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Happy New Year to everyone. I have been through many tough issues in the last several years which has escalated in the last several months. One thing that God has shown me is that I have had my eyes on everything else around me. I have had many expectations regarding family members, even friends and have been totally disappointed by many of them.
God has been especially speaking to me about focusing totally on Him and letting go of all expectations and the way others are acting and doing things. He has shown me that I have actually made others into IDOLS instead of Him. He has also shown me that I have lost my own vision of who I am in Him because I am so consumed by everyone else.
My primary resolution for this year is to get to know God better by studying His Word and letting my family, friends and situations go... or by giving all those things to Him to take care of. They truly belong to Him anyway and He can take care of them better than me.
I was wondering, is anyone else feeling this way? Distracted? Please share.
Happy New Year to everyone. I have been through many tough issues in the last several years which has escalated in the last several months. One thing that God has shown me is that I have had my eyes on everything else around me. I have had many expectations regarding family members, even friends and have been totally disappointed by many of them.
God has been especially speaking to me about focusing totally on Him and letting go of all expectations and the way others are acting and doing things. He has shown me that I have actually made others into IDOLS instead of Him. He has also shown me that I have lost my own vision of who I am in Him because I am so consumed by everyone else.
My primary resolution for this year is to get to know God better by studying His Word and letting my family, friends and situations go... or by giving all those things to Him to take care of. They truly belong to Him anyway and He can take care of them better than me.
I was wondering, is anyone else feeling this way? Distracted? Please share.
I am distracted often, I am distracted now I really hate feeling this way because it takes my attention off of our God.
It drains me mentally and physically.
That is a good point you made about idols, I feel the same way I am consumed as you by unappreciative family members. IDOLS
I don't idolise them as one would think, but when sickness hits what can I do but help?
I do what I can when I can to help family then when they act as if everything is my responsibility it is extremely upsetting.
The only resolution I can think that would work for us is put God first.
I plan on doing this, but easier said than done.
I am distracted often, I am distracted now I really hate feeling this way because it takes my attention off of our God.
It drains me mentally and physically.
That is a good point you made about idols, I feel the same way I am consumed as you by unappreciative family members. IDOLS
I don't idolise them as one would think, but when sickness hits what can I do but help?
I do what I can when I can to help family then when they act as if everything is my responsibility it is extremely upsetting.
The only resolution I can think that would work for us is put God first.
I plan on doing this, but easier said than done.
Well maybe we could start an accountability or support group (online) because it seems like this is not just a small problem. A lot of my friends struggle with this as well. Your words are almost exact as to how I feel. I am getting sick of it and the words "no matter what I do it is never enough" is something that I am constantly hearing. Lies from the enemy, lies echoing from my past, a broken record that I am sick of hearing.
Thanks for sharing and like I said, I am ready for a change..
Well maybe we could start an accountability or support group (online) because it seems like this is not just a small problem. A lot of my friends struggle with this as well. Your words are almost exact as to how I feel. I am getting sick of it and the words "no matter what I do it is never enough" is something that I am constantly hearing. Lies from the enemy, lies echoing from my past, a broken record that I am sick of hearing.
Thanks for sharing and like I said, I am ready for a change..
I agree we must muster enough courage to put God first, and we must not lose ourselves in these trials.
Happy New Year to everyone. I have been through many tough issues in the last several years which has escalated in the last several months. One thing that God has shown me is that I have had my eyes on everything else around me. I have had many expectations regarding family members, even friends and have been totally disappointed by many of them.
God has been especially speaking to me about focusing totally on Him and letting go of all expectations and the way others are acting and doing things. He has shown me that I have actually made others into IDOLS instead of Him. He has also shown me that I have lost my own vision of who I am in Him because I am so consumed by everyone else.
My primary resolution for this year is to get to know God better by studying His Word and letting my family, friends and situations go... or by giving all those things to Him to take care of. They truly belong to Him anyway and He can take care of them better than me.
I was wondering, is anyone else feeling this way? Distracted? Please share.
Distractions are an issue in the life of every believer. The reason God leaves believers on the earth after salvation is so that the believer can have his faith tested in the sense of being exercised. You test a muscle through exercise in order for it to grow stronger. And so it is with our spiritual life. God commands the believer to 'grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ' (2 Peter 3:18).
In our lives there are varying circumstances that sometimes are the results of decisions both good and bad, that we make, and sometimes circumstances that are brought into our lives by God for the purpose of testing in order to accelerate our spiritual growth. Some believers pass the testing by maintaining their scale of values which always places God first by putting the word of God first in their lives. Others, actually most believers, on the other hand, allow themselves to be distracted by the details of life.
