To Grow Wise, Examine My Life

In 2 Corinthians 13:5 I read, “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.” (NLT)

An unexamined experience is worthless.

There are people who are 50 years old who haven’t truly lived 50 years. Instead, they’ve lived one year 50 times. They make the same mistakes over and over again because they never stop and extract the lessons. They never ask, “What happened in this last year? What can I do differently so that I can live life better going forward?”

The Bible says I should take time to review my life: “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT).

When I examine my life experiences, look for two things:

Look for benefits. What have I really enjoyed in my life? Don’t just say, “I really enjoyed that job.” Ask, “What was it about that job that I really loved?” Don’t just say, “I really liked that class.” Ask, “What exactly about that class did I like? Why was it so fulfilling to me?” I’ll get little clues about where I should be headed with my life.

Look for patterns. Particularly, look for patterns in my failures. When I fail, I tend to do it the same way every time. So, look and ask, “Where have I failed in the past? What patterns do I keep repeating?” Don’t look for patterns so I can beat yourself up but because I want to be different.

If I ignore the mistakes of my past, I’m likely to repeat them. This was the problem with the Israelites when Moses led them out of Egypt. Their trip to the Promised Land should have taken only a few weeks, but instead it took 40 years because they refused to learn from their experiences and from the tests God put before them. Each failed test meant one more lap around the desert.

The Bible says in Job 32:7, “The longer you live, the wiser you become” (The Message).

That verse is a possibility, not a promise. There are people who are old and foolish. Wisdom does not automatically come with age.

But wisdom is possible for anyone. No matter the age, maturity comes as I let God teach me through the everyday experiences of life.

In summary, I need to examine myself to see if my faith is genuine. Test to see that Jesus Christ is in my life; if not, I have failed the test of genuine faith. So, an unexamined experience is worthless. It can be easy to make the same mistakes over and over again because of never stopping and extracting the lessons. Ask,  what happened and what can I do differently. When I examine my life experiences, look for benefits. What have I really enjoyed. What was it about it that I really loved?” Why was it so fulfilling to me?” If I do so, I can get little clues about where I should be headed with my life. Also, look for patterns. Particularly, look for patterns in my failures. When I fail, I tend to do it the same way every time. So, look and ask, where have I failed in the past? What patterns do I keep repeating? Look for patterns so that I can be different. If I ignore the mistakes of my past, I’m likely to repeat them. Wisdom does not automatically come with age. No matter my age, maturity comes as I let God teach me through the everyday experiences of life.

In this passage Paul urges me to give myself a spiritual checkup. I should look for the growing awareness of Christ's presence and power in my life. Only then will I know if I am a true follower or an impostor. If I'm not actively seeking to grow closer to God, I am drawing further away from him. 

Father, I need you. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can believe in, have faith and can trust you in everything, including being the authority for my life, my self-worth and my future. You have my best interests in mind. Help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. I want to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. I ask you for wisdom and guidance in this for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my preparation for a future job role and for leading a small group. I ask and pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

How to Be Wise in Relationships

In Proverbs 20:3 I read, “Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them.” (GNT)

Wise people are peacemakers, not troublemakers. Wise people don’t carry a chip on their shoulder. They’re not always looking for a fight. And they don’t intentionally antagonize others. 

If I’m around someone for any length of time, I’ll usually figure out what irritates that person. Then I may file that information in the back of my mind as a tool to use when I get in an argument. When that person says something that hurts, offends, or slights me in any way, I pull out that information and use it against them. I end up pushing their hot button. And it works every time!

The Bible calls this kind of behavior stupid! It doesn’t get me any closer to resolution or helping my relationship. In fact, it hurts it. It’s not wise.

Proverbs 20:3 says, “Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them” (GNT).

Everyone uses counterproductive strategies in relationships. They’re hurtful, they’re harmful, and they don’t get me what I want. But when I lack wisdom, I use them anyway.

