A Christ follower living in a secular world: This is your life, you might as well make the best...

A Christ follower living in a secular world: This is your life, you might as well make the best...: Do you just stumble through your days? When trouble comes calling, and it will, take a moment to remember it will pass. You will get throug...

This is your life, you might as well make the best of it!

Do you just stumble through your days? When trouble comes calling, and it will,  take a moment to remember it will pass. You will get through it and better times will lie ahead. When good times are upon you, enjoy them, don't look too far past them to what lies ahead. Enjoy the good times and press forward through the bad. Sounds easy enough but not so easy to actually do.

I tend to focus on the good now. At one time I would dwell on the negative. It's not very fun focusing on what is wrong but many live in that way. Instead, look at the blessings you have. If you are reading this you have access to a computer and the internet has much good to offer. So long as you're looking in the right places.

Plan for the day trouble comes knocking. Some things you can't predict or be fully prepared for but most can be. When in times of plenty store up for what lies ahead. I don't mean just in physical things but in spiritual things too. It is so easy to fall into a place of stagnation because when things are good we can kind of forget where it came from. Don't get too big for God to be in your life. The moment you start to stand on your own strength is when you will begin the inevitable descent. Pride comes before the fall.

Learn to be content in all situations. In times of high stress I would become very angry and lose sight of the good things. Now when in stressful times I tend to smile(on the inside at least) and know it will pass. I trust in something bigger than me and my finite position. Faith is huge for me. I don't take myself as seriously and am not as intense as I once was. I will always be a somewhat intense guy most likely but I think God made me that way for a reason. Letting go of people and situations is hard for me but I'm learning about submission and I see the wisdom in it. I don't have to carry other peoples luggage around with me. It is not my Cross to bear so to speak. You can't carry someone else on your back forever. Everyone has to find their own way. Caring for them is good and noble but to carrying them is not doing them or yourself any good. Take responsibility for what you are responsible for and leave the rest up to God.

So enjoy your life. Whenever possible live at peace with everyone. Don't take the good things for granted and don't make the tough times worse than they really are. Moderation is the key.

A Christ follower living in a secular world: Be strong and courageous but more importantly be y...

A Christ follower living in a secular world: Be strong and courageous but more importantly be y...: I spent a lot of time trying to seek out people that could help me grow as a person. People that had it all together and didn't need anythin...

Be strong and courageous but more importantly be yourself!

I spent a lot of time trying to seek out people that could help me grow as a person. People that had it all together and didn't need anything from me. People that I totally approved of to help me to improve myself. It was an exercise in futility because my standards were tough. Brutally tough and surprisingly enough to me rather unattainable. Truth is everyone has warts of some sort. None of us are perfect. There was one perfect man but we crucified him on a cross. That being said there is a lot of good qualities in the people I meet. Most have many good qualities that I tended to look past when I saw their weaknesses.

In the Bible there were many examples of good men but other than the Messiah each had his quirks or faults. Moses had a temper, David was an adulterer and Elijah was overcome by fears many times to name but 3 great men of God. Not that I deserve to be lumped together with these great men but I too have my faults and day by day I continue to work them out with God's help. I'm 43 now and am still maturing as a person. I know myself better now than ever before and have come to terms with the fact I do have limitations although they are becoming less limiting.

In the book of Joshua, God says over and over to Joshua to be "strong and courageous" and that is good advice for anyone with issues to face in life. God spoke to me(not with words but in thought) and told me to be strong and courageous. That I am the strong and to start acting like it. Rather than focusing on my inadequacies to instead focus on my strengths while still recognizing that I have limitations. So going through life trying to be everything to everybody is a flawed path. Looking to others to be everything you're not is also a flawed path. Being the best you can be is important and do things with full effort. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you truly need it. Don't play it safe and stay in your comfort zone because if you never stretch yourself then you'll never discover your full potential.

So step into the future with boldness. Don't cave in to fear and trepidation. Be strong and courageous with others. Help them with their blind spots and they can help you see yours too.

Blessings!!

A Christ follower living in a secular world: Motives for this blog

A Christ follower living in a secular world: Motives for this blog: I enjoy expressing ideas and concepts in this blog. I use it as a place to blurt out whatever is on my mind. Often in life we have to be pol...

Motives for this blog

I enjoy expressing ideas and concepts in this blog. I use it as a place to blurt out whatever is on my mind. Often in life we have to be politically correct given the situation we find ourselves in at the time. I've talked in previous blog posts about filters and their importance. I don't want to be purposely offensive in this place but if I have something to say this is a place I feel totally free to say it. Some of my posts never get beyond the draft stage. I'm not doing this to make you think like me but just expressing my POV. If you get a little something out of it then that's wonderful. I truly hope people do. The way I learn best is by experiencing different viewpoints and figuring out what works best for me.

Sometimes the lessons I learn have little to do with what has been said by others. Several of the most life changing revelations I've had from God have been during sermons about some totally unrelated topic. Just one sentence can be the basis of a great epiphany in a 500 page book. Look for the diamonds in the rough.

At times I have a lot to say and the blogs will be frequent. Other times I'm just soaking in the world around me and don't really feel the need to share some pearl of what I consider wisdom. I used to have to offer my opinion on everything and anything but I try to measure my words better these days. I'm not the foremost expert on anything really. So take what I say for what it is worth. I do appreciate the readership I get here. Having people browse through my musings from all around the world is cool.

Be blessed!!

A Christ follower living in a secular world: Submission and Surrender, how contorted those word...

A Christ follower living in a secular world: Submission and Surrender, how contorted those word...: When you think of submission what is the first image that pops into your head? I think of a hostage pleading for his/her life with the kid...