Archive for the ‘Attitudes’ Category
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012
Last week (Are You Avoiding God?) I wrote about some guys who feared listening to God because He might ask them to do something they don’t want to do. I think they were afraid God would invite them out of their personal comfort zones. They were right.
I thought about security as I watched some families commit to difficult, dangerous missionary work. They chose to abandon comfort and safety—and they actually seemed excited about it!
I believe they discovered God’s invitation to serve in their sweet spot, that wonderful intersection of passions, gifts, and service.
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
To me, the point is that God doesn’t call us to drudgery and misery. He invites us to discover how to use our gifts and passions in service to others.
A full, abundant life involves hard work, sacrifice, and risk, because that’s where we experience excitement, joy, and authentic fulfillment. He absolutely invites us to leave our comfort zones, but it’s not because He wants us to be miserable.
He knows a quest for comfort at all costs is a waste of life.
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Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:
Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site
www.relentlessgrace.com
Tags: Attitudes, Choices, hardship, ministry, New Beginning, Pain, Responsibility, worry
Posted in Ability to Overcome, Attitudes, Choices, Faith, For Friends & Family of Dysfunctional People, General Recovery, New Beginning, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Responsibility, Step 12, Step 3 | Comments Off
Friday, April 27th, 2012
What’s stopping you from following your dream?
That’s the question I asked as the guys at the retreat prepared for a day of mountain biking, hiking, 4-wheeling, and rock climbing. I challenged them to talk with their companions about the fears that get in the way.
One particular response was particularly revealing. “I’m afraid if I really listen to God, He might tell me to do something I don’t really want to do.”
What a wonderful—and brutally honest—insight. It’s an interesting twist on a common complaint.
Lots of folks grumble that God never speaks to them. What if the real problem is that we’re afraid to listen? What if we intentionally keep God at a distance to avoid disrupting our self-created illusion of security?
Most of the guys around the fire that night agreed. We seek to serve—when it’s convenient, when it fits into the schedule. We want to finish well—but we need to guard the 401(k).
We want to follow—on our terms.
What if we’re not-so-secretly afraid that Jesus was serious when He said, “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27)
What if our efforts to follow Jesus in a safe, sanitary manner actually cause us to avoid God because we’re afraid of what He might say?
I stated my goal on Friday night: I wanted to pose some questions that might create a bit of internal dissonance, prompt conversations, and cause each guy to lose a few minutes of sleep. Sunday morning brought several mostly good-natured complaints, and demands for extra coffee, from men who didn’t sleep quite as much as planned.
I intended challenging questions. I didn’t plan on answers that would keep me awake.
Are you avoiding God because you’re afraid of what He might tell you?
CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog
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Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:
Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com
Tags: Attitudes, bondage, Choices, God's Love, ministry, New Beginning, rebellion, Responsibility, worry
Posted in Ability to Overcome, Assurance, Attitudes, Choices, Faith, For Friends & Family of Dysfunctional People, General Recovery, New Beginning, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Responsibility, Step 12, Step 2, Step 3 | Comments Off
Thursday, April 26th, 2012
I spent the past few days speaking at a retreat in Moab, Utah. It was a perfect weekend.
I’m thinking about “perfect” because of a particular scripture passage:
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”. (Matthew 5:48)
That seems a bit unrealistic. I understand God’s perfection, but how can Jesus possibly expect me to match God’s flawless nature?
The Greek word teleios, translated “perfect,” means “full, needing nothing for completeness.” It’s different than our notion of perfection which implies a total absence of defects. It’s more about being what’s intended and completely fulfilling a purpose. In The Message the same passage clarifies:
“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
This weekend wasn’t free of blemishes. But it did complete its intended purpose.
You and I can’t avoid errors. We’ll fail and stumble.
But we can grow up. We can live generously and graciously toward others. We can strive to live out our God-created identities.
We can’t achieve perfection. We can seek to be perfect.
CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog
here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:
Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com
Tags: Attitudes, Choices, failure, ministry, motives, New Beginning, rejection, Responsibility, sin, slip
Posted in Ability to Overcome, Attitudes, Choices, Faith, General Recovery, New Beginning, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Responsibility, Step 12 | Comments Off
Wednesday, April 25th, 2012
Psalm 119:66:
“Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.”
When challenges come—and they will, what do we do?
The psalmist prayed and asked God to teach him “knowledge and good judgment.”
If you recently received a diagnosis of cancer, you are probably scared. You may feel depressed and wonder if you’ll survive.
Perhaps a family member or friend struggles with a life-threatening disease or the loss of a job or a home. You may feel the same emotions as the one struggling with the disease or the loss.
God wants us to know we can go to him and ask for his help as we make the necessary decisions.
The qualities of knowledge and good judgment belong to God, but he longs to teach them to us. All we have to do is ask.
We are blessed to serve a God who loves us so much that he will teach us knowledge and good judgment. We don’t need to stumble in the dark.
The second part of the verse says, “For I believe in your commands.” God loves us, and his commands are good and worth believing.
