Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Be Yourself

O LORD, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God. Do not let me be disgraced or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat. No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced—disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.  Psalm 25:1-3


What character qualities do you value in others? Do you want friends who are kind, loyal, and accept you for who you are? Do you want friends who are honest with you? Do you long for genuine friendship?

If your answer to the above is yes, doesn't it make sense that others are looking for these things too? Can they find them in you, or will they need to look elsewhere for acceptance, honesty, and kindness? Jesus said to treat others the way you want to be treated, and this can be applied in many ways, but it's a key element in friendship. Others need to know you value them and can be trusted, just as you need to know these things about those you hang out with and confide in.

But how do you become this kind of friend? How do you let others see you enough to know you are someone worth their time? Let's face it, friendship is risky. Friends can become enemies. People you are nice to might not be nice back. "Friends" might blab your secrets or talk badly behind your back. Jesus said to treat others the way you want to be treated, but He didn't guarantee others will always treat you well. It can be difficult to open yourself up when rejection is a strong possibility.

In Psalm 25, David takes a unique approach to avoiding disgrace and finding rescue from those who treated him poorly. The word disgrace means "a loss in reputation or respect", and while you may not do anything to deserve this from others, they can make you feel stupid, ugly, out of fashion, boring, different, and not worth their time. They can call you names or spread rumors about you. David experienced this, and He cried out, "O LORD, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God…No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced."

People cannot always be trusted. Even a close friend can become a foe. But God? You can trust Him. If you give Him your life, He will be faithful to help and guide you and give you whatever you need. Just one word of caution: You need to be yourself. David had learned: disgrace comes to those who deceive others. If you're trying to be someone you're not, then you're not fully trusting God. You're trusting in yourself, or who you're pretending to be.

But it doesn't work. You can't say you trust God and then make your own arrangements. You must trust God and be yourself. No masks or disguises. No trying to please people with what you do or how you look. No acting like you're perfect when you have flaws like everyone else. No hiding your emotions or values or problems.

Be real with others, trust God with your heart, and ask Him for what you need. This is the pathway to being a great friend. Is it risky? Is it challenging? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely!


Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Definition for "disgrace" taken from www.google.com

Photo © 2015.

Monday, August 3, 2015

In Times of Trouble



Have you ever thought to yourself, 'Okay, I want to follow God, but right now is not the time. I have too much going on. I have all this stuff I have to deal with first. When life calms down a little, then I'll have time to read my Bible, pray, seek God, and listen for how He is leading me. But right now I just can't. Life is too crazy!'?

If you have ever thought this, or feel this way now, you are not alone. I've had these thoughts many times, and I am often tempted to feel this way when trials, relationship issues, discouragement, or scary situations come my way. But something I have learned is when life is most difficult, most crazy, or most unbearable: that's when I need God the most. Following God is all about finding our way from the darkness into the light, and helping others to find their way from despair to hope; but we can't help anyone else if we're not seeking and trusting God ourselves.

Jesus said, "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart…So don't be troubled or afraid."

What is currently troubling you? What are you afraid of? What are you worried about? What is your biggest fear? Jesus says you don't have to be troubled or afraid. Do you believe Him?

Say these words to yourself, inserting your own name in the blank: I am leaving you with a gift, ____; I give you peace of mind and heart. So don't be troubled or afraid, ______.

I was facing something recently that troubled me a lot. I had a lot of worries and fears, but I gave them to God and trusted Him to carry me. Every day when I read my Bible, the words brought me comfort. When I prayed, I asked God to help me to trust Him. I listened for what He had to tell me. And I followed Him from a dark place of fear and anxiety to hope and trust.

I encourage you to do the same with whatever is troubling you. Read your Bible daily, pray, seek God, listen, and trust Him. He will give you what you need. Whether it's peace, joy, hope, or a solution to the problem.


In times of trouble, may the LORD answer your cry.  
Psalm 20:1 (NLT)