After a bunch of teaching, Jesus tells The Twelve that He will soon leave (die a horrible death) and that they will soon undergo some problems (persecution because they know Him). And right before He prays a beautiful prayer over them, He says, “Take heart. I have overcome the world.”
Don’t lose heart. I love that phrase even more than “Do not be afraid.” Even though angel warriors don’t show up with this message, it hits home. Think about these phrases. Don’t lose your head. We don’t want to end up like John the Baptist or Goliath, so we don’t take this one seriously. We don’t want to go crazy and act nuts even though we do sometimes. The idea that we would act crazy in a situation is preposterous to us. We won’t lose our heads. Don’t lose your life. We don’t put our lives in danger. There are few hills we’re willing to die on. We don’t want to pull a George Bailey even though we may talk about it. We would love to have the opportunity to be heroic in some way, but we most often miss the everyday heroics—offering our table to a pregnant woman in a crowded lunch restaurant, doing more at...
An expectation is a premeditated resentment.
Fear is the major issue I face as a divorced guy. I’ve heard for years that there are 365 “fear not” passages in the Bible. I’m going to look at as many as I can—hopefully all of them—to give counsel to my own soul. Click on the word Fear at the top of the page to read all of the articles on the topic. What do you do when you feel fear? I’ve tried many things over the years. I “sit” in my fear and let myself feel it. Experts say that the physiological effects of an emotion last no longer than 90 seconds. If one doesn’t feel the emotion, it can come back to bat over and over again I call a friend who knows my story and is willing to walk with me through the struggles. It helps to talk. I quote a Scripture out loud or I sing a song out loud. This technique has proved the most helpful. Then there’s the other thing I do: imagine all of...
If you make a to-do list, refer to Things or another app, carry a Franklin-Covey planner, or subscribe to the “One Thing” theory, you probably remind yourself of your marching orders every morning. You ask yourself, like I do, “What am I supposed to do today?” Before you read any further, take a minute and think about that question. What are your marching orders for today? Get them firmly in your mind.
Now, let’s answer another question before we read any further. What obstacles are in your way today? What might keep you from reaching your objectives?
Speak the truth in the fewest words possible.