It’s inevitable. One day you will pass from this life and go into the next. So, in light of this fact, the Bible says that whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. We are meant to bring glory to our Creator.
You didn’t do anything to bring yourself into this life, so what you do with your days on earth shouldn’t be solely about you. “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
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1. First and foremost, know Jesus Christ as Lord.
Everything you do in this life without Him is nothing more than rubbish. Even our acts of kindness can be perverted by the off-color effects of sin. Sin tarnishes anything that I may think is a good deed. The Bible says that, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.” ( Isaiah 64:6)
The good news is that God desires for people to repent and turn to Him, so He paid the price by sending His one and only Son, so we can have the choice to believe, repent, and get a free ticket to heaven.
What does it matter what you do in this life if you end up in hell in the next?
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2. Once you know God, learn to rest in Him as much as you can.
God wants us to rest in Him so that we have the strength to act when He wants us to do something. We need His help to act courageously and go His way when many in the world want us to go the opposite way.
When you’re tired, restless, and worn-out, take a cue from Psalm 23. Remember that the Lord is your shepherd. He will give you what you need. He gives you the opportunity to rest especially as you notice the wondrous beauty of His creation, like lush green meadows and peaceful streams. He renews your strength. He guides you on His path for you as you listen to His quiet voice. Your strength is renewed by His mighty power when you realize that you don’t have to do life alone. He grows a desire in you to bring honor to His name.
When you go through times of trouble, don’t be afraid, for He is right beside you. He longs to protect and comfort you. He nourishes and sustains you. Your cup will overflow with blessings when you open your eyes to see them. His goodness and unfailing love pursue you all your life. You can trust Him.
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3. Figure out what is the biggest thing that holds you back in life.
We all believe some kind of lie that will hold us back if we don’t overcome it.
Often, we don’t feel good enough to attempt great things or to even step out of our comfort zones. The world tends to want to put people in boxes with limits and restrictions. But God doesn’t believe in boxes and captivates you to step further and further out of your comfort zone.
Don’t wait until you feel good enough to do something great for God. Do it because you know it’s right. Do it even though you’re afraid. Act and your feelings will follow your feet. Do it because in the end it just might make God smile. He smiles when His children step out on a mustard seed of faith.
Break free of what holds you back.
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4. Just be yourself.
Being yourself means being the you that God originally designed and created before life’s troubles and worries got in the way. You were designed to be a masterpiece from God’s own hand—an exquisite piece of artwork that has a divine purpose. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. (See previous article on that topic.)
God planned for you to do good works for Him. Don’t let the anxieties of life keep you simply following along behind other people. And don’t let the comforts of life stop you from forging ahead. Don’t just get by. Complacency paralyzes us.
Yes, God has planned good works for you to accomplish during your lifetime but it’s up to you whether you actually complete them. The good works that He has planned for me to do will get done even if I don’t obey. God is not beholden to any specific person. He’ll get someone else to do it and I will miss the opportunity to be used of God in a wonderful way.
Work hard, grow, and live within your full potential. God created you with a lot of it!
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5. Discover the power of the Holy Spirit.
When you were born again, God gave you the Holy Spirit as your helper and confidant. He is there to comfort and encourage you. To push you forward past your comfort zone.
The power of the Holy Spirit enabled Abraham to move to a place where he didn’t know anyone. It helped Gideon to find the warrior strength that was buried deep within him. It allowed Joshua to head into the promised land even though his mentor, Moses, had passed on. The Spirit of God was with Mary as she submitted to God’s plan and brought Jesus into the world. The Holy Spirit was with the disciples when they began the process of taking Christianity to the ends of the earth.
God was with His people and helped them to move forward. From the very beginning, in Genesis 1, the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters of the earth and He’ll continue to help God’s people until Jesus returns. Avail yourself of this glorious gift!
As you read God’s Word, the Holy Spirit will guide you into God’s plan for you. Pay attention and really listen. And always remember that you’re not alone. Ever.
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6. Do everything out of love.
Act with love, compassion, mercy, and kindness as often as you can. Once you believe in Christ and are covered by His righteousness, your good works are no longer rubbish. They shine like diamonds to point people to your heavenly Father.
“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love" ( 1 Corinthians 16:13-14). You will never feel as fulfilled as when you’re serving other people in some way. Give food. Give money. Give a possession. Give your time. Give encouragement. Give a hug. Give of yourself. You won’t regret this kind of living.
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7. Learn to pray earnestly and intensely.
- Pray in gratefulness when you’re happy.
- Pray when you’re in trouble.
- Pray when you’re hurting. Pray when someone you know is hurting.
- Pray when you’re worried.
- Pray when you’re overwhelmed.
- Pray when you need something (anything).
- Pray before you make big decisions.
We are needy. The people around us are needy. So, prayer is essential.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Sandwiched between joy and gratitude is prayer. Prayer just might be the key to both.
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8. Always grow in the fruit of the Spirit.
No matter what you go through in life, keep your eyes on the prizes of:
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-Control
Gaining these prizes is worth immensely more than works that you accomplish. Above all, God desires for you to develop strength of character during this life. Your endurance leads to strength of character and this strength leads to immense hope. The hope of God continually reminds us that God loves us. The Holy Spirit fills our heart with that love ( Romans 5:3-5).
And the funny thing is that as God grows this fruit and character in my life, the result is that I seek to live a more fruitful life that helps other people and glorifies God.
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9. Remember that this life is short.
Even if you live to be 100, that is still a minute amount of time compared to eternity. “Your life is like the morning fog—here for a little while—then gone.” ( James 4:14)
No one knows the day or the hour that they will be called home to heaven. Babies and young children go. Teenagers and young adults on the brink of discovering their life’s purpose go. People have passed away in every decade of a typical life. No one knows the length of their life, so we need to work on developing the breadth of it, which means making the most of each day.
We need to always remember this brevity and uncertainty. Doing so is the prescription to cure the common ailment of procrastination.
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10. Always press forward and never give up.
I like that the Apostle Paul wanted to assure his readers by telling them that he hasn’t achieved the perfection of always living right for God (Philippians 3:12). None of us are perfect and none of us glorify God perfectly. I know I don’t. But I strive to do my best as excellently as possible each day.
I can press onward to learn from my mistakes and then do better the next time until I reach the end of my race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, called me (Philippians 3:14).
Jennifer Heeren loves to write and wants to live in such a way that people are encouraged by her writing and her attitude. She loves to write devotional articles and stories that bring people hope and encouragement. Her cup is always at least half-full, even when circumstances aren’t ideal. She regularly contributes to Crosswalk.com. She lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband. Visit her at www.jenniferheeren.com.
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