God sends testing into the lives of those who are growing spiritually in order to help them grow. But most believers are not growing and have no interest in growing spiritually. They believe in Christ for salvation and then say, goodbye God, I'll see you in heaven. And then they go on with their lives of family, friends, social life, job, career, hobbies, sports, tv...etc, whatever it is. Anything and everything gets placed before their spiritual life which gets put on the back burner. These 'details of life' are often used by Satan as a part of his cosmic system in order to distract the believer from the objective of advancing toward the high ground of spiritual maturity.
Salvation is a one time decision, but your spiritual growth after salvation is a constant series of decisions to keep your priorities straight. And it's strictly up to each believer to make those decisions. Only you can live your own spiritual life, and it is a matter between each individual believer and the Lord. And the farther you advance spiritually, the more Satanic opposition is directed toward you, only to be met by even more grace from God.
There is no standing still in the spiritual life. At any given moment you are either growing or you are retrogressing. 'Qui non proficit deficit.' He who does not advance loses ground.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividng the word of truth.
Happy New Year to everyone. I have been through many tough issues in the last several years which has escalated in the last several months. One thing that God has shown me is that I have had my eyes on everything else around me. I have had many expectations regarding family members, even friends and have been totally disappointed by many of them.
God has been especially speaking to me about focusing totally on Him and letting go of all expectations and the way others are acting and doing things. He has shown me that I have actually made others into IDOLS instead of Him. He has also shown me that I have lost my own vision of who I am in Him because I am so consumed by everyone else.
My primary resolution for this year is to get to know God better by studying His Word and letting my family, friends and situations go... or by giving all those things to Him to take care of. They truly belong to Him anyway and He can take care of them better than me.
I was wondering, is anyone else feeling this way? Distracted? Please share.
Distraction is, and will remain for me a problem.
As many have said, a focus on Christ will remedy the problem to the extent that I remain focused on Him.
I must also remember the extent of God's love for all his children. Even the ones the I don't love. Or those who, in my judgemental ignorance, don't believe deserve God's ( and by extension, my ) Love.
A little saying I heard has been helpful;
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the people I can not change,
the courage to change the person I can,
and the wisdom to know it's me"
Distractions are an issue in the life of every believer. The reason God leaves believers on the earth after salvation is so that the believer can have his faith tested in the sense of being exercised. You test a muscle through exercise in order for it to grow stronger. And so it is with our spiritual life. God commands the believer to 'grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ' (2 Peter 3:18).
In our lives there are varying circumstances that sometimes are the results of decisions both good and bad, that we make, and sometimes circumstances that are brought into our lives by God for the purpose of testing in order to accelerate our spiritual growth. Some believers pass the testing by maintaining their scale of values which always places God first by putting the word of God first in their lives. Others, actually most believers, on the other hand, allow themselves to be distracted by the details of life.
God sends testing into the lives of those who are growing spiritually in order to help them grow. But most believers are not growing and have no interest in growing spiritually. They believe in Christ for salvation and then say, goodbye God, I'll see you in heaven. And then they go on with their lives of family, friends, social life, job, career, hobbies, sports, tv...etc, whatever it is. Anything and everything gets placed before their spiritual life which gets put on the back burner. These 'details of life' are often used by Satan as a part of his cosmic system in order to distract the believer from the objective of advancing toward the high ground of spiritual maturity.
Salvation is a one time decision, but your spiritual growth after salvation is a constant series of decisions to keep your priorities straight. And it's strictly up to each believer to make those decisions. Only you can live your own spiritual life, and it is a matter between each individual believer and the Lord. And the farther you advance spiritually, the more Satanic opposition is directed toward you, only to be met by even more grace from God.
There is no standing still in the spiritual life. At any given moment you are either growing or you are retrogressing. 'Qui non proficit deficit.' He who does not advance loses ground.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividng the word of truth.
Happy New Year
Good post Mike. Well then in light of what is going on in my life God must really be wanting/desiring me to grow. At times I ask Him, alright Lord how much more of this can I take? I do believe that His answer is "focus on me and the Word, meditate on it and the things around you will not be such an issue". With that said, it is me then that will continue to lose this battle and this testing if I don't listen and become a student in His ways. Oftentimes I feel overwhelmed with it all and do not know where to begin.
Thanks for sharing. This forum has been very valuable in the information it has provided. I appreciate all the messages and responses to my concerns and struggles..
God Bless
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