Not So Fail

While going through the book review section of the newspaper, I came across an amusing book titled, “Edison’s Concrete Piano” by Judy Wearing. It’s a book that covers the backgrounds, personalities, and the work of 16 inventors. This is where you can find out all about the failures of these geniuses.

Thomas Edison brought us the light bulb and photography, but he also tried to create a concrete piano. Other geniuses tried to bring us crazy things like earthquake machines, flying tanks, miracle cures using peanut oil and other failed inventions.

Leonardo da Vinci brought us amazing works of art and was ahead of his time in science. But he believed he was a complete and utter failure. He finished only a few paintings, most of his experiments failed and he had, in his view, very little to show for all his work. But in truth he made such a huge contribution to society.

If these inventors had simply stopped after their first failure, then there is much we may never have seen. If God calls us to do something, then we should do it. Just because it’s God’s will doesn’t mean the way will automatically be easy. It doesn’t mean we will enjoy success the moment we begin.

If it is something that really matters, then we will have to face many obstacles. This is a given. But what is also a given is that God will grant us the strength to persevere, the will to remain positive, and the drive to complete our tasks. He will provide us with everything we need.

So, the next time you look at someone else’s success, know that they had to go through many failures first. Don’t give up the pursuit of your dreams. Because it matters to you, it matters to God.

The Price of Free

Our old home was a dungeon. We used to be chained there… in the dark...waiting to die. Then Jesus freed us. He broke our chains, he took our place and then he paid the price of our punishment. We couldn’t earn this freedom. We couldn’t buy this freedom. We couldn’t steal this freedom. He gave it to us freely. And so it cost us nothing to accept this gift.

But there is a cost to following Jesus. It’s important to know this. If we blindly follow Him, expecting rainbows and candy, then we will fall away the moment any form of conflict comes our way. Below I have listed some of the costs:

The cost of alienation: We no longer belong to the world. We are outcasts to its ways. We are set apart and different. No longer can we laugh at the lewd jokes. No longer can we gather in the workplace kitchens and exchange gossip. No longer can we bad-mouth someone else because they bad-mouthed us. We must face persecution without striking back.

The cost of self denial: God must come first. We are no longer number one. We must deny our pride, our self reliance, our stubbornness. God must come first, even above our spouses, our children, our friends and our jobs.

The cost of reliance: We must give up our independence. We must put our trust in God and rely on Him in everything we do.

The cost of vigilance: We can’t relax and take it easy. We must be forever vigilant for the subtle things that turn our attention away from God. We can’t take a break. We can’t fall back on our old ways.

Are you prepared to pay the price of following Jesus? Can you think of other costs to add to this list?

Tomorrow I will talk about the REWARD of following Jesus, which far out-weighs the cost.

6 Easy Ways to Gain Elephant Skin

Did you know that an elephant’s skin is extremely tough around most parts of its body and measures about 2.5cm thick? Now that’s thick skin! Is your skin this thick? Do you have the ability to shrug off criticism, or better, learn from it? Can you ignore jibes? Can you shut out other people’s doubts about you?

Below are six easy ways to grow an elephant skin:

1. Never take it personally. Often when faced with those who are quick to judge, they have no real understanding of your position. They may be thinking they are helping you. They may be jealous. They may be afraid. What they are feeling is their problem, not yours.

2. Do your Best. You can’t be criticised for being lazy if you do your best.

3. Persevere. Don’t turn yourself into a victim by listening to hurtful words. Don’t give up if you are offered criticism. Learn from the experience. Bend in the storms, but don’t give up.

4. Pray. Pray for strength to withstand the doubts, the fears, the jibes. Pray for a thick elephant skin.

5. Trust God. Trust Him to open the doors of opportunity when they need to be opened. Trust Him to close those doors if it’s not where you are supposed to be. And believe that He will give you the desire, the drive and the ability to achieve the things you need to achieve.

6. Know you are loved. God loves you and will never stop loving you. He will hold you close and protect you. His faithfulness can never be questioned. All those doubters and haters can’t touch you because of this love.

Can you think of other ways of overcoming criticism and doubts?

photo: rock formation at Bare Island, Sydney, Australia

Celebrations

Today’s post is both a devotional and a thank you. I’d like thank Rebekah from Reflection Space for turning one of my blogs into a featured post to celebrate her 100th post. I feel deeply honoured.

I am also delighted because “I Am Yours” was written when I had only about 3 followers. It seemed a shame for one of my favourite posts to get lost amongst all the other posts.

Please visit her blog and check it out. 100 is an impressive number and it reflects her dedication to sharing her life with God, her creativity and her gift for encouragement.

As Romans 12:6-8 says, we all have different gifts and, like Rebekah, we should use these gifts with generosity and cheerfulness. We may never know how much it touches someone. We may never know what a difference we have made. We may never gain any feedback at all. But it is right and it is pleasing to God and it does make a difference.

The Monkey Trap

I recently watched an old documentary about instinct verses intelligence in primates. The show noted that chimpanzees were highly intelligent. However, even though they could make rudimentary tools to achieve certain things, instinct still ruled them.

Scientists placed a treat inside a cavity with a small opening. The monkey could smell the treat and knew it was good. He reached in and grabbed his treasure only to discover that he couldn’t get it out. The monkey’s closed fist was too large to get through the hole again. All he had to do was let go and he’d be free. But he couldn’t do this. He wanted the treat. He tried forcing the treat through the hole. He tried shaking it and yelping, but nothing worked. He became oblivious of any potential danger. He didn’t even realise he was trapped.

We too rely on instinct. We hold onto things and refuse to let go. We worry and fuss. We stick to our hold habits rather than following God’s way. We think we know what's best for us and pursue the wrong goals. In our stubbornness, we become oblivious to the danger that arises whenever we do anything without God.

This is why we must learn to let go of the worldly things. We need to learn to listen for God’s direction, and allow Him to carry us along the right path. This is a thing to be practiced, with daily reminders through prayer and fellowship. The more time we spend with God, the more His desires become our desires, and the less we rely on instinct.

A Wandering Mind

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."

Exodus 14:14 (NIV)

This is one of my favourite verses in the Bible. It is also one I have struggled with for many years. I may be able to sit still for a long time, I may not fidget very often, but I am one of those people who suffer from a wandering mind. I think, I worry, I fret, I plan, I ponder. How can I be still when all this is going on? How can I remain focussed on God? How can I let him fight for me when my mind churns in chaos?

The first thing I’ve found that helps is to ask God for forgiveness and then to forgive myself. There is little point in worrying about the worrying. It only adds to the worrying.

The second thing that helps is to thank the Lord for making me the way that I am. I have a crazy mind that can lead me astray, but it can also lead me to wonderful places. And so I thank the Lord for that.

The third and final thing that helps is prayer and persistence. What all these things do is turn my thoughts back to my God – and back again to my God. They teach me patience and humility and most especially reliance on the Lord.

What helps you to be still in our Lord?