Are you unhappy? Are you stuck in a rut? Are you discouraged? Is joy missing from your life?
If so, you need to find an opportunity to serve and give of yourself. It is impossible to give without receiving. Don’t beleive me, try it. Not sure where or how to start; here are some ideas. I must warn you though serving and giving is addictive and it will make make your face sore from smiling and your heart swell with happiness and joy. Oh, and one more thing…include your spouse and your kids. It will change their live too!
And, as an added bonus for you, enjoy this 90’s feel good song from the New Radicals – You Get What You Give. Don’t forget “you’ve got the music in you”!
A very dear friend of mine, after reading the November 11th post, Happy Life and Work Through Sowing Tears, sent me the following message of encouragment from Os Hillman. It is the perfect follow up to the November 11th post; I hope it encourages you to be Happy in life and at work!
“The second son he named Ephraim and said, ‘It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” Genesis 41:52
When Joseph was elevated to rule over the Egyptian kingdom, he revealed some profound truths gained from the experiences of his years of adversity. He named his first son, Manasseh for, he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household” (Gen. 41:51b). His second son was named Ephraim because, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
Whenever God takes us through the land of affliction, He will do two things through that affliction: 1) He will bring such healing that we will be able to forget the pain, and 2) He will make us fruitful from the painful experiences.
God does not waste our afflictions if we allow Him the freedom to complete the work in us. His desire is to create virtue that remains during the times of testing so that He can bring us into the place of fruitfulness in the very area of our testing. He has never promised to keep us from entering the valleys of testing, but He has promised to make us fruitful in them. He is the God who turns the Valley of Achor (trouble) into a door of hope (see Hos. 2:15).
If you are in the valley of affliction, now is the time to press into Him. When the time comes to bring you out of this valley, He will heal your memories and bring fruit from this very time.
Sugessted resource:Fear Fighters by Jentezen Franklin
Will you live in FEAR? Or will you live by FAITH? Fear has the deceptive ability to influence and affect our daily lives and the world we live in. What do you fear most in life? What are the greatest threats facing you? Crime? Violence? The economy? Failure? Death? Eternity? Fear Fighters will help you identify and defeat the very source of fear that threatens you from living in peace and joy. This incredible book will open your eyes, build your faith, and empower you to reach out to those around you with the light of truth and hope.
“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” - Psalm 126:5
Psalm 126 describes an interesting process that goes against our natural tendencies when we are taken into a difficult period in our lives. Whenever we are hurled into a crisis that brings tears, our tendency is to retreat or recoil in fear and hurt. However, there is a better way that God tells us to handle such times of travail.
Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Ps. 126:5-6). God is telling us that if we will do what is unnatural for us in these circumstances, He will make sure that what we sow in tears will return in joy. This is one of the most important lessons I have learned when faced with difficult circumstances. Rather than sit back and allow self-pity and discouragement to consume us, we should plant seed during this time. Reach out to a person who needs a friend. Invest in the life of another. See where you can be a blessing to someone. Give of yourself.
The psalmist acknowledges that we are doing this while we are in our pain. However, during this time we are to sow seed. That seed will return to us in another form. Here is what will happen when we do this. “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.” We will receive joy and fruit from the seed that we plant during this time. Sheaves represent the fruit of a harvest. We will actually get a harvest from this seed.
“You must not let the circumstances destroy you! Too many in the Kingdom are counting on you to come through this because of the calling on your life!” Those were the words spoken to me by a friend one time when I was in the midst of a very difficult business and personal circumstance that was threatening to destroy me emotionally. This person saw what God was doing and the fruit that God wanted to bring from these circumstances. Sometimes we need others around us to push us through the difficult times. If you find yourself in a difficult place today, see where you can sow some seed. Soon you will be reaping songs of joy and be Happy in life and at work.
Suggested resource The Upside of Adversity by Os Hillman.
Can God actually use prolonged difficulty in our lives for good? Os Hillman says yes! After a seven-year journey filled with disappointement and adversity in his personal and work life, Os went from the pit of despair and unhappiness to operating an international speaking and teaching organization for workplace leaders that has taken him to more than 20 countries. Like the Joseph of the Bible, Os let God use a long string of personal calamities-what he terms his “Joseph Pit”-to form him for leadership, influence and service and bring real happiness and joy into his life and work.
