Romans 12
Many people want to live a better life. They can visualize themselves as a loving parent, a faithful friend, and committed to serving the Lord with all their heart. However, what they see in reality is far from what they imagine in their mind.
What’s going wrong?! How can I get my life on the right track?!
There may be a number of things you must specifically accomplish to live the life the Lord desires for you to live. However, they cannot begin without a new way of thinking.
There are many reasons why we make the decisions we do. When we look back at the outcome of some of the decisions we made, sometimes we can’t understand how we got into such predicaments, how to get out of them, or what we can do to live as God desires. Listed below is an outline of why we make the decisions we do; the consequences behind them; and how we can make good (and godly) decisions.
1. What consumes our decision making?
- Fear of Man (Proverbs 29:25; John 12:37-43)
- Motives (Proverbs 16:2; James 4:2-3)
- Friend of the World (1 John 2:15-17)
- Emotions (Proverbs 19:2)
- Sin/Temptation (John 3:19-21)
Most of us have be the victim of some form of aggressive or bad driving. Some people seem to have trouble getting from Point A to B without driving right. They cut you off, won’t allow you to merge, drive too close to your bumper, and act as if they’re the only ones on the road.
What do you do?
Romans 12:15 – Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
When people experience a loss in their family or circle of friends, we often feel like we should say or do something, but we don’t know what. Though the situation may be awkward, we figure something is better than nothing…
Even though we may mean well, our words or actions may not be well received. We must consider the condition (and emotional state) of others instead of what we would like to do or say to them. We should want our words to be well received and planted in the good soil of their hearts.
Ask the Lord to show you how you can help them right where they are. Maybe it’s bringing them a box of Kleenex, cooking dinner for their family, giving them a ride, or buying flowers. Maybe you are with them in silence. How about watering their grass (or cutting it), picking up their kids from school, or helping with chores around the house?
Please consider the following scriptures:
Proverbs 25:20 – As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
Proverbs 25:11 – A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Photo courtesy of Stock.XCHNG.com/SSPIVAK
Your thoughts and perceptions affect the direction of your life. If you think you will never be an overcomer, then your decisions and actions will reflect it. But if you believe you can overcome, then your decisions and actions will follow. The process of change may not be easy (Hebrews 12:1-13), but the thoughts of a renewed and changed mind will keep you focused on achieving what you believe through Christ Jesus (Romans 12:1-2).
You are what you think. In order to change your decisions and actions, you must change your perspective on how you see yourself, your situations, and other events or ‘positions’ that affect them. As you remove negative thoughts and ‘positions’ from your life, you must add positive, affirming thoughts that motivate you to change. Through your knowledge of Jesus Christ, the Bible, and other affirming messages, you can begin the process of possessing the qualities that allow you to be all that God desires for you (Romans 8:29).
Photo courtesy of freeimages.com/Simon Jackson
1. There are times when people lie on you, talk bad about you, mistreat you, and use you to their advantage. It’s times like these when you want to fight back, speak your mind (or at least give them a piece of it), defend yourself, and avenge the wrong done to you. Even though many know that vengeance is the Lord’s and He’ll repay (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19), the feeling of self-vindication doesn’t seem to go away.
2. There are times when you want to see the other person or group pay for what they did! You want them to know that you were the WRONG PERSON to mess with and to think twice before doing it again! You want to see them squirm and beg for your mercy and forgiveness (Proverbs 24:17-18).
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