Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Take time today...
Take time today to enjoy the beauty around you that God created.
Breathe in the fresh air. Look at the sky. Feel the cool air. Look at the sunset. Watch the creatures. Feel His Presence as you take in all that He has created.
Isaiah 40:26 (NCV)
Look up to the skies.
Who created all these stars?
He leads out the army of heaven one by one
and calls all the stars by name.
Because he is strong and powerful,
not one of them is missing.
1 Chronicles 16:23-24, (NCV)
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Every day tell how he saves us.
Tell the nations about his glory;
tell all peoples the miracles he does.
Psalms 118:28 (NCV)
You are my God, and I will thank you;
you are my God, and I will praise your greatness.
Psalms 34:3 (NCV)
Glorify the Lord with me,
and let us praise his name together.
Isaiah 6:3 (NCV)
Each creature was calling to the others:
Breathe in the fresh air. Look at the sky. Feel the cool air. Look at the sunset. Watch the creatures. Feel His Presence as you take in all that He has created.
Isaiah 40:26 (NCV)
Look up to the skies.
Who created all these stars?
He leads out the army of heaven one by one
and calls all the stars by name.
Because he is strong and powerful,
not one of them is missing.
1 Chronicles 16:23-24, (NCV)
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Every day tell how he saves us.
Tell the nations about his glory;
tell all peoples the miracles he does.
Psalms 118:28 (NCV)
You are my God, and I will thank you;
you are my God, and I will praise your greatness.
Psalms 34:3 (NCV)
Glorify the Lord with me,
and let us praise his name together.
Isaiah 6:3 (NCV)
Each creature was calling to the others:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord All-Powerful.
His glory fills the whole earth.”
His glory fills the whole earth.”
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Joy
I've been taught multiple times that "joy" and "happiness" or "happy" are not the same thing.
I mostly agree with this, although the English languages has many words that mean the same thing, I'm not so sure this is the case with joy and happiness.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary,
joy is defined as: 1. a feeling of great happiness, 2. a source or cause of great happiness : something or someone that gives joy to someone, 3. success in doing, finding, or getting something;
happy is defined as: 1. feeling pleasure and enjoyment because of your life, situation, etc., 2. showing or causing feelings of pleasure and enjoyment, 3. pleased or glad about a particular situation, event, etc.
After reading those definitions it really makes happiness seem like such a temporary state. And while it is, I think it doesn't have to be. We don't always have to be bursting out rainbows and butterflies and flowers, because not everyone is that bubbly all the time, but that doesn't mean we can't be happy all or most of the time.
Joy
"Rejoice in Me always. This is a moment-by-moment choice. It is possible to find Joy in Me even during the most difficult times. Because I am always near, I am constantly available to help you. I can even carry you through times of extreme adversity.
Imagine a woman who has become engaged to a man she deeply loves and admires. Her heart overflows with pleasure whenever she thinks bout her beloved. Problems fade into the background, unable to dampen her enthusiasm and excitement. Similarly, when you remember that I am your perfect Betrothed and that you are promised to Me forever, you can rejoice in Me even though you face many problems.
It is in the present moment that you find Me ever near you. My Presence in the present is an endless source of Joy: a continual feast! The soul-satisfaction you find in Me helps you relate well to other people. As you enjoy My abiding Presence you can bless others with your gentleness."
Philippians 4:4 NLT
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
Proverbs 15:15 NLT
For the despondent, every day brings trouble;
for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.
Psalm 63:5 NLT
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
John 15:4 NLT
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
(From "Jesus Lives" by Sarah Young)
I know this seems redundant from past blog posts, but it always boils down to the fact that God has got our back, we can't sit around and worry all day, we have to give our troubles and worries to Him. He is our source of happiness and joy in this world. Does that mean we can't feel happy when we get a new car? No. But we cannot place our hope and happiness and invest ourselves in that car (or other material things). We must invest our lives, our hearts, our souls, our minds, our bodies, in God first. Then other things will fall into place as they should.
Matthew 6:33 (Contemporary English Version) says: But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.
In the Message (verses 30-33): If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
We worry too much. We get worked up over the small, not so important things. We invest too much of our time and effort in worry and things that don't really even matter.
Ya gotta learn to forgive and let go of things. Don't let things hold you up and keep you from being happy.
This is the simplified version of how I see life:
-Above all else, worship, praise, love, and thank God. All day. Every day. Be thankful for the many blessings He provides you with.
