Spirituality

Building Trust

All solid relationships are built on trust. This takes time. Being reliable and consistent are two of the foundations of a trusting relationship.

Someone comes to mind from my past who was both reliable and consistent, but not necessarily in a good way. If we were supposed to meet at 1:00, she might show up 20-30 minutes late. Every single time. So I could rely on her to be late. And she was consistent!

Why is it difficult for us to trust God? I admit it’s a challenge and I do not understand why. He’s reliable, by His nature God cannot lie. He can’t even stretch the truth. God’s timing is perfect. So why is it hard?

Perhaps it’s hard to trust God because we can’t see Him. Maybe it’s because He doesn’t always give us everything we want. If He did we would be spoiled brats who never grew. We wouldn’t be changed. Why change when everything is going well?

Faith is strengthened when we place our wholehearted trust in God. He knows what we need before we ask. Our faith becomes exponentially stronger when we continue to trust even when life is a shitshow. Holding on to faith when everything around us tells us not to will test us. Resilience is built in the darkness. So is trust.

Let’s pass the test and watch what happens…

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Spirituality

Fresh Approach

Do you approach life with confidence or trepidation? We were created by God and meant to live full, meaningful lives on this side of eternity. God and fear cannot coexist.

Life can be hard and it can be harsh. In some ways we are a bunch of imperfect, damaged people trying to live together in a sometimes chaotic world. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? But there is a solution.

When we were born we didn’t have fear, worry or hang ups. As little children we were fearless. Life knocked us around and some had their confidence shaken. Some of us had abusive parents who didn’t prepare us for life. But inside of us we wanted to grow. Even the most fearful people know this.

If you are still living with fear and want to break free, I encourage you to do the difficult inner work on yourself. You might have to revisit some painful parts of your life, but you will get through it. If someone hurt you they cannot hurt you again.

Do the work. Give yourself the freedom you deserve. Ask God to guide you through it. He will show up every time. This is a promise…

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Spirituality

What Goes Around…

Someone recently asked me if I believe in karma. My immediate answer was, “Sure! Everything we do comes back to us.”

When our actions are good, altruistic even, then the goodness we place into the world will return to us. It may not happen immediately, but it will happen.

At the same time, nefarious activities come back to us as well. There is Scripture that confirms this. Proverbs 22:8 says, “Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.” In Galatians, Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” — Galatians 6:7

There are always temptations to take shortcuts. Students have been caught plagiarizing. This laziness has invaded the professional world, too. There was a case where an attorney used ChatGPT to write a legal brief. He didn’t double check his work. If he had he would have learned that AI cited a case that didn’t exist.

Our world is both beautiful and it’s a chaotic mess. We have a choice. We can add to the beauty by making a difference in the lives of our fellow man, or we can add to the craziness.

Choose wisely…

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Spirituality

Boxed Out

“Boxed out” usually means excluded, shut out, or prevented from participating. Is this how we treat God sometimes?

God has unlimited power. He can do anything and I mean anything. The problem lies with us, not Him. When we show unbelief we are limiting God’s participation in our lives.

There is an example of this in the New Testament. When Jesus went to his hometown the Bible says “he couldn’t do many miracles there.” The people still saw him as Joseph the carpenters son they grew up with. The Messiah was in their presence yet they missed it.

The truth is, Jesus could do miracles there among the people who knew him since childhood. But their lack of faith probably wasn’t a great motivator. “A prophet is never recognized among his own people,” Jesus said (paraphrased).

Believe. Just believe and then act like you believe. Jesus told us “when we pray we should act like we have already received what we prayed for.” (Paraphrased)

Put some emotion into your prayers. Believe and receive. And don’t box God out. He is interested in every aspect of your life…

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Spirituality

Great Expectations

Please don’t be confused by the title. This column is not about the Charles Dickens novel. When I was in middle school I was forced to read it. The book is known as a classic, but for me reading the book felt like child abuse!

Have you ever been disappointed? This is a rhetorical question because I know you have been. In this life we will experience unmet expectations. Although a situation didn’t turn out the way we wanted or hoped for, we don’t have to change course.

When we were kids we had dreams. Big dreams. We were going to set the world on fire. Then life came along and knocked us around. Some gave up. They threw in the towel on pursuing their dreams. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Life is imperfect. You can go after what you want. This life will give you all your desires if you refuse to accept defeat. Drifting through life and accepting whatever comes your way is not living fully. It’s merely existing.

Past setbacks and failures are where they belong, in the past. I encourage you to pursue the full life you desire, realizing that every expectation might not be fulfilled immediately. But keep going and set your goals high.

