Life is a journey. Our daily choices lead us on the path to our destiny. The path we pursue will either bring us contentment and internal peace or rob us of our joy and steal our serenity.
Until I met Christ in a REAL way, I was a restless wanderer seeking for the “AHA” moment (or thing) in life that would quiet my soul and fill the void. Void? Yes. There is a is an empty space inside of ALL of us, created on purpose…
There is not one person on this earth that hasn’t felt the “void” and sought to fill it. But until we figure out what it is we are chasing in life (to fill the void,) we are going to try and first fill it with ALL the wrong things – COUNTERFIET things. Things of this world that we believe will make us feel happy, fulfilled, accepted and valued. I have “been there, done that.” I have chased every counterfeit of this world.
Chasing the counterfeits in life to find purpose.
We ALL seek to feel WORTHY. We ALL seek to find PURPOSE. There is NO SHAME in admitting that we want to feel loved, valued and accepted.
Admitting these needs is NOT selfish – ITS BEING REAL. It’s a real need inside of everyone of us.
Now the catch is how we achieve the need for fulfilment – there is a right way and there is a wrong way to get our needs met. And trust me, I tried all the WRONG ways before submitting to the right way.
There is the WORLD’S WAY and then there’s GOD’S WAY!
There is a way that seems right and there another is a way that IS right. The Bible tells us that the path of many is to choose the one that often goes with the flow of the world’s way of thinking…
WHAT DID THE WORLD TEACH ME?
- Don’t admit weakness. Weaknesses will shame you. Just “fake it until you make it.”
- Bad things happen but don’t talk about them instead cover up the issue.
- Problems exist but it is easier to deal with a confrontational issue by simply denying the existence of the problem; escape the problem via self-medicating (i.e. alcohol, affair, or some other method of mind numbing means with the intent to induce an emotional barrier). If the problems becomes too overwhelming run away from it.
- Public failure is a disgrace. People who fail are colossal screwups so just don’t try anything new instead be bound by the fear of failure and ensure success by attempting only things that are to be a success.
- Overtime and paid holidays get people ahead. Money defines success. Be successful.
- Achievements, awards, and perfection are measures of success which create recognition. Recognition breeds value.
- In order to get something done right, do it myself. Refuse to delegate – do NOT ask for help.
- It’s best to keep an emotional distance from people in order to self-protect. Making oneself fully known to another creates the opportunity for judgement and condemnation.
- Rejection doesn’t feel good so it’s better to hide the “real me.”
- People-pleasing is an easier way to endure life. When people are happy, they are less likely to attack or criticize me.
This kind of thinking is far from God’s truth. The world’s thinking is built in lies – lies of the devil.
But these fundamental lies make up our “being,” which unless refuted by redemptive truths, at our very core level, doubt will always overshadow us, keeping us bonded to the darkness of our flesh and this world…
“For what I am doing I do not understand. For what I will do that I do not practice but what I hate I do” (Romans 15:7).
God’s Way is applying His Truth.
Unless we renew our thinking into God’s truth, we remain anchored in deception, double dealing between two kingdoms, vacillating between two masters – making us at best impulsive, fickle, indecisive, shifty…we will remain caught in the “snare of the devil,” And we will bring into fruition what we believe, because in what we believe, we will put our confidence into, and where our confidence is we will place our hope for care and control.
In our hope we stand to protect to yield to all costs. In our hope, we are secure. Our “individual must be postponed in the name of the higher ideal” (Plato the Republic.)
WE MUST REPLACE THE LIES OF THE WORLD WITH GOD’S TRUTH
- Instead of being shamed by weakness. Remember that EVERY person has weaknesses. Admit weakness in a safe place – to God. God says that we are to give Him our weaknesses in exchange for His strength. “But he said to me, “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ Therefore I will boast all the things more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (NIV 2 Corinthians 12:9).
- Instead of being ashamed of the truth of real, running away from it or denying its existence (because you don’t like the reality of the truth) confess the truth. God says we can’t heal a wound by pretending that it’s not there. “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. Peace, peace, they say, when there is no peace” (NIV Jeremiah 6:14). “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (ESV Proverbs 28:13).
- Instead of worrying about failing, trust the Lord and His ways. God says: “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in His way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand” (ESV Psalm 37: 23-24)
- Instead of slaving ourselves to success based on money, remember that money is ONLY a tool. Our efforts to succeed are to be based on what brings eternal value to this world. God says: We are to live this life according to our uniquely designed purpose in Him, managing our resources of time and money for His purposes (Romans 12).
- Instead of living a life of seeking achievements, awards, and perfection will to get me self recognition (to feel valued or gain worth) remember that God says we are to live for His approval and recognition as His child to bring Him glory. “For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).
- Instead of consoling ourselves with counterfeit medication of alcohol, sex, drugs and rock & roll God says that we go to Him cast our cares on Him and look for Him to provide emotional relief and carry us. (Proverbs 12:25, 1Peter 5:7, Philippians 4:6-7)
- Instead of being held in the trap that we are nothing special, defined by our past, we replace it with the God’s truth and that He says, that we are fully known by Him. God is the one who formed, knew and knitted us together in our mother’s womb. In Christ’s saving grace, we are destined for greatness to bring Him glory and honor (Psalm 139).
So HOW do we BLING our way to success in Him?
We let our LIGHT SHINE in this world for Him. Jesus is our light, and when we have Him in our heart, we are motived to seek His attention and love. We become motived by our love for Him in how we interact with others and make our daily choices based on creating a life for Him.