-Help others. Help those in need. Show God's love and care to everyone around you. Don't make it about the business of getting things done, make it about helping others in the name of God. Do God's work here on earth.
-Sure, take care of work and school and business kind of stuff, but you gotta learn to drop all that and go have fun and enjoy God's beauty and live a life doing what makes you happy on this earth.
-I know, I know, things come up, sometimes we are just down. Life can't be all ups, or it wouldn't be life. Take care of those things one step at the time. If you don't know what to do, pray about it, God will help ya out. Pray about it, then just roll with what comes at you. You'll be prepared how you should be if you are sticking by God's side.
(I am reluctant to say this, and I know we all need to relax sometimes, but for goodness sake don't sit around and watch tv when you could be outside enjoying the sunshine.)
-Being outdoors in nature, whether I'm with others or not, makes me happy. I love to be outside and breathe the fresh air and see the flowers and trees and mountains, and just know that God made all that. He made all of that with His own hands.
-We have all got to stop worrying so much and getting caught up in the scheduling and doing of so many things.
I know that makes it sound all good and easy, I know life isn't easy, it's tough sometimes, but we've gotta make the journey more bearable [during the good and bad times] by enjoying what God has blessed us with. So just lighten up, leave the worries behind.
"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it." - Greg Anderson
"Happiness is a journey, not a destination; happiness is to be found along the way not at the end of the road, for then the journey is over and it's too late. The time for happiness is today not tomorrow." - Paul H. Dunn
I mostly agree with this, although the English languages has many words that mean the same thing, I'm not so sure this is the case with joy and happiness.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary,
joy is defined as: 1. a feeling of great happiness, 2. a source or cause of great happiness : something or someone that gives joy to someone, 3. success in doing, finding, or getting something;
happy is defined as: 1. feeling pleasure and enjoyment because of your life, situation, etc., 2. showing or causing feelings of pleasure and enjoyment, 3. pleased or glad about a particular situation, event, etc.
After reading those definitions it really makes happiness seem like such a temporary state. And while it is, I think it doesn't have to be. We don't always have to be bursting out rainbows and butterflies and flowers, because not everyone is that bubbly all the time, but that doesn't mean we can't be happy all or most of the time.
Joy
"Rejoice in Me always. This is a moment-by-moment choice. It is possible to find Joy in Me even during the most difficult times. Because I am always near, I am constantly available to help you. I can even carry you through times of extreme adversity.
Imagine a woman who has become engaged to a man she deeply loves and admires. Her heart overflows with pleasure whenever she thinks bout her beloved. Problems fade into the background, unable to dampen her enthusiasm and excitement. Similarly, when you remember that I am your perfect Betrothed and that you are promised to Me forever, you can rejoice in Me even though you face many problems.
It is in the present moment that you find Me ever near you. My Presence in the present is an endless source of Joy: a continual feast! The soul-satisfaction you find in Me helps you relate well to other people. As you enjoy My abiding Presence you can bless others with your gentleness."
Philippians 4:4 NLT
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
Proverbs 15:15 NLT
For the despondent, every day brings trouble;
for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.
Psalm 63:5 NLT
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
John 15:4 NLT
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
(From "Jesus Lives" by Sarah Young)
I know this seems redundant from past blog posts, but it always boils down to the fact that God has got our back, we can't sit around and worry all day, we have to give our troubles and worries to Him. He is our source of happiness and joy in this world. Does that mean we can't feel happy when we get a new car? No. But we cannot place our hope and happiness and invest ourselves in that car (or other material things). We must invest our lives, our hearts, our souls, our minds, our bodies, in God first. Then other things will fall into place as they should.
Matthew 6:33 (Contemporary English Version) says: But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.
In the Message (verses 30-33): If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
We worry too much. We get worked up over the small, not so important things. We invest too much of our time and effort in worry and things that don't really even matter.
Ya gotta learn to forgive and let go of things. Don't let things hold you up and keep you from being happy.
This is the simplified version of how I see life:
-Above all else, worship, praise, love, and thank God. All day. Every day. Be thankful for the many blessings He provides you with.
-Help others. Help those in need. Show God's love and care to everyone around you. Don't make it about the business of getting things done, make it about helping others in the name of God. Do God's work here on earth.
