Tag: success

Questioning Pursuit

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Matthew 6:33

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

As human beings we all have desires, interests, and our own personal ways of doing and being. We have our own definitions of success and how to obtain it. We seek happiness and contentment in various ways and pursue those things that we think will fulfill our souls.

However, do we ever consider what God wants us to pursue? What are His desires for each of us and what truly fulfills those personal longings we possess? I ponder this often as sometimes I can get distracted but find joy in the answers God has given.

1 Timothy 6:11 provides those things God wants us to pursue. These things are of utmost importance that spill over into everything else in our lives: “… pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” 2 Timothy 2:22 adds “peace” to the list. To look a little closely to each of these traits:

  1. Pursuing righteousness we seek being morally right or justifiable, decent, just, principled and virtuous among other things. As the Body of Christ, we’ve already spiritually received God’s gift of righteousness. However, our proof of repentance and living for Christ include the aforementioned characteristics.
  2. Godliness is living a life that reflects the character and will of God. We are told in 1 Timothy 6:6 that righteousness along with contentment is great gain.
  3. The Bible also teaches us in Hebrews 11:6 that faith is the confidence, or substance of things we hope for, the assurance, or evidence of things we can’t see.
  4. 1 Corinthians 13 is an entire chapter that defines the attributes of love, a wonderful state encompassing patience, kindness, and selflessness. 1 John 4:8 and 4:16 tell us that God is love.
  5. Endurance is the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity, or to withstand hardship or adversity.
  6. We display gentleness when we are kind, tender and mild-mannered. It also involves humility, patience and empathy.
  7. When we pursue peace, we pursue harmony and tranquility; freedom from emotional distress, worry, or public disturbance.

The traits listed in 1 Timothy 6:11 are preceded by Paul’s warning on how the love of money is the root of all evil and how people so eager for it have caused themselves many griefs and wandered from the faith because of it. He encourages his son in the faith, Timothy, to flee from those things and to fight the good fight of faith.

This, of course, is also a warning to all believers in Christ. Fleeing involves running away to escape danger; to move quickly and with urgency.

There’s nothing wrong with having dreams, goals, ideas or visions for our lives, but we must keep in close contact with our Wonderful Counselor, Peleh Yoetz (in Hebrew), to make sure our desires align with his. “Grinding” to achieve success is not always healthy or safe, especially when it moves us away from God’s ideals.

We don’t want to add any more weights to our lives than that with which we already have to contend. The Lord knows the best ways for us to do anything to achieve success. We need only ask for his wisdom which he’ll provide generously without finding fault according to James 1:5.

In our pursuits of happiness, contentment or whatever it is we desire in life, keeping our focus first and foremost on heavenly goals leads to joy and fulfillment for God’s children. Steering away from distractions can sometimes prove difficult, but doable.

We have the Spirit of the living God on the inside of us and this is marvelous. Now may we continue to fight the good fight of faith in our endeavors to do his will.

So, What’s the Tea?

by Ms. Rita's Minute

Thinking about your most recent conversations, would you say that they involved talking about other people and their lives? Or, do you find yourself desiring to read information about other people and what is happening to date? Do you believe the people you receive from are reliable sources of truth and is the information edifying or inspirational to your life?

In this day and age of social media and other forms of communication, there are so many opinions, and more comments than ever on other people’s lives, many times with truth being embellished or exaggerated. A safeguard is needed to discourage gossip and avoid furthering possible erroneous information about others.

What exactly is gossip? Oxford Learner’s Dictionary describes it as, 1) informal talk or stories about other people’s private lives, that may be unkind or not true; 2) a conversation about other people and their private lives; and 3) a person who enjoys talking about other people’s private lives. Sadly, these definitions would most likely apply to all of us at one time or another.

The Bible teaches that, “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret” (Proverbs 11:13). Further, “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends” (Proverbs 16:28). It reminds us that, “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” (James 1:26). It also condemns gossip as being inappropriate for Christians and a consequence of a depraved mind (Romans 1:29; 2 Corinthians 12:20).

If there’s one thing we hopefully know, is that sometimes, people will lie about others for any number of reasons, which might often include sensationalism, especially for media purposes.

It’s important to realize it’s best not to repeat anything about someone else that doesn’t come straight from that person’s mouth for public knowledge. Moreover, it makes good sense not to believe everything one hears about a person as factual, without personal knowledge of the information as being true.

Two scriptures, one in the Old Testament and the other in the New Testament, teach us about the importance of witnesses in a matter:

  1. 2 Corinthians 13:1
    … “By the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word shall be established.”
  2. Deuteronomy 9:15
    “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.”

It may take some time to break oneself from a habit of gossiping, but it is possible as we remind ourselves of what God thinks of the matter and pray for His grace to help us to place a “tight rein on our tongues.” Or, perhaps I should add keyboards.