Are you holding yourself back? - Free Yourself

The first half of 2013 has come and gone and the second half of the year is before us. Hmm! How has the year been for you?  For me, it’s been awesome I mean A W E S O M E… aside the privilege of being alive, God has done so much for me, with me and through me.

Now enough of me…. Let’s talk about you! Yes you. How has your year been?

Do you remember all the resolutions you made beginning of the year? You said you were going to work on your character, build an intimate relationship with God, pursue that degree, relocate, start that new project, get a new job, and get married and a whole lot more?

You remember don’t you? How far with all those plans? Are you living the life you said you are going to live? Are you pursing those dreams or are you holding yourself back from pursing them! The last thing you want to do is live a life full of incomplete dreams.

Six months have come and gone and I want you to EVALUATE yourself. Use the next SIX months to build on all your successes and where you haven’t done so well, do all you can to make the most of what’s left of the year.

One of the ironies of life is that many times, we hold ourselves back from living a passion filled, purposeful life without even knowing it. And usually it is over petty issues that very illogical to reason.
Do you give everything you do in life your all? Or are you holing yourself back in some way, in some aspect of life, without even knowing it?

The truth is, we all have fears but then, we must make sure we don’t allow our fears hold us back from living a passion-filled, purposeful life.

Many things hold us back from doing the things we want to do and becoming the person we want to become and I will just hit on a few of them randomly so here is where we begin...

They won’t like me!
Its human nature to want acceptance; nobody likes being rejected but when the fear of being rejected causes you to hold yourself back at key moments in life you might want to ask yourself which is important? “Being accepted or living your life for you?”  

It’s cynical to think you need other people to validate you, your thoughts, or actions before you live your God ordained life. Never allow people manipulate you through their misguided expectations of who they think you ought to be. Be who Christ want you to be, do what you know is right and enjoy your life. You don’t live to please people.

Procrastination!

Another thing that holds many back is procrastination. For me, overcoming procrastination is one of the biggest miracles of my life and if I could do it, you too can do it. The point is this: if something is not helping you then most likely, it is hurting you and procrastination we know has messed many (if not all of us) up.

The key to overcoming this cancer (procrastination) is DISCIPLINE. And what I mean by discipline is “doing what you are supposed to do, when you are supposed to do it whether you feel like doing it or not.” Trust me it is that simple.

What procrastination does is that it makes easy things hard and hard things harder. You need to realize that there is no substitute for doing the right things. Don’t allow procrastination cause you to hold yourself back.

Un-forgiveness!

 Un-forgiveness is one deep topic I cannot discuss in one single note but I’m going to run through it.

Forgiveness is not an option in life. It is a MUST. Why? Because in life, PEOPLE (even the ones you never thought would) are going to wrong/hurt you. It happens all the time. But you see forgiveness is not for the other person(s) per say it is for YOU.

There is absolutely no way, you are going to live a free and a healthy live without forgiveness. Un- forgiveness is you being in prison without being behind physical bars. Why would you want that?

It time you stop letting situations, what someone did or didn’t do, past guilt and mistake hold you back. Forgive yourself, free yourself and forgive them even if not for anything, so that GOD can forgive you. "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matt 6:14-15).

My last thought on forgiveness is, just because you forgave someone doesn't mean you need to keep having dealings with them. There are some people you have to love and deal with from afar!

I talked extensively on “reaching forgiveness” in a different note. See it here http://sureboy.blogspot.com/2011/04/reaching-forgiveness.html

Sin!

When I mention sin as something that holds an individual back, I am not trying to be overly religious. I know some people may not agree with me on this but then, this isn’t public opinion. This is purely my thought and I know what I am saying.

Sin is an anomaly. It is a package deal that brings momentary satisfaction but has eternal consequences. And one of its consequences is that it holds you back. Do you know that God cannot bless sin? Read Psalms 1:1-3.