-Sure, take care of work and school and business kind of stuff, but you gotta learn to drop all that and go have fun and enjoy God's beauty and live a life doing what makes you happy on this earth.
-I know, I know, things come up, sometimes we are just down. Life can't be all ups, or it wouldn't be life. Take care of those things one step at the time. If you don't know what to do, pray about it, God will help ya out. Pray about it, then just roll with what comes at you. You'll be prepared how you should be if you are sticking by God's side.
(I am reluctant to say this, and I know we all need to relax sometimes, but for goodness sake don't sit around and watch tv when you could be outside enjoying the sunshine.)
-Being outdoors in nature, whether I'm with others or not, makes me happy. I love to be outside and breathe the fresh air and see the flowers and trees and mountains, and just know that God made all that. He made all of that with His own hands.
-We have all got to stop worrying so much and getting caught up in the scheduling and doing of so many things.
I know that makes it sound all good and easy, I know life isn't easy, it's tough sometimes, but we've gotta make the journey more bearable [during the good and bad times] by enjoying what God has blessed us with. So just lighten up, leave the worries behind.
"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it." - Greg Anderson
"Happiness is a journey, not a destination; happiness is to be found along the way not at the end of the road, for then the journey is over and it's too late. The time for happiness is today not tomorrow." - Paul H. Dunn
Friday, May 2, 2014
Love
1 Corinthians 13:1-5 NLT
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
I'm sure most people have heard this passage before, or at least part of it. I'm sure most have also heard: Love thy neighbor. Love your enemies. Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Etc.
I know that in this world it is really tough to love everyone. And it is really tough sometimes to do nice things for others, knowing it may not be reciprocated or receiving thankfulness in return.
Think about the people you know, that you might not like too much. Maybe they get on your nerves, make you angry, rude to you, something they did to you in the past, maybe you hold a grudge against them.
Now think about the last interaction you had with that person(s). Were you nice? Were you thinking nice things? When is the last time you made a positive or nice gesture toward them? I bet you didn't think or say that you love them. Maybe I'm going a little elementary here, but I think it's important to view problems at their most basic level of understanding and at the root of the problem.
What if you forgave that person(s) for any direct or indirect "mean" thing they ever did to you? What about you, have you ever done anything "mean" back at them (direct or indirect)? That includes talking negatively about them behind their back. Although I highly support the action of venting to a good friend or parent, make sure you're not telling what happened in an exaggerated way, or for just the reason of gossiping. I totally understanding telling one person about something, perhaps in a rant form, that happened you today that was really bad or annoying, etc. to get it off your chest and mind and out of your system. But if you tell more than one (maybe two) people, it's more for the gossip reason (in my eyes). Anyways, think about the peace that would come from forgiving that person and showing them love. You don't have to tell them you love them in words, but there are tons of ways one can express love to another. I'm not talking about mushy gushy lovey dovey or anything, just the love of Christ.
Now apply this to maybe a group of people, that you don't like, or associate with negative actions, feelings, etc. This could be a group of people you know that lives in your town, or it could be a foreign group or the government or whoever.
I'm sure whatever group(s) you're thinking about have done some pretty terrible things, and we probably think we have every right to tell everyone about all the bad things they've done and our opinion on it, etc. But will that make the problem itself, and the root of the problem, any better? Sure if you're thinking advertisement, protests, etc. against it, but I'm talking about just talking "bad" or negatively about the group to your friends. What good is that doing? You're talking about negative things to others. What does talking about negative do? Negative grows negative. It may be planting a negative seed in their mind about this group, and then maybe that person begins thinking about it more than on a level that matters.
I know it is extremely difficult to think positively about and show the love of Christ to a group of people that have done horrible things. But positive grows positive. Maybe you're stop talking about that group of people to others, and choose to talk about more positive things. Maybe you're talking to someone who is a part of that group, or knows someone in the group. Maybe if you said something positive it would plant a positive seed in their head that could grow when "watered" with more positive.
I know I sort of "went off" there on what is "realistic" in this world, but it's something that is important to think about.
This example may be extreme, and I certainly do not want to offend anyone, but what if we (we being the American gov't, a group of people from your church, etc.) walked up to the group of "terrorists" who caused 9/11 and said "We forgive you, and we want to extend such and such gift as a token of God's love for you." "Everyone makes mistakes in their life, big and small, all sin is equal in the eyes of God, and He will forgive you if you ask Him to."
