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It is not always easy to understand what others are saying. This is especially true with the new ways we communicate over emails and texts. Even when they are speaking to us, we get easily distracted by other things going on around us. We get frustrated when we don’t understand their message or when others don’t understand us. It is so important that we take time to be good communicators.
Every day we wake up is a new day. It is a new opportunity. We have choices to make today and we have work which needs to be completed. We can choose to use the day constructively or we can make the decision to just do what we need to do to get by. We can go through the day mindlessly without thinking about doing anything in particular or we can decide to work on purpose.
When we are going through a situation or have something on our minds, we tend to spend time thinking about the solution or the event which led up to it. We may even share our issues with others to get their feedback or to try and think about things out loud. It’s good to have someone to talk to who will listen and give support rather than give us negative feedback.
Before we even realize we need to clean, we have to recognize something is dirty. We see or feel the dirt and grime and we know we have put off cleaning long enough. We can look and know, in just a glance, what we need to clean. When we put off cleaning these things, dirt and grime begins to build up and we aren’t as comfortable in them as we once were.
There have been times in our lives where we wanted someone to be proud of us. We wanted to have someone tell us we did a good job. We wanted to be acknowledged for the hard work we did in school or at home. We wanted to know we had done something that others had noticed and wanted to be commended for it.
If there was a book today written similar to the Bible containing life stories of people in our generations, who do we believe would be in that book? Who do we know who has lived for God and made a difference? Whose lives have been examples to many because they let God lead their lives? Have we done the things God has asked us to do? Psalm 71:7 “My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection.”
A gentleman who is a new neighbor came over yesterday and introduced himself to me. He saw me working out on the garage and wanted to let me know he and his wife would be moving next door soon. He told me a little about himself and his family. He told me he had some experience in home repair and offered his assistance if I needed it. If just five minutes, I got to know someone who cared.
Sometimes God slows us down. He creates quiet time for us when we think we should be doing something else. Just as he stopped other people in the Bible in their daily lives, He stops us in the middle of our routines. When He does this, He is turning us away from worthless things in the world, and wanting us to read His word. Psalm 119:37 “Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.”
When we tone up our bodies we are getting them into shape to make us stronger physically. We do this by exercising, eating right and staying away from things that will hurt our bodies. By toning up our bodies, we are getting rid of the fat and strengthening our muscles to prepare ourselves for better health. When we overdo, our bodies tell us it’s time to slow down just as when we don’t do enough our bodies tend to run down. We should get into a routine of exercise and create healthy habits to ensure we are taking care of our bodies.
We all have a deep sense of awe or urgency to help someone at some point in our lives. We see or hear of something tragic happen and want to give of our time or money. We learn about someone in our work or school who is going through a hard time and we want to help. We have a friend or family member who has become sick or lost a loved one and we feel like reaching out to them.r
So many times we find ourselves repeating what we have said to someone because they weren’t really listening. Perhaps their minds were wandering while we were talking. Maybe they had something troubling on their minds. It could be there were distractions which kept them from hearing. However, it happens more often than not. Not everyone listens.
We all want things to be different in many areas of our lives. We may want others to have a different attitude when they are dealing with difficult situations. We may want to our children or other people to act differently and listen more. We may want our boss to recognize our hard work and give us a promotion or just some token of appreciation. However, in order to make any kind of change in others we need to be willing to make a change first in ourselves.
There are many things in life we wish we could change. We may not like the job we have. We may be upset about a relationship that has gone bad. We may have health issues we would like to improve. We may be so far in debt, we don’t know how it happened and can’t seem to figure out how to get out of it so we just continue to borrow money.
Have you ever looked back on a day, week or period of time and think about the time wasted? Not necessarily the time waiting in line or in meetings but gaps of time where we spent time doing something or nothing of particular importance. If we added up those hours we spend daily watching television, surfing the internet, chatting or playing games online, we would see how quickly they add up.
Exodus 3:11-12 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you.” How many times do we protest to God or ignore Him because we don’t believe we are good enough. We think we don’t have what it takes or it is not the right time or we can do it later when we feel better about ourselves. We shouldn’t think that everything has to be just right before we take action.
Think about places we have gone and what we have done to arrive early to get a good seat or a good place in line. We head out early to get a good buy at a local store, a good seat at the movies or in a restaurant. We share these things with others and encourage them to go as well.
When we get upset with what someone else does or someone is upset with us, we need to choose our words carefully. We need to step back and look at the whole situation and determine the importance of it. We need to be sure what we say is what we want them to hear and understand before we speak those words. When we speak out in anger, we can hurt others and hurt ourselves.
