Posts Tagged: circumstances
“CIRCUMSTANCES AND DOING STUPID STUFF”
I use my circumstances as excuses (even I know they aren’t reasons!) for doing stupid, evil stuff. I didn’t sleep well (or enough), It’s cold and grey. It’s rainy. My wife is gone for several days, and I miss her. My kids won’t speak to me. I have to wait tables. I can’t find a better teaching position. I’m an addict. On and on and on . . . . Ad infinitum ad nauseam.
But here is the truth: I do stupid, evil stuff because I choose to do so.
And here is an even deeper truth: I can choose not to do stupid evil stuff. Instead, I can choose to do something loving for someone else. I can choose to praise God. I can choose to do the next right thing.
Circumstances are not excuses for anything. Circumstances are . . ., well let’s face the truth: Circumstances are circumstances!
Profound, isn’t it?
Well, maybe it is profound in a rather obvious way. Simple truths are the ones I most often trip over. They could be stepping stones, if I would remember to walk in the light of God. Instead I go stumbling around in the darkness of my own self-pity.
And that is the problem for me—self-pity, not circumstances. I feel sorry for myself. No amount of grey, rainy days can make me make bad decisions. Not sleeping well can make me sleepy, but not automatically grumpy.
Years ago I read the following: “No matter of ocean can sink a ship unless it gets inside.” I need to get out of the import business, when it comes to circumstances.
What would happen if I acted as if I believe what I’ve written here?
I think I’ll make some good choices and find out!
“Fear vs. Faith”
Perhaps I’m just being lazy today, or perhaps I’m being wise. Maybe I’m being both. In any case, I just read this, and thought it was so good that I would pass it along.
I don’t think that Jon Gordon is a Christ-follower, but he is most certainly a helpful writer. I found his words so true and calming that I decided to simply send you a link to his free (yes, it really is free!) weekly newsletter. You can, of course, subscribe to it yourself, and receive it in your e mail weekly.
Here is the link: www.jongordon.com/newsletter.html, accessed 11-14-2016.
DTEB
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- “Even a Sliver of Light” April 9, 2024“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:6, English Standard Version) I missed the total eclipse yesterday. There were a number of good reasons for this, but […]
- “The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process” March 11, 2024“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids […]
- “The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People” March 10, 2024“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version) Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people […]
- “Endurance” March 10, 2024“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:36, English Standard Version) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us […]
- “The Limits of Non-Judgmentalism” February 24, 2024“Matt. 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. Matt. 7:2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2, English Standard Version) This morning, in my virtual 12-step meeting, we discussed the topic of judgmentalism. There were many wise […]
- “Delighting in Being Told What to Do?!?” February 23, 2024“Psa. 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures […]
- “Character is the Real Lesson” January 19, 2024I am often confused about what lesson I’m really supposed to be learning. For example, this morning I was trying to knock out several Spanish lessons. My intentions were a lot better than my internet connection. I’ve done three lessons. Or rather, I’ve done two lessons. One of them I did twice because the internet […]
- “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked” January 1, 2024Each year, I try to come up with one word or a short phrase for what I intend to work on in the upcoming year. 2024 is “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked”. What?!! What does that even mean? So glad that you asked! Jesus said to his disciples, “Why do you look at the speck […]
- “Searching for the Noble One” December 26, 2023My wife and I were reading Luke, chapter 2 on Christmas Day. Luke 2 talks about the shepherds being told to look for this very special child—in fact, this King—in a stable. I prefer the word “barn”. I grew up on a farm. I know what a barn is. A stable is entirely too biblical […]
- “That Don’t Impress God Much” December 14, 2023DTEB, “That Don’t Impress God Much” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” (Song by Robert John Lange and Shania Twain) Micah 6:8 (MSG) “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be […]
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