When I Ask God for a Reset, Be Specific

In 2 Corinthians 13:5 I read, “Look closely at yourselves. Test yourselves to see if you are living in the faith.” (NCV)

Nothing will be transforming until it becomes specific. I can ask God anytime for a fresh start in my life. But I can’t just say, “change me.” He wants to know what I have in mind!

I cannot solve any problem until I first identify it as a problem—and that means I have to admit that there are problems in my life. The more specific I am about what I want God to change, the sooner it’s going to happen.

Today’s verse reminds me to: “Look closely at yourselves. Test yourselves to see if you are living in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5 NCV).

So where do I need a reset? What specifically would I like God to change in my life to give me a fresh start? 

When I Feel Hopeless, Learn to Pray Specifically

As I review Jonah 2:2 this morning, Jonah says, “I called to the LORD in my distress, and he answered me. From the depths of my watery grave I cried for help, and you heard my cry.” (GW)

When I know what’s causing my hopelessness, I can begin to pray specifically for what I need. I believe this is how God wants me to talk with him.

And as I pray specifically, I should take Scripture and pray it back to God. It’s the key to asking God for help!

That’s what Jonah did when he sank into the ocean and was swallowed by a large fish. In his short prayer in Jonah 2, he prayed eight different Scriptures. Everything he said is a quote from the book of Psalms. Jonah was obviously well-versed in Scripture.

What verses should I pray back to God?

. Pray the laments of God. When I’m angry, go back to one of the laments in Psalms or the book of Lamentations and pray those complaints back to God.

. Pray the truth about God. Pray what the Bible says about God, about his goodness, his fairness, and his justice. 

. Pray the promises of God. Pray one of the promises of God memorized in His Word.

As I study God’s Word, like Jonah, I can pray God’s Word back to him. And as I do, God will bring hope back into my life.

In summary, call to the LORD in my distress, for he will answer. Cry for help, and he will hear. When I know what’s causing my hopelessness, I can begin to pray specifically for what I need. This is how God wants me to talk with him. I should take Scripture and pray it back to God. That’s what Jonah did, he prayed eight different Scriptures. Quotes from the book of Psalms. What verses should I pray back? Pray the laments of God. When angry, pray those complaints back to God. Pray the truth about God and what the Bible says about Him; his goodness, fairness, and justice. And Pray the promises of God. As I study God’s Word, I can pray God’s Word back to him. As I do, God will bring hope back into my life.

I need to continue to memorize verses that speak to me, so that I can more readily pray Scripture back to you. As I considered the three kinds of prayers discussed above, laments, truth about God, God’s promises, It would be hard to pick just one. At this time in my life I need all three; laments about how myself and my team are being treated, remembering the truth about you and what you have promised me if I follow whole-heartedly. I also ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my plans and my interactions with others. I ask these things through your Son Jesus’ name, amen.

The Power of a Focused Life

In review of Proverbs 21:5 it says, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty”

Bottom Line:

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

What this means to me:

This passage in proverbs reminds me that it’s careful planning and hard work that lead to being prosperous. If I get in a hurry, or get lazy and look for shortcuts, I’ll not end up with the best. It will often be lacking.

Therefore If I want God to use me in great ways this year, I’ll need focus. The more focused I am, the more effective I can be; and thus more available for God to use.

There’s tremendous power in a focused life. A diffused light doesn’t have much of an effect on what it touches. But when we focus light, like the sun’s light through a magnifying glass, you can light a piece of paper or grass on fire. If it is focused even more, it becomes a laser. And a  laser can cut through steel.

The same is true with my life. If my goals are directionless, I’ll just drift through without impacting much. But if I can learn to focus my year on a few key goals, then I can make a powerful impact on the world for God.

This verse reminds me, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5 NLT).

A great example of focus in the Bible is the story in Genesis 24. Abraham was getting old, and his son still hadn’t married. God had promised Abraham that through his own family he would create a great nation through Abraham, which God did. But Abraham’s son, Isaac, still didn’t have any kids. He wasn’t even married yet. So Abraham gave his servant, Eliazar, a goal of finding a wife for his son. Abraham told his servant, “Don’t get a wife from the Canaanite girls who live around here. Go back to my country, to the land of my relatives, and there get a wife for my son Isaac.”

Like all good goals, Eliazar’s was clear. He knew he needed to find Isaac a wife, and he knew exactly what kind of wife to look for. He needed to find a wife from Abraham’s homeland. You’ll never reach a vague goal because you’ll never know if you’ve completed it. Eliazar didn’t have that problem.

For example, if my goal is to be used by God, that’s vague. Even if I make the goal to do more for God, I’ll never really know if I’ve completed the goal.

But if you commit to spending an hour every Tuesday evening sharing with someone or leading a group, that’s specific. I’ll know whether or not I’ve completed it. Those kinds of goals can change my life.

So, it's time to get specific and consider more concrete goals.