The difficulties in our lives can shake our faith and we may find ourselves saying as the man whose son possessed a spirit, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
Dear God, teach me knowledge and good judgment. Amen.
Application: How will you show this week that you believe God’s commands?
Tags: Attitudes, Choices, failure, grief, hardship, loss, New Beginning, Pain, Responsibility
Posted in Ability to Overcome, Assurance, Attitudes, Choices, Faith, For Friends & Family of Dysfunctional People, General Recovery, Pain, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Responsibility, Step 2, Step 3 | Comments Off
Tuesday, April 24th, 2012
A few days ago I asked What’s It Cost?
My basic conclusion was to count the cost (Luke 14:28) because following a dream is an all-in deal.
After reflecting on my own words (dangerous activity) I’m wondering if I asked the wrong question. Maybe we ought to ask:
What’s the cost of NOT following the dream?
A dream offers a choice. You have to decide, eventually, to follow or not-follow. It’s a mistake to perceive “not-follow” as a non-choice, because not-following is expensive.
Not-following has costs. Perhaps the most obvious is regret, a nagging lifelong sense of “what if?” rattling around in those spare moments when you’re not distracted by day-to-day tasks. Don’t dismiss it. “What if” haunts you forever.
The not-following costs are harder to nail down. People not touched, opportunities missed, gifts unused—it’s difficult to put those on a balance sheet.
A dream, a God-inspired desire, is its own entity. A dream invites. It shows up like Jesus and says, “Come. Follow me.” A dream opens a door and invites you to enter.
I don’t know where this bike-riding thing is leading. I’m consistently surprised by where I go, who I meet, and what I do.
Honestly, a big part of me wants to drop the whole notion. I don’t need the aggravation, the uncertainty, the risk. I’d rather drink another cup of coffee. I’ve tried to resist this dream’s invitation. It’s uncomfortable, and I don’t like uncomfortable.
For me it comes down to this (at the risk of a confusing double negative): I can’t be all-in for not-following.
Not-following means settling for safety and comfort. Not-following means “what if.” Not-following is expensive.
I’m following this dream—riding and writing—because I’m unwilling to pay the price to not-follow.
You?
CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog
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Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:
Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site
Tags: Attitudes, bondage, Choices, hardship, motives, New Beginning, Responsibility
Posted in Attitudes, Choices, Faith, General Recovery, New Beginning, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Responsibility, Step 12, Step 3 | Comments Off
Monday, April 23rd, 2012
But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions…what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. (2 Timothy 3:10-11, NKJV)
The Apostle Paul was no stranger to suffering, yet he was no whiner either. He patiently endured whatever hardships came his way as a result of his bold proclamation of faith in the risen Christ, knowing his Lord would keep him safe whatever happened.
Notice, however, that though Paul knew God would keep him safe, he didn’t expect Him to spare him from suffering. Paul understood that such things were part of the cost he must pay for serving the One whom the world rejected. Nothing much has changed in that regard, has it? Though we in many countries are free to worship God as we wish, others around the globe are not so blessed.
Jesus Himself set the example, didn’t He? Another Apostle, Thomas, wanted proof of that example. When he was told that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, he didn’t ask to see Christ’s face or to hear His voice. He said he must touch His wounds, the scars that proved His suffering on our behalf, before he would believe. Graciously, Jesus accommodated him.
Our redemption was bought at a great price, so great we can scarcely begin to fathom it. The scars on the risen Christ’s body are testimony to that redemption and the unconditional love that sealed it.
Can we, as followers of Christ, expect any less? Even if we are not openly persecuted for our faith, there is always a price to pray, a part of self that needs to die daily so our risen Lord can live within us. There’s no room on the throne for two; only Jesus has earned the right to sit there. When we are called to any sort of suffering in our walk with Him, may we endure it humbly, knowing that the scars it produces will provide evidence of Christ’s love for others to see, that they too might believe and be saved.
Tags: Abuse, anger, Attitudes, Choices, criticism, disabilities, failure, God's Love, grief, hardship, Pain, salvation, serenity, strength, verbal abuse, worry
Posted in Ability to Overcome, Assurance, Attitudes, Faith, For Friends & Family of Dysfunctional People, General Recovery, Pain, Renewal, Step 2, Step 3 | Comments Off
Friday, April 20th, 2012
What’s the cost of following a dream?
Dreams aren’t free. You pay to follow a dream. Costs are measured in dollars, time, effort, and emotion.
How do you decide if following a dream is “worth it”?
Frankly, I don’t know how you answer that question. I suppose you can weigh anticipated risk against predicted reward, but I don’t think the decision to follow a dream depends on a balance sheet.
In fact, I’d bet most dreams wouldn’t survive an up-front cost-benefit analysis. I think you follow a dream despite potential risk
or cost.
A DREAM is a God-inspired desire to use your gifts and passions to serve and change the world.
When you respond to a God-inspired desire, I think you’re all-in. Jesus called it “counting the cost.”
But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? (Luke 14:28)
Jesus was talking about the cost of following Him. He admonished listeners to understand that following Him requires total commitment. You don’t get to hold anything back.