Dwell in possibility…

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Spirituality

Just Be Yourself

You and I have a role to play. It’s a part only we can create, and it’s the role of a lifetime. I’m talking about the life we were given.

There are around 8 billion people on the planet right now. That’s a lot, but take this into consideration. About 117 billion people have lived since humanity began. This is a staggering number! And yet there has never been another you.

God must love variety because there are so many different types of people. This is a beautiful thing. Think of how boring and robotic life would be if we were all the same.

People try to blend in with the crowd. Some believe if they show the world who they are, then others might not like or accept them. While I believe it is universal to want to be liked by everyone, it’s not necessary. The most important person who needs to like and accept you is you.

If self acceptance is a challenge for you, then I encourage you to do the difficult, inner work necessary to jettison any insecurity you may have. See yourself through the eyes of our Creator. He made each of us exactly how He wanted us to be. And unlike humans, God doesn’t second guess himself.

Just be yourself as you go through this life. Show the world who you are, not the person others expect you to be. You are unique…

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Spirituality

Take Care

Entropy is a physics term which means that things go from order to disorder. It kinda describes the state of our planet. We haven’t taken the best care of it by allowing pollution to degrade it.

Your body will deteriorate if you don’t take care of it. Regular exercise can make your bones stronger while building muscle mass. You can actually turn your body into a fat burning machine.

We take better care of the things we own versus what we rent. Have you ever washed a rental car before turning it in? But your personal vehicle gets attention. So does the home you own.

It is vitally important to keep your mind stimulated. Retirement is a death sentence if the retiree doesn’t have purpose. Crossword puzzles and sudoku alone aren’t going to cut it.

Our spiritual side needs attention, too. We are spiritual beings living in a physical body. We know our eventual home is not here. This life is temporary. Eternity is a mighty long time.

My encouragement to you is to do something every day to improve your life. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it did get built. If you are reading this, God isn’t finished with you. Find fulfillment in your life. It’s waiting for you to show up…

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Spirituality

The Judge and The Jury

The court of public opinion is alive but I don’t think it’s well. Social media has given everyone a public platform to express themselves, sometimes loudly and rudely. There is a better way.

We are in an era where some people take an opinion and state it as fact. Information comes at us so fast and no one has the time or energy to investigate all of it.

So, where does one go to separate fact from wishful thinking? You can’t trust the media anymore. And it’s futile to ask your friends and acquaintances. They might not know any more than you do. We certainly don’t want to lose friends over this.

It’s important to read history that was written by the people who lived it. Booker T. Washington wrote his autobiography and it’s fascinating. There are many others so take your pick.

Another important consideration is the ability to think critically and objectively. Approach a subject that you might know something about with the attitude that you might be wrong. It’s not a threat to test our beliefs and our convictions. It’s a healthy exercise.

People will judge you when you disagree with them. It doesn’t matter. The judgments come from those who don’t know you. And remember, it’s okay to disagree and engage in healthy conversations. Listen and learn from those who see the world differently…

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Spirituality

Shaken, Not Stirred

One of James Bond’s signature moves was to order a martini that was “shaken, not stirred.” Now I will confess, I think James Bond is uber cool. I mean, what’s not to like about a man who dresses impeccably, is cultured, saves the planet from the bad guys, and he always gets the girl.

Like can make us feel shaken at times. It’s like we are walking a tightrope without a net. When we consider the risks of moving forward, it can paralyze us if we let fear dominate our thoughts.

At the same time, for some the thought of staying in the same place stirs something inside of them. The risk/reward ratio says they will experience some pain before they get the reward. Pain is real, but it’s temporary. The stirring inside propels them forward. Self doubt is cast aside and growth happens.

Wherever you are in life, I encourage you to face any fears you may have. Going through them might feel like you’re walking through hell. You will get singed, but you will come out the other side. You will be stronger, and you will be forever changed.

Go for it. Start now. There’s no time better than the present…

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Spirituality

Followers

Lots of people on TikTok and YouTube advertise that they can get you followers. Is getting followers really the goal? In my opinion, putting out good content on a consistent basis is more worthwhile.

Having a great many followers might bring some revenue into your bank account. That, too, is a hollow pursuit.

There are some on social media who say outrageous stuff just to call attention to themselves. But their content still sucks (Hasan Piker, the Tate brothers). No sane person should follow them, not even for curiosity sake.

My encouragement to you is to keep your focus on creating quality, not merely trying to get more followers. Then you can feel good about your work. And the right people will find you…

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