It is so easy to get distracted in our daily routines. Some distractions are from others but we also have distractions in our minds where we are reminded, for whatever reason, how we have failed someone in the past. We may get distracted by how we have failed ourselves or how we have failed God. We all have those reminders, or triggers, in our head which can distract us from doing God’s will.
There are so many times in life where we disagree with what someone says or does. We believe they are doing things that will hurt themselves or hurt others. We believe they are making bad decisions and are going down the wrong direction in life. We believe they are taking wrong turns and heading down a path of bad choices and mistakes which could lead to regrets later on in their lives. Proverbs 11:12-13 “It is foolish to belittle one’s neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet. A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.”
When we think about all the things we have in all areas of our lives, we may not see how much we really do have unless we write it down. If we were to write down all the money we have made in our lifetime, if we were to calculate all the time we have accumulated or all the friends we have made, then we would realize that we do have an abundance. God wants us to use what we have been given or else He will take it away.
When we get upset about how someone acts or how they treat us, we tend to be resentful toward them. We believe, in our minds, they should act one way; however, they continue to act another. It may be their actions are not wrong. It may just be we want them to be different so we resent them because they aren’t doing what we feel they should be doing.
There are things we do out of habit and routine that if we didn’t do them we wouldn’t feel right all day. We brush our get out of bed, brush our teeth, eat about three meals a day, etc. and skipping any part of our routine would not seem natural. These habits are just a part of life which we have created by repeating them daily.
2 Corinthians 13:3-4 “I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you. Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power.”
1 Peter 2:21 “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” Everyone goes through troubling times where we are having issues with our health, relationships, money, or work. Many times, we wonder why we have to suffer when others appear to be doing well and enjoying life. Sometimes we may want to take action in our own hands and do what we feel is best to give us temporary enjoyment; however, God calls us to do good in all things, even if it means suffering.
It is always toughest to do the things that should be done when we don’t want to do them. We may have other things on our mind to do. We may not feel like doing what we should. We may wonder why we have to do things when others don’t have to do them. We may try to put them off to do later.
When we sacrifice we may feel as if we are giving up part of ourselves to help someone else. We often tell other people how we sacrificed for our children to have the things they have. We may say we had to sacrifice in our marriage or in our work. We all have to make sacrifices but God tells us He wants submission and obedience rather than sacrifice. 1 Samuel 15:22 "But Samuel replied, ‘What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.’"r
We are all guilty of not doing the right thing at certain times in our lives. As children, we may cheat on a test at school, take a little money from our mom’s purse without asking or lie about where we were so we wouldn’t get in trouble. However, as we grow older we learn doing the right thing is not only the right thing to do but it is what God requires us to do. 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”
There are times we need to get something done and we aren’t quite sure how we are going to do it. We may not have the knowledge and skills. We may not have the time or talents. There are situations when we are so busy doing things we may not see there is someone who can help who is really close to us. We need to stay aware of not only what we have to do but who is willing and able to assist us.
There are some days when we are tired for whatever reason. Days come where we feel like we are drained both emotionally and physically. Nights come where we are so tired that we can’t fall asleep. When we are tired, we are not much use to ourselves or others. Sometimes we can’t think straight, we can’t pay attention and we certainly have no energy to do much good for anyone.
There are times when our daily routines seem to drag us down. We get sidetracked and then feel guilty we didn’t get something completed like we always do. We get too focused on the process or the routine trying to make sure we don’t leave anything out. Then we are distracted by our conce of doing it right.
Nothing good in life is easy. There are times when we are trying to do something and we get stopped along the way for whatever reason. We may have struggles with our health, our families, our finances or our career. Things continue to come up time and time again which try to beat us down when we are trying to do the right things. Obedience requires persistence, even through the suffering. Hebrews 5:8 "Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered."
It’s funny how we run around every day working for what we believe we need, when God clearly tells us to seek Him first and He will give us everything we need. Why do we continue to look everywhere for the things we think we need when all we have to do is go to Him? Do we really believe we can live for God when we put other things before Him? Matthew 6:33 “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
There are times when others come to us with something they are trying to do and sometimes we tell them we just don’t know or we don’t have time. However, we should stop and try to help them any way we can. It will benefit them and us if we take an extra step to try and help. We need to help them find out the answer.