I do not intend to scare you with my preaching. As a matter of fact, I bring you hope. I need you to know that there is NO condemnation in Christ Jesus so never allow your past sins stop you from going to God. God is waiting for you with arms wide open. Just ask for forgiveness, and go to Him. When you ask God to forgive you, not only will He do it, but He will remember it NO MORE.

I can go on and on with this piece but I’m just going to round up here by saying stop making excuses, stop procrastinating, stop dwelling on squandered opportunities, forgive freely, run away from sin and live out your God ordained life.

God has not forgotten about the dreams He placed in your heart. He can change your entire life in a moment. He can make the rest part of this year the best part of the year for you. Rest in HIM.

So are you holding yourself back? – free yourself.

 Just Sharing My Thoughts

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To make a difference, you have to be different

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

To make a difference, you have to be different. This is true in every sense as we live in a culture where there is so much conformity.

Every day the world and it systems tries to the squeeze us to fit in with the crowd, to buy the latest fashions, to pursue things that have no eternal values, and adopt the morals  that contradicts God’s moral code about what is right and wrong.

This note is a call for us to rise up to a higher level of living. As sons and daughters of God, our lives must be different from the lives of people who don’t know God. We must stand out from amongst the crowd by doing what the scriptures say especially if it is not a popular thing to do.

Many a times, we find ourselves conforming for all the wrong reasons- what will bring us (cheap) appreciation, acceptance, money, fame or any other materialistic gains.

Many of us too are easily influenced by peers. Most of our decisions (recently or in the past) are/were influenced by peers. But in a culture where there is a lot of the wrong kind of peer pressure, especially for us young adult (and teenagers), the Bible admonishes us not to give in to peer pressure. Exodus 23:2 says “[We] shall not follow the crowd to do evil” (AMP)

It is very normal for us to want to imitate someone but what we must realize is that there are good, bad and ugly effects in allowing peers pressure us into doing certain things, acting in certain ways, or taking certain decisions.

The fact that everybody is doing a thing doesn’t make it right. The world does not set the standard. God does and HE has told us what is right and wrong. HE has told us what we should value in life and what we should pursue.

And when the Bible tells us not to do something (not to conform), it also tells us what to do instead. God never leaves us in a fix. Scriptures tells us –“be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This is the work of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside us.

Our mind is the place of thoughts, emotions, and actions so if we desire to make a difference (which we must) then we must align our thoughts and actions with God’s will which is always good, pleasing and perfect.

The world should no longer squeeze us into its mould. We must not to let this happen. Though the devil will not stop in trying to get us to conform to the world’s standard so we don’t do what God has called us to do but we must not give in.

I have always wanted to be AN INSPIRATION. I didn’t even really understand what it meant, but I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be brave. I wanted to stand out from amongst the crowd but it only became possible after I built a relationship with God through Jesus.

Today, I’m able to challenge and inspire people to be their best and live right with my write ups and other things I’m privileged to do. I must say I appreciate all the love, e-mails, messages and encouragement I get. I’m humbled and all GLORY GOES TO GOD.

I make bold to say that Jesus makes one different. You cannot have Christ and be a conformist. You will always at all times stand out. Scriptures tell us that we are the light of the world and light doesn’t blend in with darkness.

For us to be different, there are things we must let go off, people we must cut off from and attitude we must give up so that the Holy Spirit can do His work in us- to shape us into the image of Christ so that we can submit ourselves to the Father’s will.

Not everybody will like that fact that you are different but don’t forget that were not born to conform or fit in. you were born to stand out so come out from amongst the crowd. Those who conform do not change the world, but those who stand out do.

There is hope for our world if each one of us chooses to be different! Different in terms of standing up for truth and righteousness and living a life that honors God in every way. This is possible for Christ makes all things possible.

God is calling for OUR generation to Stand up, stand out and be different! It is my prayer that you will answer His call…!

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separated said the Lord…2Cor 6:17.

Just Sharing My Thought

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