Here are just a few of these counterproductive strategies:

1. Comparing. Never compare others, because each person is unique. Comparing antagonizes anger.

2. Condemning. When I start laying on the guilt in a relationship, I get the opposite of what I expect. It doesn’t work, and it’s foolish.

3. Contradicting. William James, the famous psychologist, said, “Wisdom is the art of knowing what to overlook.” Some things just aren’t worth my attention; I simply need to overlook them.

The Bible says in Proverbs 14:29, “A wise man controls his temper. He knows that anger causes mistakes” (TLB). Have you ever said or done anything out of anger? We all have! When I get angry, my intelligence goes out the window. I say and do foolish things that are self-defeating.

Consider that there is only one letter difference between “anger” and “danger”? When I get angry, I’m in dangerous territory. I'm about to hurt others, and myself, with my own anger.

The good news is that I don’t have to let my anger get the best of me. I can choose to be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. I should follow the wise advice of Proverbs: Control my temper and stay out of arguments. Myself, and the people I’m in a relationship with, will be glad I did.

In summary, any fool can start an argument; the honorable thing is to stay out of them. Wise people are peacemakers, not troublemakers. Wise people don’t carry a chip on their shoulder. They’re not always looking for a fight. And they don’t intentionally antagonize others.  If I’m around someone for any length of time, I’ll usually figure out what irritates that person and file that information in the back of my mind as a tool and pull out to use it against them. The Bible calls this kind of behavior stupid! It doesn’t get me any closer to resolution or helping my relationship. In fact, it hurts it. Here are some counterproductive strategies: 1. Comparing. Never compare. Each person is unique. Comparing only antagonizes anger. 2. Condemning. When I start laying on the guilt, I get the opposite of what I expect. It doesn’t work. 3. Contradicting. “Wisdom is the art of knowing what to overlook.” Some things just aren’t worth my attention; I simply need to overlook them. When I get angry, my intelligence goes out the window. I say and do foolish things that are self-defeating. When I get angry, I’m in dangerous territory. I'm about to hurt others, and myself, with my own anger. I don’t have to let my anger get the best of me. I can choose to be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. Control my temper and stay out of arguments. 

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only a fool would insist on quarreling. A person who is truly confident of his or her strength does not need to parade it. A truly brave person doesn't look for chances to prove it. A resourceful woman can find a way out of a fight. A man of endurance will avoid retaliating. Foolish people find it impossible to avoid strife. Men and women of character can. What kind of person will I be?

Father, I need you. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can believe in, have faith and can trust you in everything, including being the authority for my life, my self-worth and my future. You have my best interests in mind. Help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. I want to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. With the help of your Spirit in me, I ask that he remind me when I start to get angry or am ready to quarrel or put up a fight. I ask you for wisdom and guidance in this for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my preparation for a future job role and for leading a small group. I ask and pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

God’s Spirit Is Working in Me

In Philippians 2:13 I read, “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (NLT)

It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to produce in me Christlike character.

The Bible says, “The Lord . . . makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT). This process of changing to be more like Jesus is called sanctification.

I can’t reproduce the character of Jesus in my own strength. New Year’s resolutions, willpower, and best intentions aren’t enough.

Only the Holy Spirit has the power to make the changes God wants to make in my life. The Bible says, “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13 NLT).

Mention the power of the Holy Spirit, and many people think of miraculous demonstrations or intense emotions. But usually the Holy Spirit releases his power in quiet, unassuming ways that I’m not even aware of. He often nudges me with “a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12 NIV).

Christlikeness is not produced by imitation but by inhabitation, by allowing Christ to live in and through me. The Bible says, “This is the secret: Christ lives in you” (Colossians 1:27 NLT).

This happens through the choices I make.

Choose to do the right thing; then trust God’s Spirit to give me the power, love, faith, and wisdom to follow through. Since God’s Spirit lives inside me, these things are always available for the asking.

