Out of My Mind: November 2010

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Avoid the Detour!

2 Corinthians 4:17 (NLT)

"So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on the things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."

Paul had perspective.

The apostle Paul went through many troubles that would (at the least) emotionally devastate or (at the most) physically destroy others. He, however, possessed an ability that we would do well to adapt. As bad as it seemed, Paul refused to allow himself to be distracted from his life's focus. He knew how to gain perspective.

We must learn to be like Paul. We must gain the proper perspective concerning our circumstances. It doesn't matter how bad a situation may seem, it is only temporary. Failure, while overwhelming, will pass. The loss of a job may have cause you a setback but it will not last forever. There are many disastrous events that cause us to feel as though our world has fallen apart. We must remember that these events are only that... events. They do not define who we are or where we are going. They are temporary. They will not last!

Our focus, like Paul's must be on the destination of our journey, not the setbacks along the way. Keep focused. Refuse to allow the distraction of life to cause you to deviate from who you are becoming.

You're going to make it!

Would the Real You Please Stand Up?

2 Corinthians 11:30 (NLT)

"If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am."

I get accused of being too transparent. Apparently, to some, I share too much of my humanity, my struggles, my weakness. However, here in 2 Corinthians 11:30, the apostle Paul expresses to the church at Corinth that he is uneasy about boasting about his strengths. He doesn't want to be seen as prideful when explaining to the church how he came to be an apostle. As a matter of fact, he would rather be transparent about the not-so-stong areas of his life. He would rather boast about his weaknesses.

I feel much the same way. I would rather have people learn from my mistakes than have them assume that I know more than I really do. I would rather people know who I really am than some facade that I've placed there to foster a false perception of me.

I would rather have people who love me... just me. I don't want people who are just in love with my gifts, my strengths, my calling. I want to be in covenant with people who care about me. I want to lead people who accept me.

Therefore, I will continue to be as transparent as I know how to be. I will share my weaknesses, my struggles, my humanity so that others may learn from it and maybe, just maybe, become a better person than I am.

I love you Restoration Ministries, for letting me be the real me. Let's grow together.