Many times we feel like we are bombarded with things to do. We have responsibilities at home, at work, at school. We have obligations to God, to others and to ourselves. We want a balanced life with a clean home, great relationships and good health. We want to have enough money to tithe and pay the bills. However, we soon find out that we aren’t able to get all of these things accomplished.
2 Corinthians 1:6-7 “Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.”
So many times we allow ourselves to give in. Not necessarily to others but to ourselves. We make a decision to do something we know may not be the best decision but we do it because we are tired, we are looking for an easy way out or we are looking for something better. It is so important to be aware of all decisions we make and not give in to self but give it to God.
There are times when we have our minds made up about something. We have decided we are going to do or not do something and we will not change our minds for anything. There are other times when our minds are filled with negativity and doubt. It seems as if we want to have a pity party and want to feel bad. It is so easy to have our minds fixed on the things of the world because those things are all around us; however, God is all around us as well and we need to fix our thoughts on Him. Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”
When we go into a home improvement store, we see aisles and aisles of purposeful things we can use for our homes. Some gadgets are small, some are large and some have funny looking shapes. Many of us don’t have a clue what all of these items are used for in the home but each of these things has a purpose. Some can’t work without the other. Some are useless unless they are hooked up to something else. Others need power or batteries to get going. Some items sit on the shelf for their entire existence without being used by man.
Acts 17:27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.” When we get overwhelmed with all there is to do, we can easily give up and shut down. When we are rushing to finish something last minute, everything else seems to happen as well. Stress takes over and we look for an escape route. Emotions kick in and we begin to feel guilty or angry or sad.
We sometimes wonder why things keep happening to us. We wonder why we continually have issues to deal with and problems on our minds. We think about and get overwhelmed at times in many areas of our lives and can't seem to understand why things aren't getting any easier. The answer is life isn't easy. We will be faced with problems and struggles, but it is all about how we prepare for and handle them.
We know others watch us and learn by the actions we take and the things we say as well as what we don’t do or say. Our responsibility to do the right thing is not only for ourselves but for others who are looking to us to make the right decision. When we do the right thing we are setting an example for others to follow.
Many of us have some type of social network we connect to online for various reasons. Some of us may be out there just to check on others we know and see what they are doing. Some of us may be out there to find that special someone in our lives we can spend some time with. Some of us may be out there to get away from our own lives and loves as an escape from the real word.
We often times struggle with what we do. We wonder if we should do or say certain things in order to help others, or to better ourselves or to even get ahead in life. We need to know the difference between what we want to do, what we feel like doing and what we ought to do. We need to be sure we do and say everything for the right reasons. We need to demonstrate God’s law is written in our hearts.
How many times in life, or even in one day, do we miss out on what we should be doing? How many times do we avoid the things we are supposed to do for God? How many times do we remain stagnant when we should be moving forward? Looking back on yesterday, what things did we avoid just because we didn’t feel like doing them? What things are we dreading today and trying to figure out if we can put them off until tomorrow?
Most of us were taught as children to share. We were taught to share our toys or whatever we had when others were in need. We were taught to share with our friends and with those less fortunate than we were. Often we were rewarded if we shared. Many times when we shared we felt good about what we did and would run to tell our parents so we would receive praise and recognition.
Our minds are always busy thinking about things. We sometimes think about what all we have to do. We may think about what someone else has done. We may form opinions about others in our heads or talk back to someone in our minds. We tend to think things we really wouldn’t say out loud.
If we looked back into our past each of us would have different experiences to remember. Each of us would have good times to remember where we had so much enjoyment in life with certain family members or friends. Each of us would have challenging times to remember where there were issues we had to deal with or witness that really made an impact on our lives.
We all want our lives to be easy. We all want to go through life without any issues or worries so we can enjoy everything in our lives without having to struggle. We would like not to have to rely on other people but to be able to have the life we believe we want and we want it struggle free.
We all have forgotten something at some point in our lives. Some of us need reminders about most everything. We get so caught up in life, we tend to forget what is important. We tend to forget the big picture. Yet God continues to remind us. He watches us as we listen to His word in church, as we have good ideas and intentions to do things for Him and then He gently reminds us again and again to stay on track for Him. 1 Samuel 12:7 “Now stand here quietly before the Lord as I remind you of all the great things the Lord has done for you and your ancestors.”
Many times we feel like we are bombarded with things to do. We have responsibilities at home, at work, at school. We have obligations to God, to others and to ourselves. We want a balanced life with a clean home, great relationships and good health. We want to have enough money to tithe and pay the bills. However, we soon find out that we aren’t able to get all of these things accomplished.