But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7
We are made in the likeness and image of God. However, He often has to takes us through a refining process similar to the process in order to cleanse our heart and remove certain personality traits that are not consistent with His character. Similar to the process of porous, He allows the heat to be turned up in our lives to bring all the impurities within to the surface. Once on the surface they are removed and we are polished to determine our level purity. Like a jeweler, He knows we are ready for use when He can see His reflection in us. God desires to use us for His glory in the earth. He is perfecting us day by day to be a beacon of light for the lost and the hurting, but before this can truly happen we must allow Him to mold us into a people after His own heart.
Look at a man the way he is and he only becomes worse, but look at him as if he were what he could be, then he becomes what he should be.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The Young Man and the Guru
The story is about a young man, who wanted to make a lot of money and he decided to go to this guru. He told the guru that, “I want to be on the same level you’re on.” So the Guru said, “If you want to be on the same level I’m on, I’ll meet you tomorrow at the beach at four a.m.” “The beach?” the young man asked, puzzled. “I said I want to make money; I don’t want to swim.”
The guru said, “If you want to make money, I’ll meet you tomorrow at four a.m.”
The young man got there at four a.m. ready to rock and roll, he’s got on a suit (he should have worn shorts), the old man grabs his hand and says, “How bad do you want to be successful?” The young man says, “Real bad.” The guru says, “Walk on out into the water.” So the young man walks out into the water (watch this), when he walks out into the water it goes waist deep. The young man is thinking, “… this guy is crazy… I want to make money and you got me out here swimming, I didn’t ask to be a life guard, I want to make money. And you got me in…” The guru interrupted the young man’s thoughts and said, “Come out a little further.” The young man walked out a little further, the water was right around his shoulder area. The young man is thinking again, “… this man is crazy, he’s making money, but he’s crazy.” The guru said, “Come on out a little further.” The young man came out a little further, the water was right at his mouth. My guy is like, “I’m about to go back… this guy is out his mind!”
So the old man said, “I thought you said you want to be successful?”
The young man said, “I do.” The guru commanded, “Walk out a little further.” The young man came and the guru reached down and dropped his head in, holding him down, the young man starts beating and slapping the water. He had him held down and just before the young man was about to pass out, the guru raised him up. He said, “I got a question for you. When you were under water, what did you want to do?” The young man said, “I wanted to breathe.”
The guru told the guy:
“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.”
by Seth Kessler
Be Committed
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it!”
― William Hutchison Murray
Pressure
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Often time pressure comes in our lives to reveal to us what is inside. It’s God’s tool that he uses to prove to us our capabilities as well as our areas for growth. He uses it as a catalyst to shake us from our complacency and move us to the next level in Him. As one pastor noted, “We are like tubes of toothpaste and the only way to get out what is inside is to squeeze us, but when we are filled with the right stuff, God’s word, the more pressure the enemy applies will result in God catapulting us further into our destiny.”
“A diamond is a chunk of coal that did really well under pressure.”
-Henry Kissinger –
To Laugh Often And Much
To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of the intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition;
to know that one life has breathed easier
because you lived here.
This is to have succeeded.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Choose Your Words Wisely
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
– Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) –
All too often in life we speak before we think. We sling foolish hurtful words around with no regard to the damage they may do to others or the consequences they may bring upon us. In an effort to bridle our tongues most of us were taught that if you don’t have anything nice to say, then say nothing at all.
I submit that we should strive to refrain from thinking wrong thoughts all together. The Bible says that whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
In today’s society it’s very easy to fall prey to gossip, rumors, and defamatory headlines. Without much thought we find ourselves in an exchange of verbal currency that adds no value to ourselves or others and generally leaves a wake of destruction in its path.
As children of God we should strive to model our words and behaviors after His Son. In those moments we are tempted to speak out of turn, speak in vain, or speak words that are untrue we should pause and allow our spiritual filter to construct our dialect.
We are all sinful by nature and subject to speak amiss at any given moment. Therefore, it is not just necessary, but wise to put our trust in God and allow His Spirit to give us the appropriate response in those times the flesh is begging to take control.
“Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”
– Plato-
Two Little Boys playing on Thin Ice
There were two little boys playing on a frozen lake and despite the warning signs of thin ice, one boy fell through and was trapped and couldn’t get out.
His friend was trying to save him, but he couldn’t. He could see him through the thin ice, but he couldn’t help him… So he ran to the nearest tree, climbed it, and broke off an enormous branch. Then, he ran back to his friend and started breaking the ice with the branch and finally managed to pull him out of the water.
When the paramedics came, they were baffled as to how this young little boy could rip off such an enormous branch, and THEN break the ice with it to help his friend. They just couldn’t see how it was possible.
Then an elderly man who was there said: I know how he did it. They asked him how.
The man said: “There was nobody around to tell him he couldn’t.”
~ Les Brown
Finding Purpose
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11
It has taken me over 40 years to discover God’s plan and purpose for my life. Partially due to fear, but primarily due to living a selfish life. Along the path there have been clues and indications of what God has called me to do, but honestly I was too consumed with my own plans and desires.
It has been said, “This life is a gift from God and what we do with it is our gift back to Him.” I believe this to be true, but I would venture to add, that if what we make of this life is according to His designed plan for us, then we have in truly pleased Him.
Is it possible to go your whole life and not fulfill God’s plan and purpose for your life? Absolutely, we can get so busy and jaded into promoting our own agenda that we completely miss that special thing which God created us to do. That thing that no one else in the world can do quite like us.
He has placed special gifts and talents inside each one of us and we are the only ones that can give them life. If we failed to do so, these things (books, poems, songs, movies, etc.) will die with us. Miles Munroe once quoted, “The richest place in the world is not the oil fields or the diamond mines, it’s the graveyard, because only there will you find books never written, songs never sung, etc.”
We were created to please God, not ourselves. If we operate in His will and according to His plan; that is what pleases Him the most. What He has called us to do may not make sense or go against our grain, but trust and believe that if He has called you to it, He has equipped you with everything you need to fulfill His purpose for your life.
Ask God to reveal His plan and purpose for your life. Spend quiet time with Him for guidance and direction. Look for hints and clues. Overcome your fear. Step out on faith and experience the fullness of life like He intended.
“The two most important days of your life, is the day we are born and the day you discover why.”
-Mark Twain-
The Answers
I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity and God gave me brawn and brains to work.
I asked for courage and God gave me dangers to overcome.
I asked for patience and God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait.
I asked for love and God gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities.
I asked for everything so I could enjoy life.
Instead, He gave me life so I could enjoy everything.
I received nothing I wanted, I received everything I needed.
-Unknown-
Seek God First
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
– Matthew 6:33 –
In today’s world there are so many things that compete for our attention (career, school, social media, etc.). It’s very easy to become distracted or enticed to indulge in these things that while not bad, add little or no value to our spiritual growth. The things of this world are temporary and no matter how enticing or satisfying, they will soon pass away. In the end God and His Word are all that will remain.
We often seek refuge and the answer to life’s most perplexing questions all the places, but the one place we should turn. Pastor Steven Furtick said, “The answers to the problems we you face are in a book you have not yet read.”
God knows every situation and circumstance that we will ever face. What we experience on a daily basis is no surprise to Him. He has given us an instruction manual on how to overcome the trials and challenges of life.
Life is a series of tests and when all is said and done we will have to give an account to or Heavenly Father on how we did or did not pass each of them. The good news is that the tests are open book tests.
I once saw a bumper sticker that summed life up in a very simple but profound way. It said,
Study for your finals, read the Bible daily.