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spiritual growth Archives - Page 3 of 14 - The Word for Today
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When we’re around people who we think are successful, knowledgeable and wise, we can often end up feeling insignificant compared to them. Sometimes that’s to do with our attitude and how we feel about ourselves, other times it’s to do with the way people act towards us. Whatever wise people know, they haven’t always known it – they had to learn and grow too. So we don’t need to feel insignificant or incapable compared to them. We also don’t need to try and make ourselves appear wiser than we really are when we’re around other people. It’s best to be genuine and ask people questions when we don’t understand. It’s okay for us to lack knowledge but what’s not good is an unwillingness to learn and grow. And we can’t grow unless we relate to people who are ahead of us in some way. Joshua learned the principles of good leadership from Moses. Ruth learned how to find the right relationship by listening to Naomi. Learning, and gaining wisdom, is often mentioned in the Bible, especially in Proverbs, which shows it’s an important thing for us to be doing. Proverbs 19:21 says: ‘Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise’ (NIV). Sometimes advice and discipline comes from God (take a look at James 1:5) and at other times it comes from people. So we need to be open to learning from people around us. Don’t forget that ‘Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.’
Wees bereid om by ander mense te leer
Sekere mense laat ons minderwaardig voel wanneer ons in hulle geselskap is, maar mense wat waarlik wys en volwasse is, probeer om dit nooit te doen nie. As jy al ooit so ‘n slegte ervaring gehad het, moenie dat dit jou pla nie. As jy nie naby ‘n leier staan nie, sal jy nie in staat wees om jou groei te meet, of te monitor hoeveel jy al ontwikkel het nie. Suksesvolle mense het nie altyd geweet wat hulle nou weet nie – hulle moes ook leer en groei. Moenie voorgee asof jy dinge weet wat jy nie weet nie. Dit is die beste om opreg te wees en vrae te vra wanneer die tyd reg is. Die meeste suksesvolle mense geniet dit om dit wat hulle weet te bespreek en te deel, so trek voordeel daaruit. Vrees vir verwerping weerhou ons daarvan om vooruit in die lewe en verhoudings te beweeg. Jy sal verbaas wees hoeveel mense hulleself beperk deur net met mense wat op dieselfde vlak as hulle is, te sosialiseer. ‘n Belangrike deel van jou ontwikkeling vind plaas wanneer jy besluit om oor die spoor te stap en met mense in aanraking te kom wat al verder as jy beweeg het. Hierdie verhoudings skep ‘n geleentheid vir jou om te groei. Dit is nie verkeerd om ‘n tekort aan kennis te hê nie, maar dit is verkeerd om onwillig te wees om te leer. Josua het die beginsels van goeie leierskap by Moses geleer. Rut het geleer hoe om die regte verhouding te vind deur na Naomi te luister. Maak hierdie Skrifgedeelte ‘n leidende beginsel in jou lewe: ‘Die mens wat wysheid kry, is gelukkig. Dit gaan goed met die mens wat insig kry.’
Every one of us has something we struggle with, some weakness or behaviour that we find difficult to put aside. It might be a tendency to gossip, or unwillingness to forgive, or a struggle with alcohol…the list could go on. While we might be able to overcome a hundred other sins, there’s probably at least one that seems to have a powerful hold on us. And we can start excusing it by saying something like ‘it’s just the way I am’ or ‘I was born like that’. And to a certain extent, it’s true – we all inherited Adam’s fallen nature (take a look at Romans 5:12). David said, ‘I was born guilty. I was a sinner when my mother conceived me’ (Psalm 51:5 GWT). Ecclesiastes 7:20 tells us: ‘Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins’ (NLT). The problem is, it’s easy to treat this as a get-out clause. We can’t change the way we’re made, and we’ve done so well overcoming loads of other sins – surely we can let ourselves off this one thing, right? Well, no, we can’t. As Christians, our hearts should be desiring to do whatever pleases God. And in those times when it’s incredibly hard work, we need to make a conscious effort to bring our behaviour closer into alignment with Jesus’ nature. Paul recognised how difficult it is (have a read of Romans 7:18), but he also gives us the answer: ‘Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord’ (Romans 7:24-25 NLT). When we were born we received Adam’s corrupt nature, but through our new birth as Christians, we receive Christ’s sin-conquering, life-changing, righteous nature.
