God Can Be Found 2

Another location that God can clearly be discerned is nature. The mighty mountains, the rolling ocean, the beauty of the sky, the sun, moon and stars are just a few of the items of evidence pointing to an intelligent designer. The God that made the sun can light up your way even through circumstantial darkness. The God that made the mountains can teach you how to navigate yours. The God that tells the ocean where to stop knows the limits of your trials. The God that provides for squirrels and birds will provide for you. When you just peek at your surroundings be reminded that the mighty God that made all of that cares about you. Have a great day relying on your Creator!

God Can Be Found

One of the big questions in times like ours that are harsh and hard is where is God in all this? I want to encourage believers especially in the simple truth that God is often found in our words. Many people are bruised and broken. Others are frustrated and confused. We who know what it is to have a relationship with God hold the answer these seekers are looking for. It is in the very basic concept of speech that the Lord is often found. We need to tell others about our God experiences. I'm not talking about becoming rude and obnoxious. I'm not even talking about being super religious. It is all about easily discussing the love and power of God we have found in every day conversation. We can talk so easily about the weather, sports, family life, food and so many other subjects. The wondrous works of God should flow off our tongues just as easily. We haven't a clue as to how many people need to hear what we can share. It can literally change somebody's life. Have a great day talking about what our Lord has done for you!

Fresh Eyes

Every now and then it's a good idea to look at the things in our lives as if we were seeing them for the first time. Walk around the house like a perspective buyer. What kind of corrections need to be made? Look at the job performance you render as if you were a consultant. What types of things would you advise a person to do differently if they performed like you? Look at the way you treat your friends and family. If you were a stranger observing your behavior with them, what would you see that could improve? It is so easy to get locked in to mediocrity. We can begin to think things will always be as they are. It has been said whether we believe things can improve or never will, either way we will be right. There is always room for positive change. One of the first steps toward that end is to take a look at things with fresh eyes. Have a great day really seeing what you've been looking at for a long time!

Commitment and Compromise

The evaluation of our setting is a necessary and difficult exercise. Values that are deeply held will sometimes find places of conflict with the values of others. When value systems are at odds with each other there are two basic options. One can either stand true to the values held at all cost, or one can compromise. Although compromise is sometimes demanded for the sake of relational progress, every time a compromise is made concerning a core value a little piece of who we really are is lost. None of us can afford to give in to the degree that we become another person. When compromise is called for too often it's time to ask some difficult questions. Do I really belong in this setting? Would my skills and convictions work better somewhere else? Am I really being true to myself in this current environment? Could somebody else be a better fit for this assignment than I am? These are hard questions, especially in these times of limited opportunities, but they must be asked and honestly answered. Everybody does not fit everywhere. Every assignment is not a lifetime assignment. We all get our feathers ruffled at times in any setting. However, when we are operating from a place of continual compromise our integrity is skewed. Look at how much you function from commitment and how much you function from compromise. That ratio could be telling you something needs to change.

TOGETHERNESS

The thing that brings people together and keeps us there is a common core value system. If the values are not the same it's tough to have unity even in the family setting. There must be values that are elevated and accepted as the ruling ideals of the group. To even get out of the starting blocks it must be acknowledged that we are better off together than in isolation. Togetherness makes deep sorrows a little easier to bear. Togetherness makes the joys of life sweeter still. There is a power to get more accomplished when there is togetherness. We spend so much time pinpointing everything that divides us from one another. If we would just spend some time looking for common ground we could dramatically change our situations in a positive way. When something is valuable down in the very core of you, it is not easily changed. This is not about being something that you are not. It's about finding values that can be shared. There are people that value the same things that you value. Likewise, everything you value does not have to be the basis for a fight. The simple truth is we do better together. Have a great day finding something to share with somebody close to you!

Questions

We have already talked about the importance of questions in helping those we lead. Now I would like to suggest a few questions that may serve that purpose. A friend of mine asked me “what is going on in your life right now that can be celebrated?” That question helped me see I had allowed myself to degenerate into a negative place. That negativity was contaminating everything I was doing. That simple shift toward a positive outlook changed everything for me from that day to this one, and I have been much more productive. For others the questions can be just as simple. What are you good at? What are you passionate about? What things have you been involved in that were surprise successes? What has your history shown you about yourself? What types of opportunities are there that seem to present themselves to you repeatedly? What resources do you need to be more effective? Who could come beside you to help you reach your goals? These are a sampling of questions that may help people in your circle of influence. Have a great day asking and watching the light come on in the eyes of your friends.

Making The Switch

There is a famous saying that could be slightly adjusted. We have been told if at first you don’t succeed try, try again. That is a good challenge to be persistent. We cannot give up because things do not immediately slide into the realms of success. However, we can take that too far and simply spend way too much time barking up the wrong tree. Some of us have a tenacious grip on some things that just are not going to work. It can be equally true that if we are not seeing success it’s time to try something else. There is no profit in clinging to a thing that is dead. Ineffective effort can also be switched to a thing that could bring more positive results. We know that there is only so much time, talent and treasure to use in a lifetime. None of us can afford to waste what we have been given because of some sort of martyr complex. Our lives were designed by the Lord be fruitful. If we are not bearing fruit it could simply mean we are occupied with the wrong things. We cannot be afraid to try new things. Have a great day taking a small step toward what is next.