Or something along those lines. What do you think that would do?
Again, I know I may going a little overboard here, but what do you think that has the potential of doing? I'm not saying go up to them or whoever and throw holy water in their face and say if they do not believe in God and get saved that they will go to hell. That is never the appropriate way to "witness" to someone, I wouldn't even call it witnessing.
It is about embracing people with love, the love of Christ.
Embrace your family with the love of Christ. Embrace your friends with the love of Christ, all of your friends, not just the ones that are Christians. Embrace your enemies with the love of Christ. Reunite with those you maybe left on the wrong foot with, by embracing them with the love of Christ.
Like I said a minute ago, that doesn't mean or require going up to them and immediately shouting about God, Jesus, and the Bible in their face. For those who aren't a Christian, that is a "turn off" for lack of better words. Just embrace them with a loving gesture, be nice, show Christ through your actions towards others.
And I leave you with this:
The word love is in the Bible (NIV) 551 times. Love for every day and moment of your life. You are loved, always. God loves you. Embrace God's love for you, and share it with others. It is plentiful. Love grows love.
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
I'm sure most people have heard this passage before, or at least part of it. I'm sure most have also heard: Love thy neighbor. Love your enemies. Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Etc.
I know that in this world it is really tough to love everyone. And it is really tough sometimes to do nice things for others, knowing it may not be reciprocated or receiving thankfulness in return.
Think about the people you know, that you might not like too much. Maybe they get on your nerves, make you angry, rude to you, something they did to you in the past, maybe you hold a grudge against them.
Now think about the last interaction you had with that person(s). Were you nice? Were you thinking nice things? When is the last time you made a positive or nice gesture toward them? I bet you didn't think or say that you love them. Maybe I'm going a little elementary here, but I think it's important to view problems at their most basic level of understanding and at the root of the problem.
What if you forgave that person(s) for any direct or indirect "mean" thing they ever did to you? What about you, have you ever done anything "mean" back at them (direct or indirect)? That includes talking negatively about them behind their back. Although I highly support the action of venting to a good friend or parent, make sure you're not telling what happened in an exaggerated way, or for just the reason of gossiping. I totally understanding telling one person about something, perhaps in a rant form, that happened you today that was really bad or annoying, etc. to get it off your chest and mind and out of your system. But if you tell more than one (maybe two) people, it's more for the gossip reason (in my eyes). Anyways, think about the peace that would come from forgiving that person and showing them love. You don't have to tell them you love them in words, but there are tons of ways one can express love to another. I'm not talking about mushy gushy lovey dovey or anything, just the love of Christ.
Now apply this to maybe a group of people, that you don't like, or associate with negative actions, feelings, etc. This could be a group of people you know that lives in your town, or it could be a foreign group or the government or whoever.
I'm sure whatever group(s) you're thinking about have done some pretty terrible things, and we probably think we have every right to tell everyone about all the bad things they've done and our opinion on it, etc. But will that make the problem itself, and the root of the problem, any better? Sure if you're thinking advertisement, protests, etc. against it, but I'm talking about just talking "bad" or negatively about the group to your friends. What good is that doing? You're talking about negative things to others. What does talking about negative do? Negative grows negative. It may be planting a negative seed in their mind about this group, and then maybe that person begins thinking about it more than on a level that matters.
I know it is extremely difficult to think positively about and show the love of Christ to a group of people that have done horrible things. But positive grows positive. Maybe you're stop talking about that group of people to others, and choose to talk about more positive things. Maybe you're talking to someone who is a part of that group, or knows someone in the group. Maybe if you said something positive it would plant a positive seed in their head that could grow when "watered" with more positive.
I know I sort of "went off" there on what is "realistic" in this world, but it's something that is important to think about.
This example may be extreme, and I certainly do not want to offend anyone, but what if we (we being the American gov't, a group of people from your church, etc.) walked up to the group of "terrorists" who caused 9/11 and said "We forgive you, and we want to extend such and such gift as a token of God's love for you." "Everyone makes mistakes in their life, big and small, all sin is equal in the eyes of God, and He will forgive you if you ask Him to."
Or something along those lines. What do you think that would do?
Again, I know I may going a little overboard here, but what do you think that has the potential of doing? I'm not saying go up to them or whoever and throw holy water in their face and say if they do not believe in God and get saved that they will go to hell. That is never the appropriate way to "witness" to someone, I wouldn't even call it witnessing.
