Growing Stronger through Change (1)
Written by Bob & Debby Gass Sunday, 10 July 2011
'...the testing of your faith produces patience...' James 1:3 NKJV
The one thing we can count on in life is change. We try to resist it but it says, 'Ready or not, here I come.' In order to grow stronger through change we must give up, wise up and toughen up.
First, don't be an escape artist, trying to avoid the stress that accompanies change. There is no escape; change is inevitable. Stop regarding it as an enemy and make it your friend. Only when you decide to ride the horse in the direction it's going will you get to where you need to be. Secondly, when we're hit with sudden change, our 'fight or flight' instincts aren't very good at handling it. But there's a solution. By entrusting our lives fully into God's care and asking for His wisdom, '...God's kindness...is trying to lead...to Him and change...' (Romans 2:4 GWT). God loves us the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way. Finally, someone quipped, 'If it wasn't for stress, I'd have no energy at all.' Stop and take inventory. Are you making it harder on yourself than it needs to be? Are you speaking faith or fear? Are you convincing yourself you can't handle the changes? Are you ready to give up without even trying, or trusting God?
If you're struggling to make sense of the situation you're in, read these words: '...when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it...for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything...' (James 1:3-4 NLT).
Soul Food: Ruth 1:3-18, John 6:41-69 (Remaining faithful)
Growing Stronger through Change (2)
Written by Bob & Debby Gass Monday, 11 July 2011
'We get up again and keep going.' 2 Corinthians 4:9 TLB
Max Gunther quipped, 'When you're [in] a tug-of-war with a tiger, give him the rope before he gets to your arm. You can always buy a new rope!' Resistance to change just creates ulcers, sleeplessness and stress.
So here are some attitudes you may need to adjust. Stop thinking like a victim, stop expecting others to rescue you, stop feeling sorry for yourself and reduce your stress levels. Get behind the wheel of your own life! You're not helpless, and the situation is not hopeless. God's Word promises you 'can do everything... with the help of Christ' (Philippians 4:13 TLB). Then, stop deciding not to change. Instead of banging your head against the wall of reality, invest your efforts into changing what you can - such as your attitude and your approach! It takes more energy to hang on to old habits and beliefs than to embrace new ones. Stop playing the new game by the old rules. When a car that's stuck in second gear keeps trying to do 100 km/hr, guess what happens? Meltdown! If you don't want to burn out, learn to change gears. When your life's seasons, assignments or relationships change, begin to adjust. Learn to play by the new rules, otherwise you'll keep losing. Stop trying to control the uncontrollable. When the music changes, it's time to learn some new dance steps, otherwise you'll finish up sitting on the sidelines. You may not like the changes, but you can learn to flow with them.
'We are perplexed...but we don't give up and quit... We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going' (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 TLB).
Soul Food: Acts 1:1 - 3:10, Matt 8:1-9, Ps 109:1-15, Pro 15:22
Growing Stronger through Change (3)
Written by Bob & Debby Gass Tuesday, 12 July 2011
'...I have learned to be content...' Philippians 4:11 NIV
Since you can't escape change or the stress that goes with it, here are some steps you can take to help you handle it.
First, choose your battles wisely. Answer these questions: do you instinctively give in to fear and oppose change, even when it might benefit you? Do you keep throwing yourself across the tracks, hoping to stop the freight train of reality? Do you think that no issue is too small to be ignored? Waging war on too many fronts always results in fatigue and defeat, so choose battles big enough to matter.
Secondly, try to become more adaptable. What's your most common response to change? Dragging your feet? Assuming a 'have to' attitude? Doing only what's necessary? Once you stop caring, life loses its sparkle and ironically you become even more stressed. So learn to become resilient. Paul said, 'I have learned (it's a process that takes time!) in whatever state I am, to be content.'
Thirdly, welcome new experiences. If you're moving forward in life your surroundings will be constantly changing. If they're not, you're going in circles. Clinging to the familiar just buys you comfort today at tomorrow's expense. Draw on God's grace, plunge in and seize the day !
Fourthly, learn to live with uncertainty. Always struggling to 'stabilise' in a constantly changing world is like trying to push water uphill - you soon get tired and stop, and it runs back down over you. Learn to live with loose ends; 'wing it' a little more, instead of struggling to make sure that life always happens on your terms.
