Quick! What do the following statements have in common?
“Spare the rod, spoil the child”
“This too shall pass”
“God helps those who help themselves”
Give up? They cannot be found anywhere in the Bible. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and find the verse that corresponds to the aforementioned statements. Trust me, you can’t.
God Helps Those Who Help Themselves…Really?
Although it sounds great, it’s not in the Bible. No matter how good it sounds, if we demonstrate some effort to improve, God will give us a little push in that direction. So we decide to make it by sheer willpower and discipline. The problem is, we run out of steam.
This year, millions will make and break resolutions because they’re trying to solve a spiritual problem through earthly means. The challenge we all face is that we want to be transformed. However, we tend to look within ourselves for the solution. The solution resides outside of ourselves. The solution is God.
Transformation is a problem that we cannot solve. That’s why God sent Jesus! Apart from him, we can do absolutely nothing! In Galatians 3:3, Paul reminds the Galatians that God has given them His Spirit and with this – combined with their faith, they can make it.
Who Does God Help?
God doesn’t help those with themselves. God helps those who abide with Him and those who walk with Him in faith (John 15:1-5). Our efforts were never the impetus for God’s transforming grace. Nor will they be the impetus for our changed hearts.
The Bible says that we are justified by faith. We don’t need willpower or self-effort as much as we need faith that God will accomplish in us and for us what we can’t do ourselves. He is the source of what we long for and need. Willpower and self-effort can only take us so far in our desire to change.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to read David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done. Above all, his book taught how yesterday’s methods just don’t work. We now live in an information society and are constantly bombarded with new information.
In order to be more effective in 2013, we must work smarter… not harder. Allen’s premise is simple:
Our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and all thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential.
Although I read the book a few years ago, I ran across this video and it gave me a refresher on how to be more productive in 2013.
Thank you TEDx for providing this talk about “Stress-Free Productivity.”
How many times have you said, this year will be different? As you prepare for your New Year’s Resolutions, I thought you might enjoy knowing about them according to the University of Scranton, Journal of Clinical Psychology.
New Year’s Resolution Statistics
Percentage of Americans who usually make New Year’s resolutions: 45%
Percentage of Americans who never make New Year’s resolutions: 38%
Percentage of Americans who are successful in achieving New Year’s Resolutions: 8%
People in their 20’s who achieve the resolutions: 39%
People over 50 who achieve their resolutions: 14%
What’s The Point
People make New Year’s Resolutions are 10 times more likely to achieve their goals than those who don’t make any resolutions. In 2013, let’s try something radical – don’t make a New Year’s Resolution!
Here’s a fact: God doesn’t need our approval before He acts.
In case you didn’t hear me, let me repeat it again: God doesn’t need our approval before He acts. There, I said it twice.
Poor Joseph— God didn’t get his approval before acting. Joseph received the worst news of his life: his hopes and dreams for a wife and family came to a dreadful halt (Matt. 1). Before Joseph could follow God’s path, he had to decide if he was on the side of propriety, or scandal.
Before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, Mary became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph and Mary were not yet married, when Joseph was shocked to learn that Mary was pregnant.
Mary and Joseph were in the one-year waiting period when Mary was found to be with child. They had never had sexual intercourse and Mary herself had been faithful. While little is said about Joseph, one can imagine how his heart must have broken. He genuinely loved Mary, and yet the word came that she was pregnant.
His love for her was demonstrated by his actions. He chose not to create a public scandal by exposing her condition to the judges at the city gate. Such an act could have resulted in Mary’s death by stoning (Deut. 22:23-24).
Instead he decided to divorce her quietly. Then in a dream (cf. Matt. 2:13, 19, 22), an angel told Joseph that Mary’s condition was not caused by a man, but through the Holy Spirit (1:20; cf. v. 18). The Child Mary carried in her womb was a unique Child, for He would be a Son whom Joseph should name Jesus for He would save His people from their sins.
God did all of this without asking for Joseph and Mary’s approval.
Can you recall moments when God moved without asking for your approval?
Sacrifice is being willing to give up something good for something better. Life is full of boundless possibilities, but in order to transform a possibility into a reality we have to choose — sacrificing the many in order to attain the one. My previous postssuggests, as a leader you sacrifice your time andenergy. In case you missed it, you can read it HEREand HERE.
Nothing is gained without something relinquished.
Sacrifice has meaning only in the context of a goal, dream or mission. In pursuing these, we often face obstacles which require us to forfeit physical or emotional comfort in the service of something that matters more. Often, the greater the dream or vision, the greater the shared sacrifice required to attain it. Sacrifice is easier when we stay focused on what we are choosing rather than what we are giving up. In addition to sacrificing time and energy, As a Leader you sacrifice your Ego (more…)
Successful leaders don’t rest on their laurels, because leadership is not a title on a business card. Leadership is a living process – and that means growth, according to Ken Blanchard & Mark Miller in Great Leaders Grow. Ask any leader “what it takes to become a great leader” and I guarantee you sacrifice is right at the top of every successful leader’s list.
My previous postsuggests, as a leader you sacrifice your time. In case you missed it, you can read it HERE. I once heard someone say, “in order to go up, you must be willing to give up something.” A true leader will sacrifice their personal agenda for the sake of an organization’s goals. In addition to sacrificing time, as a leader you sacrifice your energy.
The task of being an effective leader requires diligent effort and sacrifice. The principles of servant hearted leadership encourage an aspiring leader to invest themselves in others. This means that you need to pour energy into your team and organization. As a result there will be many emotional, mental and physical demands on you.
When preparing for leadership, know that you will have to sacrifice your energy. To counter this, find ways in which you can keep your energy levels up so that you can remain effective as a leader. Physical fitness has great benefits and is one way in which you can keep your energy resources renewed. The important thing is that you be prepared. Don’t underestimate the sacrifice of energy that leadership requires.
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