It is about embracing people with love, the love of Christ.
Embrace your family with the love of Christ. Embrace your friends with the love of Christ, all of your friends, not just the ones that are Christians. Embrace your enemies with the love of Christ. Reunite with those you maybe left on the wrong foot with, by embracing them with the love of Christ.
Like I said a minute ago, that doesn't mean or require going up to them and immediately shouting about God, Jesus, and the Bible in their face. For those who aren't a Christian, that is a "turn off" for lack of better words. Just embrace them with a loving gesture, be nice, show Christ through your actions towards others.
And I leave you with this:
The word love is in the Bible (NIV) 551 times. Love for every day and moment of your life. You are loved, always. God loves you. Embrace God's love for you, and share it with others. It is plentiful. Love grows love.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Fear Not
Acts 18:9-11 NLT
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him,“Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
Some sources say that the phrase "do not be afraid" and/or "fear not" is in the Bible more than 365 times. How cool is that? There is one "do not be afraid" for every day of the year. Sure, there is some level of debate on this, however I'm sure the different wordings are not fully considered. I've read a couple places as well that fear is discussed 500 times in the KJV. I also think you could count the times that it says to "fear God" because this means not be afraid of anyone or anything else and to be reverent towards God. Anyways, thats all beside the point.
The point is that there are more than enough times in the Bible to tell us not to be afraid each day of the year.
Do not be afraid of what your day holds, or what your future holds. Do not be afraid of other people, or what they may think of you [regardless of the situation]. Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid of anything.
The most commonly thought of mention of "fear not" is probably the verse in Isaiah 41:10 or when the angel appears to Joseph, telling him not to be afraid.
Isaiah 41:10 NLT
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
God is always holding your hand. God has got you.
I challenge you to think of and find as many of the occurrences of a reassurance of fear in the Bible. And I challenge you to remember not to be afraid every step that you take. Think of how much bigger God is than the problem or situation you are facing. Ask Him to calm your fear and remind you of His strength in your life.
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him,“Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
Some sources say that the phrase "do not be afraid" and/or "fear not" is in the Bible more than 365 times. How cool is that? There is one "do not be afraid" for every day of the year. Sure, there is some level of debate on this, however I'm sure the different wordings are not fully considered. I've read a couple places as well that fear is discussed 500 times in the KJV. I also think you could count the times that it says to "fear God" because this means not be afraid of anyone or anything else and to be reverent towards God. Anyways, thats all beside the point.
The point is that there are more than enough times in the Bible to tell us not to be afraid each day of the year.
Do not be afraid of what your day holds, or what your future holds. Do not be afraid of other people, or what they may think of you [regardless of the situation]. Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid of anything.
The most commonly thought of mention of "fear not" is probably the verse in Isaiah 41:10 or when the angel appears to Joseph, telling him not to be afraid.
Isaiah 41:10 NLT
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
God is always holding your hand. God has got you.
I challenge you to think of and find as many of the occurrences of a reassurance of fear in the Bible. And I challenge you to remember not to be afraid every step that you take. Think of how much bigger God is than the problem or situation you are facing. Ask Him to calm your fear and remind you of His strength in your life.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Be Slow to Anger....Trust God
James 1:19-20 NLT
"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires."
I don't really have a quick temper [in an outward way]...I used to somewhat, not long ago, but I've in a way changed and/or grown out of bursting out when something is not going my way or when someone makes me angry. But now, I sorta just get really angry inside, and often times I dwell on something small for way too long. Not really holding a grudge, I wouldn't say I do that, but when something makes me angry, I immediately tense up inside and my muscles get tight and I shut down to some degree, and often my face glazes over to a very neutral look. So those who don't know me as well can't really tell when I'm angry because I hide it. I hate that the smallest things make me angry, but sometimes it's just because it puts me over the edge after a tough day or when I'm trying to take care of something or focus on getting something done or something like that. I don't get angry and stay angry all the time, I love to be happy and happiness is always my choice.
We have a couple simple [should be easy] decisions to make everyday. You can choose to be and have a positive outlook, or you can choose the opposite, to be negative and have a negative outlook. Which one do you think is going to get you farther? Positive grows positive, and negative grows negative. Which is better to have more of?
Another related decision we have to make each day is to choose to be happy or angry/sad. Again, which one do you think is going to get you farther?
