"I'm so tired of this!" or "I can't believe I said that!" or "What did I do to deserve this?" or "God do you see what's happening here?"
Have you ever said things like this? I certainly have. Usually in response to dissatisfaction on how something ended up.
There are times we end up unsatisfied, angry, or embarrassed at the outcome of a decision. Sometimes a decision even results in injury inflicted upon someone we love and are responsible to care for like children or a spouse.
Have you experienced this as the doer? I'm not surprised if you answered "yes". It's happened in my life; yes, this happens for those in Christ. If you're anything like me, you've experienced this with outcomes ranging from insignificant to catastrophic. Depending on where you are in your journey with Christ, you may believe that it's luck, chance, or you may have a 'que sera sera' attitude and stick your head in the sand when outcomes become evident. Hear this - contained within you is the ability to stop repeating the pattern of making decisions that lead to loss, rejection, shame and disappointment. You can begin to perpetuate patterns that result in life, joy, goodness, etc (Gen 1:26a, Duet 30:19-20).
For a Christian the key to moving out of old patterns into new patterns is self evaluation before God every day - not just on church-going days - and stop using your time with God to make excuses... He's not interested, he already knows. For real.
Frequent time in solitude before God is a non-negotiable for growing in maturity; growing in maturity is necessary! Repeating the same mistakes over and over for ten, twenty or thirty years is not my desire, and I'm sure you feel the same way. In time with God ask Him to help you evaluate and change in all areas of your life: finances, health, relationships, attitude, etc (married couples should do this together). In these moments with God ask Him to show you and help change in you the root/driving force of your decision(s). Bringing the knowledge of God into the equation results in clarity. God's spirit will work in you to bring you to surrender before God. This will have a significant impact on the outcomes of your decision(s).
An active root will always produce after it's kind: a nettle will produce a nettle, a rose - a rose, etc.
Use the two skills of evaluation and effort. Begin to evaluate your root in prayer - before you make the day's decisions. This is necessary if you are going to make decision from of a good root like surrender, praise, worship, contentment, joy, peace instead of a bad root like anger, discontentment, jealousy, self-pity, exhaustion, etc. The outcome or produce is always directly related to the root so take a good look at and use effort to address the root.
A nettle root does not produce a hibiscus plant, a palo verde root does not produce tomatoes. The root matters! Evaluate where you are spiritually so you can determine what will be produced through what you are about to do or what you're about to say. Those who choose to not evaluate and make the effort of change will act or speak out of a root of guilt, pain, anger, disappointment, loneliness, frustration, sadness and the product of that root is going to seed and create after it's kind. Let's put effort into a life that comes from a root of kindness, gentleness, justice, peace, and forgiveness so the seed will show outcome or produce of the same. Remember fruit is directly related to the root.
When your decision is produced from a bad root, two things will likely happen: you'll regret the making that decision and you won't be able to sustain your decision.
When your decision is from a good root, two things will likely happen: others will be nurtured and people around you will be interested in knowing Christ more and more (Prov 21:5 Ps 37:10-11, Duet 30:19-20).
Have you ever said things like this? I certainly have. Usually in response to dissatisfaction on how something ended up.
There are times we end up unsatisfied, angry, or embarrassed at the outcome of a decision. Sometimes a decision even results in injury inflicted upon someone we love and are responsible to care for like children or a spouse.
Have you experienced this as the doer? I'm not surprised if you answered "yes". It's happened in my life; yes, this happens for those in Christ. If you're anything like me, you've experienced this with outcomes ranging from insignificant to catastrophic. Depending on where you are in your journey with Christ, you may believe that it's luck, chance, or you may have a 'que sera sera' attitude and stick your head in the sand when outcomes become evident. Hear this - contained within you is the ability to stop repeating the pattern of making decisions that lead to loss, rejection, shame and disappointment. You can begin to perpetuate patterns that result in life, joy, goodness, etc (Gen 1:26a, Duet 30:19-20).
For a Christian the key to moving out of old patterns into new patterns is self evaluation before God every day - not just on church-going days - and stop using your time with God to make excuses... He's not interested, he already knows. For real.
Frequent time in solitude before God is a non-negotiable for growing in maturity; growing in maturity is necessary! Repeating the same mistakes over and over for ten, twenty or thirty years is not my desire, and I'm sure you feel the same way. In time with God ask Him to help you evaluate and change in all areas of your life: finances, health, relationships, attitude, etc (married couples should do this together). In these moments with God ask Him to show you and help change in you the root/driving force of your decision(s). Bringing the knowledge of God into the equation results in clarity. God's spirit will work in you to bring you to surrender before God. This will have a significant impact on the outcomes of your decision(s).
An active root will always produce after it's kind: a nettle will produce a nettle, a rose - a rose, etc.
Use the two skills of evaluation and effort. Begin to evaluate your root in prayer - before you make the day's decisions. This is necessary if you are going to make decision from of a good root like surrender, praise, worship, contentment, joy, peace instead of a bad root like anger, discontentment, jealousy, self-pity, exhaustion, etc. The outcome or produce is always directly related to the root so take a good look at and use effort to address the root.
A nettle root does not produce a hibiscus plant, a palo verde root does not produce tomatoes. The root matters! Evaluate where you are spiritually so you can determine what will be produced through what you are about to do or what you're about to say. Those who choose to not evaluate and make the effort of change will act or speak out of a root of guilt, pain, anger, disappointment, loneliness, frustration, sadness and the product of that root is going to seed and create after it's kind. Let's put effort into a life that comes from a root of kindness, gentleness, justice, peace, and forgiveness so the seed will show outcome or produce of the same. Remember fruit is directly related to the root.
When your decision is produced from a bad root, two things will likely happen: you'll regret the making that decision and you won't be able to sustain your decision.
When your decision is from a good root, two things will likely happen: others will be nurtured and people around you will be interested in knowing Christ more and more (Prov 21:5 Ps 37:10-11, Duet 30:19-20).
Take care of the root so your life will produce good fruit. Ask God to help you change, where necessary. He's interested in partnering with you and is just waiting for an invitation.
Comments