In summary, God is working in me, to give me the desire and the power to do what pleases him. It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to produce in me Christlike character. I can’t reproduce on my own. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to make the changes God wants to make in my life. Usually the Holy Spirit releases his power in quiet, unassuming ways that I’m not even aware of. Like nudging me with “a gentle whisper”. Christlikeness is not produced by imitation but by inhabitation, by allowing Christ to live in and through me. This happens through the choices I make. Choose to do the right thing; then trust God’s Spirit to give me the power, love, faith, and wisdom to follow through. Since God’s Spirit lives inside me, these things are always available for the asking.

So what do I do when I don't feel like obeying? God has not left me alone in my struggles to do his will. He wants to come alongside me and be within me to help. God gives me the desire and the power to do what pleases him. The secret to a changed life is to submit to God's control and let him work. Next time I experience this I can ask God to help me with the desire to do his will.

Father, I need you. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can believe in, have faith and can trust you in everything, including being the authority for my life, my self-worth and my future. You have my best interests in mind. Help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. I want to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. Infuse my life with the Holy Spirit allowing him to make me more like Christ and the desire to do your will. I ask you for wisdom and guidance in this for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my preparation for a future job role and for leading a small group. I ask and pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

God’s Goal is My Character, Not My Comfort

In Ephesians 4:22-24 I read, “Take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.” (The Message)

Many religions and philosophies promote the old lie that humans are divine or can become gods. Let me be absolutely clear: I will never become God or even a god.

That prideful lie is Satan’s oldest temptation. Satan promised Adam and Eve that if they followed his advice, they would “be as gods” (Genesis 3:5 KJV).

This desire to be a god shows up every time I try to control my circumstances, future, and the people around me. But i’m a creature; I will never be the Creator. God doesn’t want me to become a god; he wants me to become godly. He wants me to develop his values, attitudes, and character.

I am meant to “take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you” (Ephesians 4:22-24 The Message).

God’s ultimate goal for my life on Earth is not comfort but character development. He wants me to grow spiritually and become like Christ.

Becoming like Christ does not mean losing my personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created my uniqueness, so he certainly doesn’t want to destroy it. Christlikeness is all about transforming my character, not my personality.

God wants me to develop the kind of character described in the Beatitudes of Jesus (Matthew 5:1-2), the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), Paul’s great chapter on love (1 Corinthians 13), and Peter’s list of the characteristics of an effective and productive life (2 Peter 1:5-8).

When I forget that character is one of God’s purposes for my life, I will become frustrated by my circumstances. I may wonder, “Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time?” One answer is that life is supposed to be difficult! It’s what enables me to grow.

Many Christians misinterpret Jesus’ promise of an abundant life (John 10:10) to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer.

They expect the Christian life to be easy. They expect heaven on Earth.

This self-absorbed perspective treats God as a genie who simply exists to serve me in my selfish pursuit of personal fulfillment. But God is not my servant. If I fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, I will either become severely disillusioned or live in denial of reality.

Never forget that life is not about me! I exist for God’s purposes, not vice versa. Why would God provide heaven on Earth when he’s planned the real thing for me in eternity? Spend my time on Earth preparing for heaven by building my Christlike character.

In summary, I am to take on an entirely new way of life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into my conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in me. I will never become God or even a god. This desire to be a god shows up every time I try to control my circumstances, future, and the people around me. God doesn’t want me to become a god; he wants me to become godly. He wants me to develop his values, attitudes, and character. God’s ultimate goal for my life on Earth is not comfort but character development. He wants me to grow spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing my personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created my uniqueness, so he certainly doesn’t want to destroy it. Christlikeness is all about transforming my character, not my personality. When I forget that character is one of God’s purposes for my life, I will become frustrated by my circumstances. Life is supposed to be difficult! It’s what enables me to grow. Many misinterpret Jesus’ promise of an abundant life. They expect the Christian life to be easy. They expect heaven on Earth. This self-absorbed perspective treats God as a genie who simply exists to serve me in my selfish pursuit of personal fulfillment. Never forget that life is not about me! I exist for God’s purposes, not vice versa. Why would God provide heaven on Earth when he’s planned the real thing for me in eternity? So I need to spend my time on Earth preparing for heaven by building my Christlike character.