That’s kind of how it is to follow a dream. You jump into the deep end without knowing where it’ll lead or how it’ll turn out. You vow to do whatever it takes and trust God for the rest.
The size of your dream reflects the size of your God. If it doesn’t scare you, maybe you’re not dreaming big enough. It’s #1 on my list of What Did I Learn from Rich’s Ride:
Don’t allow your resources to determine your vision.
If the dream’s God-inspired, it’s worth it—whatever “it” happens to be.
CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog
here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:
Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.co
Tags: Attitudes, Choices, failure, hardship, ministry, New Beginning, rejection, worry
Posted in Ability to Overcome, Anxiety, Assurance, Attitudes, Choices, Faith, For Friends & Family of Dysfunctional People, New Beginning, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Renewal, Step 12, Step 2 | Comments Off
Wednesday, April 18th, 2012
Do you follow or obey Jesus out of a sense of duty or obligation?
Duty is only a substitute for love. ~ C. S. Lewis
I’ve always had this nagging sense that Jesus never wanted anyone to follow because they felt obligated or compelled. He doesn’t want followers who fear the consequences of not-following.
That’s why God sent a person rather than a list of rules or a book of theology. If I could know this person completely, I’d follow because I couldn’t imagine anything better. My desires lead me astray to the extent that I don’t truly “get” Jesus.
I encountered this wonderful quote from C. S. Lewis: Letters to Children:
A perfect man would never act from a sense of duty; he’d always want the right thing more than the wrong one. Duty is only a substitute for love (of God and of other people), like a crutch, which is a substitute for a leg. Most of us need the crutch at times; but of course it’s idiotic to use the crutch when our own legs (or own loves, tastes, habits etc) can do the journey on their own!
I think Lewis is saying that when we focus on duty—rules, obligations, anything that smacks of coercion—we create false gods.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
Whenever I feel guilty for not doing something, or afraid of what will happen if I don’t do something, I figure it’s a sign that I’m missing the point. Jesus isn’t about fear and guilt.
Following from a sense of obligation tells me where my desire isn’t aligned with the person of Jesus. It’s not telling me to fight my desire.
It’s telling me to learn more about love. It’s telling me I need to get to know Jesus better.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
One look at how this works in real life: Clear Eyes, Full Heart.
CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog
here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:
Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com
Tags: Attitudes, bondage, Choices, freedom, motives, Responsibility
Posted in Attitudes, Choices, Faith, General Recovery, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Responsibility, Step 12 | Comments Off
Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
Yesterday my friend Jon Swanson posted an article titled How Jesus Fixed Breakfast For Some Losers. Jon’s final line: If you’ve left your nets to follow Jesus, the way forward isn’t going to be by going back.
Jon’s got me thinking about how often I “go back.” Jesus addressed it:
“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” Mark 2:21-22
I can’t patch Jesus onto the holes in my old life. I can’t dump out the junk and pour Him into the same empty container.
Jesus didn’t come to prop up a sagging life or serve as a fresh coat of paint on a dilapidated house. He came to tear down the old and build something new. He offers a solid foundation, but the old building’s gotta go first.
Am I willing to let Him do that? “Die to self” is a catchy little phrase–except for the “die” part. That pretty scary if I take it seriously.
But I think that’s exactly what He wants.
CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog
here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:
Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com
Tags: Attitudes, Choices, failure, Forgiveness of God, God's Love, healing, New Beginning, Responsibility
Posted in Ability to Overcome, Assurance, Attitudes, Choices, Faith, Forgiveness of God, General Recovery, New Beginning, Renewal, Responsibility, Step 3 | Comments Off
Monday, April 16th, 2012
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24)
Which is more important in life—the journey or the destination?
Paper or plastic.
With us or against us.
As I work on writing the story of RICH’S RIDE (check out some excerpts here) I’m struck by how easily we’re drawn into false dilemmas.
Politicians and marketers insist that we “take a stand.” Anyone who refuses to choose—on their terms—becomes wishy-washy and indecisive. “Liberty or death!” demands a decision, right?
False dilemmas are just what the term implies—they’re false. They concoct an artificial line and frame the debate in terms of choosing the proper side of the line. That debate obscures important questions. Is this the right line? Does a line even exist?
But in most circumstances I don’t really have to select paper or plastic. Usually there’s a third, superior option that’s revealed by deeper thinking and better questions.
Which of my 255 TV channels should I watch? It’s a false dilemma. Maybe I should read a book or play with the dog.
Should I focus on the prize or how I pursue it?
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24)
Obviously the prize matters. It’s the reason for running.
But “how I run” matters, too.
It’s about the journey AND the destination.
CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog
here
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2008-2012 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:
Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com
Tags: Attitudes, Choices, New Beginning, peace, serenity, worry
Posted in Assurance, Attitudes, Choices, General Recovery, Pastors & Recovery Pros, Responsibility, Step 12 | Comments Off
Copyright 2010-2012, Yvonne Ortega, LPC, LSATP, CCDVCAll Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.
Copyright 2009-2012 Kathi Macias, all rights reserved. Used by permission.