I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten – the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm – My great army that I sent among you.” – Joel 2:25
There are seasons in our lives that involve times of famine and times of restoration. Solomon tells us that He has made everything beautiful in its time and that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven. (See Ecclesiastes 3:1,11.)
God brings about both the good and the bad. The seasons of famine have a divine purpose in our lives. They accomplish things that only these hard places can accomplish. But there is a time when those hard places have accomplished their purpose and He begins to restore. God did this with the nation of Israel after a season of famine and devastation.
Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten – the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm – My great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will My people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will My people be shamed” (Joel 2:23-27).
God wants each of us to know that there is a time when He will restore in order to demonstrate His gracious hand in our lives. He is a loving Father who tenderly guides His children through the difficult places. If God has taken you through a time of leanness, know that He is the restorer of that which the locusts have eaten. Wait patiently for Him to bring this about in your life. He will do it.
Reccomended reading:The Joseph-Daniel Calling
Like Joseph and Daniel in the Bible, God is calling men and women to serve in strategic positions of influence and power in the workplace for His purposes. This book addresses the dynamics of this calling, God?s economy, and the challenges of these uniquely called Josephs and Daniels. Among other agendas, they will be facilitators of the release of the wealth of the wicked into Kingdom initiatives.
Do you have distractions in your life? Of course, we all do.
Distractions are the poison of life. Thye keep us from seeing and being a part of God’s work in and around us. Author Leighton Ford knew this, so he began a journey of longing and looking for God. And it started with paying attention.
In the pages of his book, The Attentive Life: Discerning God’s Presence in All Things, he invites you to journey with him as he seeks to rid himself of distractions and live the joyfilled, purposeful life God intended.
I encourage you to read this book!
Ford will walk with you, helping you pay attention to God’s work in you and around you throughout each day and in different seasons of your life. He will help you to realize that spending time alone with God, away from the normal distractions of life, will bring you a peace never before experienced. You will learn to abide rather than strive. You will learn to trust God more and worry less. You will learn to hear God’s still, quiet voice and be confident in your focus and pupose each day.
So, If you’re busy, distracted, discouraged, disillusioned, and tired of rushing through each day, you might be feeling disconnected from God, unable to see how he’s working and how you fit into his work. But the way toward him starts with a pause and a prayer with intention and attention and becomes a way of life, awake and alive to the peaceful, powerful presence of God.
I hope you enjoy The Attentive Life by Leighton Ford.
You may have heard the saying “plan the work and work the plan”. It is a great reminder that, in order to experience success, it helps to have a vision and a plan for what you hope to accomplish, to remian focused and committed to your plan, and to be purposeful and intentional in working toward accomplishing the plan.
This adage is most commonly applied in business, but I believe we shoud all consider applying it within our families. Our families need a vision, a mssion, and a plan. A good place to start is to establish your family values, a set of guiding principles that help steer eveyone as they makes decsions about what you do, what you say, who you select as friends, and how you spend your money and time. Below are some examples of family values that I have collected from freinds that will give you some ideas and help get you jump started. You can develop your own (as a family); make it fun, let eveyone participate and contribute, and make sure you have consensus before finalizing. Post them on the refrigerator, on the family bulletin board, and on bathroom mirrors so they are consistently top-of-mind with everyone, and use them when making decisions, and to mentor, coach and discipline your kids. Good luck and remember to walk in love!
Family Values:
We will love honor and obey God in all that we think, speak, and do
We will, in humility, love, respect, and serve each other and those around us
We first listen, then think, then speak
We try our best in everything we do
We look for the good in every situation and maintain an attitude of thankfulness
We will forgive and make every effort to live at peace with everyone
We take every opportunity to share God’s love and the hope we have in Jesus
We make memories together
We keep our family time as a high priority
We nurture a generous heart by living simply and sharing with those in need
“When he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”Matthew 8:23-26
James MacDonald writes: Why didn’t somebody tell me earlier in my life that I can’t fix everything? I thought that with due diligence, everything can get resolved. If there were things up ahead that concerned me, I could just make a plan to solve them. In time, I could have it all figured out and then set the automatic “good life” pilot and let it take over.
It’s only more recently that I have grasped that life will never be “together” this side of eternity. It’s hard to accept sometimes that perfect is only for heaven.
There will always be people problems. There will always be financial challenges. There will always be a home burden, or a crisis of some kind. Every day I live in this world, there will always be some uncertainty ringing my doorbell.