My old way of life before I believe in Christ is completely in the past. When I decided to accept Christ's gift of salvation, it was both a once-for-all-time decision as well as a daily conscious commitment. I am not to be driven by desire and impulse. I must put on a new nature. head in a new direction, and have the new way of thinking that the Holy Spirit gives. 

Father, I need you. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can believe in, have faith and can trust you in everything, including being the authority for my life, my self-worth and my future. You have my best interests in mind. Help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. I want to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. It’s sometimes difficult to see how you are working on my character in the midst of difficult circumstances. I need your eternal perspective so that I can focus on the reward of heaven, and change how I approach tough times. Therefore, I ask you for wisdom and guidance in this for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my preparation for a future job role and for leading a small group. I ask and pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Embracing My Past Experiences: Good and Bad

In Deuteronomy 11:2 I read, "Remember today what you have learned about the LORD through your experiences with him.” (GNT)

I need to embrace the experiences of my life; the good ones, the bad ones, the shameful ones, the happy ones, and the sad ones.

Galatians 3:4 says, “Were all your experiences wasted? I hope not!” (NCV).

I shouldn’t run away from my past! Because of pain, many ignore, discount, or resent their past. Also I don’t need to revise my past and make up stories; being happier dealing with the lie than with the pain of the experience.

When I stop running from a painful past, God can use every experience in my life for good. Maybe I wasn’t that popular in school, maybe I wasn’t the most successful at business, so what? They are my experiences. Don’t deny them, own them.

Deuteronomy 11:2 says, “Remember today what you have learned about the Lord through your experiences with him” (GNT).

The best way to remember the lessons and experiences of my life is to keep a journal. This isn’t like keeping a diary. A diary is a record of what I did: “Today I went to the store and bought milk.”

A journal is different. I don’t need to write in a journal every day. But every time I learn an important lesson, I write it down so that I won’t forget it: “That was painful. I learned this lesson the hard way, and I don’t want to forget it.”

There are many ways to keep a journal. One possible way is to use a notebook, where you write down the date and your prayer concerns on the left page. Then, on the right page, write down the life lessons you learn and what God says to you.

Keeping a journal will help me remember what I’ve learned about God. That way, even in the dark times of my life, I’ll be encouraged and know that God is still working for my good.

In summary, remember what I have learned about the LORD through my experiences with him. Learn to embrace the experiences of my life; the good, bad, shameful, the happy ones, and the sad ones. All of my experiences were not wasted. So I shouldn’t run away from my past!  When I stop running from a painful past, God can use every experience in my life for good. The best way to remember the lessons and experiences of my life is to keep a journal. Every time I learn an important lesson, I write it down so that I won’t forget it. Keeping a journal will help me remember what I’ve learned about God. That way, even in the dark times of my life, I’ll be encouraged and know that God is still working for my good.

In the book of Deuteronomy, I’m reminded that Israel had strong reasons to believe in God and obey his commands. They had witnessed many mighty miracles that demonstrated God's love and care for them. Even with all that, they still had trouble remaining faithful. Fortunately I have the Bible, the written record of God's acts throughout history. Reading it gives me a panoramic view of both the miracles Israel saw and others they didn't see. Lessons from the past, the instructions for the present, and the glimpses into the future give me many opportunities to strengthen my faith in God.

Father, I need you. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can believe in, have faith and can trust you in everything, including being the authority for my life, my self-worth and my future. You have my best interests in mind. Help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. I want to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. Therefore, I ask you for wisdom and guidance in this for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my preparation for a future job role and for leading a small group. I ask and pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.