyd jou beweegrede en beginpunt wees. Paulus skryf: ‘Al sou ek enige taal op aarde of selfs in die hemel kon praat, maar ek kom die liefde kort, het ek ‘n galmende trom of ‘n klinkende simbaal geword… En al sou ek al my besittings vir die armes gee en selfs my liggaam opoffer sodat ek my daarop kon beroem, maar ek kom die liefde kort, sou dit my niks help nie’ (verse 1, 3 NLV).
Jy moet dus eerstens vir ander mense omgee.
Sielskos: 1 Sam 27-31; Joh 3:1-8; Ps 110; Spr 23:6-9
1 Corinthians 13:5 MSG
When you focus on what you have to offer instead of the needs of others, they discern it and quickly lose interest. Even in an endeavor as noble as sharing your faith, you can become so engrossed in your presentation and in “getting results” that you leave the other person cold.
In his book Presenting to Win, Jerry Weissman points out that when people communicate, they focus too much on the features of their product or service instead of answering the question, “Can you help me?” The key, says Weissman, is to focus on the benefits, not the features.
He writes: “A feature is a fact or quality about you or your company, the products you sell, or the idea you’re advocating. By contrast, a benefit is how that fact or quality will help your audience. When you seek to persuade, it’s never enough to present the features of what you’re selling; every feature must be translated into a benefit. Whereas a feature may be irrelevant to the needs or interests of your audience, a benefit, by definition, is always relevant.”
Caring about the other person must always be your motive and starting point. Paul writes: “If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate… If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake… as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love” (vv. 1, 3 MSG).
Bottom line: First, you must care about others.
Soul food: 1 Sam 27-31; John 3:1-8; Ps 110; Prov 23:6-9
2022-10-12
Revelation 21:5 NIV
It’s said that the Titanic sank because of cheap rivets and poor planning. Faced with a shortage of quality bolts, the shipbuilders used substandard ones that popped when the ship hit the iceberg. So, how sturdy are the bolts of your faith? Reinforce them daily with God’s Word, seasons of in-depth prayer, and fortifying fellowship.
Describing signs of the end times, Jesus said, “All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:8 NIV), and birth pains signal the onset of the final push. The obstetrician says, “This will hurt for a while, but it’s going to get better,” and Jesus offers us the same assurance about end-time events. We’re in the final hours – just a few pushes away from delivery.
John said: “I saw ‘a new heaven and… earth,’… the first heaven and… earth had passed away, and… the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven… prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying… ‘God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be… their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!'” (Revelation 21:1-5 NIV).
People everywhere are searching for answers. So don’t isolate, engage! Your goal isn’t to get out of this world in one piece; it’s to take as many people as you can to heaven along with you.
Soul food: 1 Sam 24-26; John 2:12-25; Ps 23; Prov 23:4-5