So much for my assumption that if you just worked hard enough, eventually everything would be sorted out, categorized, and put neatly on the shelf. I have never gotten to that day and what’s more, I now know it’s never coming.
In Matthew 8:23-24, we land in Jesus’ life on a day that perfectly illustrates the imperfections of human existence. “When he got into the boat, His disciplines followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm.” In the original language, the two words great storm can be translated to mega and seismic. As in, And behold, there arose a mega seismic on the sea, so that the boat was consumed by the waves. It’s worth remembering that this description comes from Matthew, one of the disciples who wasn’t a fisherman. He had the terrified layman’s perspective on this storm!
I have a few questions about that whole scene:
1. Did Jesus not check the Weather Channel? He totally knew that storm was coming yet He led them right into it. Get in the boat, boys. He knowingly took them into harm’s way.
2. Could Jesus have stopped the storm before it started? Sure He could have but He let the storm come.
3. So is it true to say that He wanted the storm? I think we could surmise that He was actually looking forward to how He was going to use the storm in the disciples’ lives.
I believe it is important for all of us, including me to understand that sometimes Jesus disguises exciting opportunities for personal growth as difficult circumstances. We would choose to avoid trials at all costs, but Jesus sees the bigger picture. Sometimes we just need to trust God and get out of the boat…especially if we want to walk on the water and be happy in life and at work!
Far too many of us have put our faith in a casual Christianity that never compels us to leave our comfort zones. But, deep within our hearts we know that Christ has not called us to comfort, but to an exciting, sacrificial and overwhelmingly fulfilling faith. In If You’re Going to Walk on Water John Ortberg teaches us how to step out of the “boat” of casual Christianity so that we can faithfully follow the Lord who is calling us out onto the risky, exciting waters of the high seas. Let Pastor Ortberg teach you how to leave your comfort zone for a remarkable life of faith.
“Indeed, God has put the body together in such a way that he gives greater dignity to the parts that lack it, so that there will be no disagreements within the body, but rather all the parts will be equally concerned for all the others” (1 Cor 12:24-26).
Have you ever felt like you are trying to fit thousands of pegs into the relationship hole with your spouse, fiance, child, special friend or business associate? But, what you find is that not one of the pegs you are attempting to fit into the hole satisfies that person with the words they are looking for you to say. I know I have, and boy is it frustrating!
When this happens you can reach an impasse in that relationship for days–yes, days! No matter what you said or how you say it, things just don’t set any better. The other person is viewing the situation through their grid; You are viewing it through yours. It is like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole that simply won’t work no matter how hard or how many times you try.
Then, almost in desperation, you utter these words: “I’m sorry I could not see your perspective and implied that you had a hurtful motive behind your actions. I know you’ve never done that in the past.” Bingo! Something happens! This peg actually fits! The other person jumps up, smiles and rushes over to hug you, kiss you, put there arm around you, shake your hand, or in some way let you know that you did it; you found the peg that fit. The relationship takes a 180° turn in a matter of seconds! “How did that happen!?” You pondered what just took place, feeling totally perplexed, but relieved over the fact a resolution came forth.
If your like me, you realize later you were viewing the situation through and entirely different grid or set of filters than the other person. For instance, if your a guy, you likely are viewing the situation through your left brain only, where logic and reasoning is processed, as most of us men tend to do. And, if the other person is a woman, she likely desired an emotional heart connection with you. She wanted you to identify and attempt to view the situation through her lense and an emotional grid. Once you were able to do this her heart was reopened to you and to your relationship.
Men and women often view situations from two differing vantage points. Men view things from facts. Women view them from its impact on their heart and the relationship. Next time you find yourself at an impasse with your spouse, consider these factors.
If you want to learn more about discovering how to select the right peg in your relationships, I recommend “Love & Respect”. Written primarily for married couples, but with application for all men and women who interact in the workplace, this is a profound book with a simple message about the most driving needs men and women have. Learn what they are and how to deal with gender conflict quickly and successfully.
In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs introduces the revolutionary message of biblical respect from Ephesians 5:33 that has revived and energized marriages across the country. A Focus on the Family recommendation. Hardcover.
Another great resource for creating a healthy, happy and productive environment within any team is “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”.
![28638: If You Want to Walk on Water, You"ve Got to Get Out of the Boat](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/tiny/2/28638.gif "28638: If You Want to Walk on Water, You"ve Got to Get Out of the Boat")