Vereenvoudiging hoef nie gekompliseerd te wees nie
Thoreau het gesê, ‘Ons lewens word op detail verspil… vereenvoudig, vereenvoudig.’ Jesus het dit op ‘n ander manier gestel: ‘…Hou op om julle te bekommer oor julle daaglikse lewe… Hou die voëls in die lug dop. Hulle saai nie, hulle oes nie, en hulle maak nie in skure bymekaar nie. Dit is onnodig, want julle hemelse Vader gee aan hulle hulle kos…’ (verse 25-26 NLV). Charlie Shedd was die pastoor van ‘n groot kerk met baie eise. Hy en sy vrou het ‘n vereenvoudigingslys opgestel: Maak seker dat vereenvoudiging nodig is. Jou probleem mag dalk traagheid wees, omdat jy nie genoeg doen nie. Onthou hoekom jy hier is. Stel God se wil eerste. Jy sal eenvoudiger lewe wanneer jy ‘n noodsaaklike doel het waarnatoe jy moet werk. Laat vaar nuttelose doelwitte. Moenie jouself moeg maak met onbelangrike take nie. Jy kan nie alles doen nie. Lewe een dag op ‘n slag. Beplan en hoop vir die toekoms – maar moenie daar lewe nie. ‘…Môre sal sy eie bekommernisse bring…’ (vers 34 NLV). Lewe goed vandag, en more se krag sal vanself kom. Waar jy ook al is – wees dáár. Hou op om te dink dat vreugde vyfuur in die middag, of by vanaand se partytjie, of wanneer jy aan die slaap raak, opdaag. Lewe in die oomblik. Ontwikkel ‘n stokperdjie. ‘n Verandering van aktiwiteit hou jou vars. Tyd wat gebruik word om te speel is tyd wat goed gebruik word. Jy kan nie die wêreld laat stilstaan nie, maar jy kan jouself laat stilstaan. Leer om af te skakel. As jy nie die pas kan verander nie, gaan na jou binnekamer en verander jouself. Kies die perfekte voorbeeld: Christus. ‘Julle gesindheid moet soos Jesus Christus s’n wees…’ (Filippense 2:5 NLV).
Be a uniter, not a divider
David said, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity…there the Lord commanded the blessing” (vv. 1, 3 NKJV). When we strive to work together in spite of our differences, God “commands” His blessing to be upon our efforts. Satan knows this, so his chief strategy is to divide and conquer. He knows the power, synergy, and blessing that results from working in harmony; therefore he makes every effort to bring division. So when things begin to splinter and fall apart, look for “the Devil in the details.” The sixth chapter of Proverbs lists seven things the Lord detests; among them is “a man who stirs up dissention” (v. 19 NIV 1984 Edition). Paul says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3 NIV 2011 Edition). (He knew that sometimes it required tremendous effort). We can’t afford to be ignorant of Satan’s tactics designed to keep us at odds with one another. He’ll cause you to become offended over a harmless statement, or read more into a comment than the speaker intended, or ascribe impure motives to someone’s behavior, or believe a lie. But when you pray and seek God, He’ll reveal the truth of the situation. “He is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14 KJV), and when we embrace Him, He directs us into peaceful resolution of our issues. In fact, our conflicts can become stepping stones to stronger relationships when we make a commitment to understand each other and refrain from divisiveness. That’s why Paul writes, “I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose” (1 Corinthians 1:10 TLB).
Soul food:  Jer 45-48 ;
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