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Finding your Footing

            “Try this”, my daughter said.  “Look up and stare at a star and then spin around in a circle.  When I say ‘stop’, see if you can run to me.”  You can likely guess how that worked out.  I was so dizzy that I stumbled all over the place and ended up falling over. 
            Oddly, I have felt that feeling before.  There have been times in my life when things seemed out of balance and like I was just barely stumbling along.  Maybe you know that feeling too.  If so, you may be interested to know that the Bible offers lots of advice to help us “find our footing”.  Here are three of my favorite suggestions.
            1.  Avoid other people’s drama.  Some people love to stir up controversy.  In fact, some people are not happy unless they are not happy.  Do not buy into their issues. Titus 3:9 sums it up well when it says, “Avoid foolish controversies… because these are unprofitable and useless”.  Help if you if can, but make sure that you are not just wallowing in other people’s muck.
            2.  Avoid seeking everyone’s approval.  It is natural to want others to like you, but the fact is that not everyone gets along or sees things the same way.  Constantly taking opinion polls or trying to make everyone happy will paralyze you into inactivity. Instead, find the good you know you should do and do it.  That was Jesus’ example.  In the face of criticism, he often said, “I have come to do the will of my father” (John 4:34/6:38-39).  He knew what he was here to do and he did it regardless of what others thought.  Waiting for everyone to “rubber stamp” everything you do means that you will do nothing.
            3.  Avoid thinking in terms of “success” and “failure”.  Life is not usually that clear cut. Therefore, the challenge is to focus less on the results and more on the process. When we do that, even our mistakes can be part of our path to success.  That is why the apostle John tells his readers to “walk in the light” (1 John 1).   The process of walking with God through both the good and the bad will produce the blessings that we are seeking.
            Jesus said that he came that we might have an “abundant life” both now and in the future (John10:10).  Why not give God’s approach a try? 
            After all, life is hard enough without creating our own problems.   

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