What impresses you? Sticks with you? Leaves it’s mark on you? Stays to influence you after it’s gone? Something that you can’t help talking about with others later? When we were little it was probably a magic trick or a sports feat or a movie special effect. But what is it now? I think if I’m honest I would have to say sometimes it’s bad news – bad news for my city, country, work, family, etc.

Truth:  We give power to what we’re impressed by.

The Israelites were constantly impressed by the success and growth of the idol worshipping nations around them; which caused them to begin to fear, then worship their gods; which caused them to lose influence with God, who no longer protected them; and they were oppressed by those nations.

What if we weren’t impressed by evil anymore? What if hopelessness simply wasn’t exciting to us? How would our meditations change? How would our words change?

We don’t have to be impressed by the enemy. We can be impressed by God’s thoughts about us (Ps 139:17-18), by God’s plan for our world (Jn 3:16, Rom 8:19, etc), by God’s love, grace and mercy (Ex 34:6, Ps 103:8, etc), by God’s majestic personality (Heb 1:3-4, Ps 93:1, etc), by His majesty in the people around us (Prov 25:11, 1 Pet 2:9-10, etc). When those are the things that stick with us, leave their mark on us, influence us, and we can’t help talking about them – we are poised to give God’s plans power in our life.

Where do we go when we’re discouraged? Many of us find ourselves in front of our favorite electronic device (tv, social media, youtube, video games), turning our mind away from those things. Or maybe we go to places of thought that are even more discouraging. Or we even disassociate by engaging in a coping mechanism (overeating, undereating, drinking, etc). Are those places a source of encouragement? Spiritually? Emotionally? Mentally? Personally, when I’ve turned on the TV for a while I just feel down and can’t pinpoint why.

The Bible tells us of a time when David and his men were utterly discouraged, having seemingly lost their wives and kids. Here were their responses . . .

1 Samuel 30:6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

David didn’t simply turn to God during the time of distress. I imagine that many of the men with him poured out their complaints to God. David saw it through, taking the time to find the place of strength in God.

Truth . . .

• God always has an anecdote to our struggle
• Crisis will point us to a space in God where strength is renewed
• The directive to winning in our circumstance is secondary to developing a clearer picture of the person of God in our soul

Where is the new space in God for you this week? Imagine some of His spaces – put yourself there in your mind with Him, and see Him turn discouragement to strength.

“What are you trying to prove?” – sounds like fightin’ words. We might even have unfortunate memories associated with a phrase like this. It’s popped up in some really sad movie scenes too :-(. It’s time to reframe it.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and prove what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Fact:

God’s will is good, pleasing [pleasurable, delight, joy] and perfect [complete].

Truth:

Our thought patterns as believers should prove that fact to the world more and more.

If our thoughts are in a place that is not declaring to the world that God’s will for our world is good, then He’s got an upgrade for us. What are we trying to prove? Oh, only the loftiest goal in the history of the universe – that God’s will is good, pleasing and perfect. God’s will is good, He has good plans for us today, for our work, our family, our church and our world. Start thinking there and it will point you in the right direction. It will take a lifetime to exhaust that line of thought – I promise :-).

As I was praying for someone this week going through intense personal trial I saw a picture of the person in a boat, hanging on to the mast of the ship for dear life in destructive storm. God boiled this up in spirit – Is it time to go down to the bow of the boat and find a place to rest like Jesus did?

The more I meditate on this statement the more it rings true, “We have authority over storms we can sleep through.” We can survive any storm with God’s help, hanging on for dear life – but is that God’s best for us? Is there a shift in the spirit for you right now, making it time to take authority over your storm? I believe that this is true for many who will read this.

We don’t shift into spiritual authority by being more authoritative in our attitude or prayers (by yellin’ or spittin’ or having angry face – haha). We shift into spiritual authority by leaning into God’s peace and rest enough to hear what Jesus and Holy Spirit are praying to the Father. When our soul is at rest the beautiful harmony of their voice comes through, and our good Father’s will crystalizes. It’s in those moments that our prayers strike a note that matches and makes sense to the ears of the Father, rather than screeching against our own best interests.

Is it time to shift from hanging on for dear life, into the spiritual place of rest/authority for which He designed you?

“Habits eat willpower for breakfast” (Soul Keeping, John Ortberg) – and we will change the way we think (Rom 12:2) by developing these habits. I feel like God showed me these things a little more than a year ago, and they keep ringing true in my spirit . . .

• Whenever you’re sad and discouraged – remember God’s wins through you
• Whenever you’re satisfied and comfortable and proud of yourself – remember some losses
• Whenever you’re anxious – take the time immediately to breath deeper until your soul is at peace again
• When you’re lonely – curl up in the arms of our Savior
• When you’re angry take a timeout and reevaluate your soul. Diagnose the places that you are disconnected and reconnect to God
• When you’re tempted to sin – take a timeout to remember the vision that your soul with God’s help has for your life, and make soul level decisions for right
• When you’re burdened – breath deeper, take longer with Jesus, until the burden lifts
• When there’s strife – remember that Jesus’ yoke is easier – come to him and learn how to respond with loving, measured, hope-filled determination
• When you see pain meditate on God’s beauty He has created in our world.
• When you can’t forgive, think of all the things you’ve been forgiven
• When we fight boredom remember all the things that God will do through you in your soul level picture
• We fight being overly competitive by realizing the patience of God again
• When you’re tempted to sin run to a place of delight in God
• When we are exhausted rest in God’s smile
• When you begin to fear, lean in to God’s love

You might have heard the story of the boy who won a pin for humility, but got it taken away because he wore it 🙂. All joking aside, humility is tricky. Here are some Bible bedrock perspectives on the topic . . .

Humility is that delicate balance between pride and sadness that makes us a candidate for God’s blessing. We can disqualify ourselves from His outpoured blessing without the proper balance of humility.

Humility is the balance between the recognition of our weakness in tension with our confidence in His strength. Humility is not something we can simply check off a list, “Humility, got it, check.” It doesn’t work that way. Humility is a balance – not between pride and being crushed – but in the sweet spot where we don’t spoil God’s blessing.

Proverbs 10:22 declares. “The blessings of the Lord make rich and add no sorrow with it.”

James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.“

Steps closer to Christ’s humility . . .

1. Seek after humility with God’s help
2. Continue to check the balance of humility
3. Receive God’s blessing humbly and thankfully
4. Steward God’s blessing well by telling someone about it . . . humbly 🙂 . . . Rinse, Repeat.