Here is another one, you can choose to trust God with every step that you take through your day that He will take care of the things you can't handle, or you can choose to try to do it all on your own. Which seems "easier"? That is a tough question, because it can be difficult to trust God with absolutely every aspect of your life, but it can also be pretty difficult to take care of everything all on your own. Which seems like it will get you farther, whether it is easy or tough to do?
So getting angry so quickly doesn't really have any positive outcomes. Maybe if it is someone that made you angry, they are going through a tough time. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment. Maybe it was a sales clerk at the mall or grocery store, or a waiter at a restaurant. Maybe they've been working a long day, haven't had many polite customers, have a tough situation going on at home, health problems, etc. You likely don't know what it is like to walk in their shoes. Maybe it was something, not a person, that made you angry. Well, not a whole lot you can do about that. You just have to always believe that it is going to be okay. That God has got your back. Trust Him.
The verse above tells us that we need to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. That's pretty good advice, in my opinion.
Everyone has their flaws, and struggle with things like that. I would probably not say that my "flaw" is being quick to get angry, but it sure seems like something I struggle with some days. But ya know, we are human, there are gonna be times that we make a mistake, every single day, getting angry quick at something relatively irrelevant could be one of them.
But it's something that each individual has to learn how to cope with according to what works for them. And ultimately, it all comes down to trust in God, having a positive outlook, and just trusting that it is going to be okay.
Now that I wrote all that and glanced back over it, it makes me seem like I get angry at every thing at all the time. Definitely not the case. Just some days are tougher than others to not get angry. I know everyone experiences this some days.
I choose to be positive. I choose to be happy. I choose to trust God.
And those are the best choices I can make every day.
Take a moment to reflect on the last time you were quick to anger, or to hold a grudge. Think about that situation and what made you angry. Think about what happened. Sure, there may be some significance to the event, but letting go of a grudge or anger feels good and lifts a burden off of your mind and body. Holding a grudge or getting angry quickly makes your muscles tight, which can lead to a world of other problems. So take five slow deep breaths now, and anytime you get angry. In through your nose, and out through your mouth. Slow. As you do this, ask God to forgive you for being angry and to help you release your anger and tension. And secondly, forgive the person whom you were angry at.
Deep breathing every day has been proven to release tension in the muscles. It is the body's natural way of relieving stress. While you breathe deep, picture the negative being released on your breaths out. I know I'm getting kind of on a different track here, but this is something important that relates.
"According to Golubic, breathing exercises create positive changes that help improve conditions as serious as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart failure. Breathing exercises improve lung function by “stretching” airway tissue and inducing the release of a “protective chemical” known to maintain airway integrity. As Esther Sternberg of the National Institute of Mental Health suggests in the NPR interview, deep breathing also shifts the body out of sympathetic nervous system control and into parasympathetic mode, a healthier, calmer state in terms of general well-being and biochemical balance. This curbing of stress hormones (like cortisol), in turn, preserves the body’s immune function and keeps blood pressure and heart rate in check.
Finally, deep breathing for relaxation can also influence gene expression related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular metabolism. Yes, I’ve covered this one before, but here’s a look back for those of you who have joined us recently. The longer you practice deep breathing, the more pronounced the benefits for any particular condition and for gene activity."
Didn't mean to get long winded there, but it's been a while since I've posted and I had a lot weighing on the brain this morning.
So finally, as I've previously stated: Choose to - be positive, to be happy, and to trust God. Oh yeah, and breathe deep everyday, it's good for you.
"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires."
I don't really have a quick temper [in an outward way]...I used to somewhat, not long ago, but I've in a way changed and/or grown out of bursting out when something is not going my way or when someone makes me angry. But now, I sorta just get really angry inside, and often times I dwell on something small for way too long. Not really holding a grudge, I wouldn't say I do that, but when something makes me angry, I immediately tense up inside and my muscles get tight and I shut down to some degree, and often my face glazes over to a very neutral look. So those who don't know me as well can't really tell when I'm angry because I hide it. I hate that the smallest things make me angry, but sometimes it's just because it puts me over the edge after a tough day or when I'm trying to take care of something or focus on getting something done or something like that. I don't get angry and stay angry all the time, I love to be happy and happiness is always my choice.
We have a couple simple [should be easy] decisions to make everyday. You can choose to be and have a positive outlook, or you can choose the opposite, to be negative and have a negative outlook. Which one do you think is going to get you farther? Positive grows positive, and negative grows negative. Which is better to have more of?
