Let’s Go!
If I can get started, I’m halfway toward completing my goal. Sometimes the hardest part of a daunting task is the start. I heard a great podcast featuring Mel Robbins where she talked about her book called: “The 5 Second Rule – Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage”. Mel’s point is that none of us “feel” like doing the hard things, she challenges us to count down from 5 and get to it. I’m sure that I’d love to stay in bed a bit longer each day, but I’d miss starting my day with the Lord in His Word in the quietness of the morning. I am learning to decide and then get moving.
The Apostle Paul in his first letter to the church in Thessalonica is wrapping up the letter and he turns into the biblical coach saying it’s “go time”! Check this out…
14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stifle the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:14-22 CSB)
There is a lot of challenge in these few verses. It’s easy to sit and watch rather than stand up and get moving toward the goal. I believe that my faith in God is not passive – sit around and do nothing. I believe that the Lord calls me to action and activity regarding my faith. I love the simple challenges from this passage:
Warn lazy people
Encourage the discouraged
Help weak people
Be patient
Don’t retaliate
Be Joyful always
Pray constantly
Be thankful always
Let the Spirit of God be free in me
Be prudent in who and what you listen too
Keep what is good
Avoid evil
I am blown away by these challenges in this small passage. I’m tired already! I believe my journey with the Lord is a marathon not a sprint. I’m trying to build in to my life habits and attitudes that build upon my faith in the Lord. I am not the fastest, the smartest or the deepest person of faith, but I want to know the Lord more today than yesterday. I want His Presence in me to shape my language, my activities and my influence upon my family, friends, co-workers and colleagues. I feel like this list is “action items” for my “Christian agenda” and I need to get moving. I’m doing these things BECAUSE I’m saved, NOT in order to be saved!
Pressing On!
Dwayne