Hi everyone.
We have all done crazy stuff in the past, things we wish we hadn’t done. What’s great about life is that we move on because there’s grace. God won’t hold our wicked mistakes against us. Jesus loves us, with all our mistakes and imperfections.
Wrong choices
When I look back in my life, there are lots of incidents of messing up but I also found favor and protection in equal measure.
Most of us identify with unruliness: unruly teenager, hanging around with the wrong people, peer pressure, failing to take sound advice from parents and so on.
If I can recount all the times God has helped me I wouldn’t know where to begin.
On two occasions I was driven by a drunk driver, survived both accidents. I had hiked a lift and realized later along the journey that the driver was under the influence of alcohol. We crushed, the car flipped and thank God there were no incoming vehicles. We all survived.
Second time around, similar incident. This time I made an informed crazy choice. I was aware the other guys were drinking but didn’t want to be difficult or appear out of sync. Vehicle crashed, we all survived. I ditched my friends and wished them well on their onward journey while I found alternative transport. Learnt my lesson second time around.
I wanted to belong. Drunk driving kills and destroys people’s lives and families.
We see and read life stories in the media: incidents about all sorts of people, celebrities, young people, middle age who end up addicted to drugs. Some people, smart as they are will go into it because other seemingly smarter people are doing it. Don’t cross that line.
We try to find security in substance and other people. If you’re getting whatever it is from an unlicensed underground retailer then it is not meant for consumption. Taking a prescribed drug more than the recommended dose result in substance abuse. Stop.
- Insecurity
- Trying to belong
- Fitting in
- Being accepted
What about holding on to hurt and unforgiveness? This is an area I’m familiar with, an aspect most of us identify with. I look back and think: wasted time. Spending one’s prime time grieving over somebody who doesn’t even give a hoot about you.
Forgive and let go.
You’ll be surprised how things will start opening up for you!
People pleaser
Getting involved in something in an effort to catch someone’s eye.
Eye service. When people are not watching one behaves in a certain way, while being watched you’re a do gooder.
Doing stuff for the wrong reasons so as to get praise or get noticed by the hierachy.
What happens when praise and flattery stops? Disappointment.
There’s no mileage or satisfaction when we do things for the wrong reasons.
Right from a young age we are taught to do what’s right because it is the right thing to do. This means not just doing stuff to please our parents/guardians and friends, but acting the same way in the big world.
Trying to please someone in a position of power or influence for example, does not last if our heart is not in it.
Trying to please.
Trying too hard.
When things don’t work out its usually the individual we’ve been trying to please who is quick to point out our mistakes and short comings.
When one tries to live according to someone else’s standard and fails, all the good you’ve done before is forgotten. Instead your failings are brought up as a reminder: a whisper here and gossip there. It hurts.
We are often quick to judge, rebuke and point out flaws in others.
Acts 5:29 ‘we must obey God rather than men’.
When people drop us from their circle, get sidelined or told we’re not good enough, although it may hurt because its rejection, its not too bad because we know we were in it for the right reasons.
Maybe you belonged to a lady’s/ men’s group, social, political, sport circle and so on. If you were in it to help, belong, serve and be a positive force, you would have achieved the desired effect regardless of what happens.
Galatians 1: 10 Don’t seek the favor of men. Promotion and favor is from God.
Our labor is not in vain, (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Life has a way of going full circle, putting the brakes on and making sure we are in the right place at the right time.
All glory to God
It doesn’t really matter when and if we get it wrong because we know that there’s no condemnation with God.
- He loves us the way we are with all our flaws and imperfections.
- There’s no condemnation.
- No judgement.
- No pressure.
- Restoration.
- Hope.
- Only encouragement.
God loves us as we are.
Live in your lane
Life is not a competition.
Make the right choices and create your own goals.
We cannot all be overnight success stories.
Don’t compare yourself to the next person because you’re not the same.
You are enough.
Some of us inherit wealth and some genes and name. But that’s okay too.
You’ll get to your destination in your own time.
Be truthful to yourself.
We are not there to compete with out neighbor but with ourselves.
All that glitters is not gold.
Do what’s right by you, and let God lead you.
In God’s eyes we are perfect the way we are.
We are enough.
Count your blessings/ victories
Stop counting your neighbors blessings but look closer to home and see all the goodness and mercy you’ve received to date.
You may surprise yourself about the level of wealth you have and how much you’ve achieved when you start counting your blessings.
Seeing God’s favor and hand in your life.
When good things happen it’s not luck but favor.
Protection.
Rescued.
Mercy and grace.
Good, sound health.
Healing.
Waking up each morning,
Financial sustenance in challenging times.
Surviving road accidents and so on.
Nature and environment.
Friends/ family.
Stability.
And much much more.
Live your best. Don’t let people control you.
There is nothing in this world that is too damaged that it cannot be repaired by the hands of God.