Another related decision we have to make each day is to choose to be happy or angry/sad. Again, which one do you think is going to get you farther?
Here is another one, you can choose to trust God with every step that you take through your day that He will take care of the things you can't handle, or you can choose to try to do it all on your own. Which seems "easier"? That is a tough question, because it can be difficult to trust God with absolutely every aspect of your life, but it can also be pretty difficult to take care of everything all on your own. Which seems like it will get you farther, whether it is easy or tough to do?
So getting angry so quickly doesn't really have any positive outcomes. Maybe if it is someone that made you angry, they are going through a tough time. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment. Maybe it was a sales clerk at the mall or grocery store, or a waiter at a restaurant. Maybe they've been working a long day, haven't had many polite customers, have a tough situation going on at home, health problems, etc. You likely don't know what it is like to walk in their shoes. Maybe it was something, not a person, that made you angry. Well, not a whole lot you can do about that. You just have to always believe that it is going to be okay. That God has got your back. Trust Him.
The verse above tells us that we need to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. That's pretty good advice, in my opinion.
Everyone has their flaws, and struggle with things like that. I would probably not say that my "flaw" is being quick to get angry, but it sure seems like something I struggle with some days. But ya know, we are human, there are gonna be times that we make a mistake, every single day, getting angry quick at something relatively irrelevant could be one of them.
But it's something that each individual has to learn how to cope with according to what works for them. And ultimately, it all comes down to trust in God, having a positive outlook, and just trusting that it is going to be okay.
Now that I wrote all that and glanced back over it, it makes me seem like I get angry at every thing at all the time. Definitely not the case. Just some days are tougher than others to not get angry. I know everyone experiences this some days.
I choose to be positive. I choose to be happy. I choose to trust God.
And those are the best choices I can make every day.
Take a moment to reflect on the last time you were quick to anger, or to hold a grudge. Think about that situation and what made you angry. Think about what happened. Sure, there may be some significance to the event, but letting go of a grudge or anger feels good and lifts a burden off of your mind and body. Holding a grudge or getting angry quickly makes your muscles tight, which can lead to a world of other problems. So take five slow deep breaths now, and anytime you get angry. In through your nose, and out through your mouth. Slow. As you do this, ask God to forgive you for being angry and to help you release your anger and tension. And secondly, forgive the person whom you were angry at.
Deep breathing every day has been proven to release tension in the muscles. It is the body's natural way of relieving stress. While you breathe deep, picture the negative being released on your breaths out. I know I'm getting kind of on a different track here, but this is something important that relates.
"According to Golubic, breathing exercises create positive changes that help improve conditions as serious as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart failure. Breathing exercises improve lung function by “stretching” airway tissue and inducing the release of a “protective chemical” known to maintain airway integrity. As Esther Sternberg of the National Institute of Mental Health suggests in the NPR interview, deep breathing also shifts the body out of sympathetic nervous system control and into parasympathetic mode, a healthier, calmer state in terms of general well-being and biochemical balance. This curbing of stress hormones (like cortisol), in turn, preserves the body’s immune function and keeps blood pressure and heart rate in check.
Finally, deep breathing for relaxation can also influence gene expression related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular metabolism. Yes, I’ve covered this one before, but here’s a look back for those of you who have joined us recently. The longer you practice deep breathing, the more pronounced the benefits for any particular condition and for gene activity."
Here’s how to do it:
- Simply get comfortable in any position and put your hands on your chest and stomach.
- To maximize oxygen intake, it’s important to learn to breathe from your abdomen (“belly breathing”) rather than your chest. Focus on your breath until you feel your stomach rise and fall more dramatically than your chest with each inhalation and exhalation.
- Breathe in through your nose, hold the breath for a few seconds and then exhale through your mouth. The time it takes to exhale should be about twice what it is to inhale. (Many suggest a 4:7:8 pattern – 4 to inhale, 7 to hold, and 8 to exhale.) Let go of other thoughts while you breathe.
- Do 4-8 breath cycles 1-3 times every day.
Didn't mean to get long winded there, but it's been a while since I've posted and I had a lot weighing on the brain this morning.
So finally, as I've previously stated: Choose to - be positive, to be happy, and to trust God. Oh yeah, and breathe deep everyday, it's good for you.
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