Secondly, try to become more adaptable. What's your most common response to change? Dragging your feet? Assuming a 'have to' attitude? Doing only what's necessary? Once you stop caring, life loses its sparkle and ironically you become even more stressed. So learn to become resilient. Paul said, 'I have learned (it's a process that takes time!) in whatever state I am, to be content.'
Thirdly, welcome new experiences. If you're moving forward in life your surroundings will be constantly changing. If they're not, you're going in circles. Clinging to the familiar just buys you comfort today at tomorrow's expense. Draw on God's grace, plunge in and seize the day !
Fourthly, learn to live with uncertainty. Always struggling to 'stabilise' in a constantly changing world is like trying to push water uphill - you soon get tired and stop, and it runs back down over you. Learn to live with loose ends; 'wing it' a little more, instead of struggling to make sure that life always happens on your terms.
Soul Food: Acts 3:11 - 5:42, Matt 8:10-17, Ps 109:16-31, Pro 15:23-26
Growing Stronger through Change (4)
Written by Bob & Debby Gass Wednesday, 13 July 2011
'I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love...' Psalm 31:7 NLT
There's an old Chinese proverb that says, 'A diamond cannot be polished without friction, and a person can't be perfected without trials'. We all want to live stress free without having to work at it, but it can't be done.
So, look at these 15 suggestions.
(1) Take time each day to pray and read God's Word; it'll transform your outlook.
(2) If in real life you still look like your passport photo, take a holiday; you need one!
(3) What goes up must come down, so cut back on caffeine and sugar!
(4) Eat right - a balanced diet isn't having a cookie in each hand!
(5) Exercise three to five times a week for 30 minutes; it's nature's remedy for stress.
(6) Develop better time management habits: 'use it or lose it'.
(7) Make room in your life for fun and relaxation.
(8) Get eight hours of sleep when possible.
(9) Maintain your sense of humour: 'A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength' (Proverbs 17:22 NLT).
(10) Start counting your blessings. The Psalmist said, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits' (Psalm 103:2 NKJV).
(11) When you talk to yourself, say the right things. Your words affect you more than others.
(12) Simplify your life by eliminating clutter. If you haven't used it for two years, you probably don't need it. (13) Develop a sense of purpose by seeking God and setting personal goals. (14) Forgive; grudges are too heavy to carry: 'If you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive [you]' (Matthew 6:15 NLT). (15) Read the last chapter of the Bible - we win!
Soul Food: Acts 6-7, Matt 8:18-27, Ps 118:1-9, Pro 15:27-30
Growing Stronger through Change (5)
Written by Bob & Debby Gass Thursday, 14 July 2011
'...let us strip off every weight that...trips us up...' Hebrews 12:1 NLT
The Psalmist said, 'You don't let me sleep. I'm too distressed even to pray' (Psalm 77:4 NLT)! Is that the way it is in your life right now? If so, let go of what no longer works. There are trade-offs. For everything you gain, you usually have to give something up. The trouble is, we hate giving up what we do well. So we focus on 'doing things right', end up not doing the right things, and wonder why we don't succeed.
When your season changes, be open to a new strategy. Letting go of what doesn't work anymore frees you up to focus on what does. And more importantly, to focus on what God wants you to do! Secondly, don't let change paralyse you. In new situations our first inclination is to slow down, play it safe and buy ourselves time. But often we just fall further behind. Being overly cautious makes you freeze like a deer caught in the headlights. The Bible says that God '...gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless' (Isaiah 40:29 NRS). So trust Him and move forward, instead of giving in to the impulse to just do nothing. Then, approach the future with confidence.
Recent events have us all on edge, but as a child of God you can say, 'I can lie down and sleep soundly because You, Lord, will keep me safe' (Psalm 4:8 CEV). The truth is, you can't build a decent argument for living in fear; so trust God, adjust to reality, and live each day to the fullest!
Soul Food: Acts 8-9, Matt 8:28-34, Ps 118:10-18, Pro 15:31-32
This publication is written by Bob & Debby Gass and brought to you by New Zealands Rhema & Rhema Broadcasting Group Incorporated. The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2011
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Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All right reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NRS) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Copyright 1952 [2nd editions, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Note: This message was sent to brgetmarshrichards@gmail.com because it was part of a daily mail out database. However if you receive this message you can be removed from the list by clicking on the Unsubscribe Link below.
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