Consider This: Which Voice Has Your Attention?

You can listen to the voices around you that say, “Compare. Compete. Try harder. Do more. Have more. Look like this. Be like that. Show off and brag about how great your life is, or at least pretend your life is better than it is so that others will be impressed”. You can do that, but it will bury you! You cannot win that game! Someone will always have more, look better, be smarter, or have been to more places. It is difficult to enjoy your life when you are focused on comparing and competing.

You can listen to the voice of discouragement and negativity. It is not hard to find things to complain about. It is easy to point out the failings of the person who tried. Unfortunately, the voices of discouragement seem to carry more weight and are louder than any other voice. You can receive a thousand compliments, but you will remember the criticism. There is always something to be thankful for, but most people do not bother to look for it. It is easier to be negative.

Sometimes, the voice that shapes us the most is the one that is missing. Some are still waiting for their parents to say, “I love you” or “I am proud of you”, but those words of affirmation never come.

What if we heard a different voice? Like, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Or maybe, “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5). Or this one, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Would hearing God’s message of love change anything?

It did for a man named Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). In fact, it caused him to think, act, and respond completely differently. He found a joy he had never known. That new voice changed not only his life but also his eternity.

The good news is that you get to choose what you listen to.

A new voice can lead you in a better direction.

Comments

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly. https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s

Consider This.... Which Way Are You Leaning?

When Ben Patterson agreed to join three friends climbing Mount Lyell, the highest point in Yosemite National Park, he did not realize what he was signing up for. Early in the day, it became clear that he was completely unprepared for the task. In an effort to keep up with his more experienced friends, Ben took a shortcut. It did not occur to him that there might be a reason the others had not selected this route, but he soon found out why. Ben became stuck on the glacier. He could not move up, down or sideways and one wrong move would send him sliding down a forty-five-degree slope to the valley floor miles below. That is when one of his friends came to the rescue. His buddy leaned over the edge and carved some footholds in the ice. He told Ben to step to the first foothold and immediately swing his other foot to the second, then his buddy would pull him to safety. Lastly, his friend gave him one more piece of advice....

Consider This: Press The Button!

Consider This: Press the Button! My favourite TV game show is Jeopardy. I used to like it even more when my kids were younger, because I could easily beat them and look smart. These days, after they have grown up and gone to university, it is much more difficult. However, Jeopardy is still the only game show I will watch. In a book I read, a contestant who did very well on the show shared the secret to his success. He said (and I am paraphrasing here), “You must press the button before you know the answer. Everyone on Jeopardy is smart. Everyone knows the answer. The key to winning is to act. You must jump in and press the button, assuming that your brain will catch up and supply the answer. If you wait until you are sure, you will be too late!” Press the button! Too often, we hesitate, not because we do not know what to do, but because we do not want to do it. Sometimes, we fail to act because we are not sure how the situatio...

Consider this

Subscribe

Get new posts by email:

Search This Blog