Be intentional to spend time with God. Set aside time each day to connect with God. Honestly, time demands for most of us naturally interfere with what we might otherwise consider not essential each day. Spending time with God is, in fact, essential for spiritual growth.
Exercise your power of choice.
No matter what happens to you, you always have the freedom to choose. You can select joy over despair. You can select love over hate. You can select forgiveness over revenge. You can select growth over stagnation. Remember that a crisis can evoke the best in us or the worst in us. The choice is ours!
Spend time in nature.
This was something done by the psalm writers, and they gleaned spiri-tual lessons from their time in nature. “The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship” (Psalm 19:1). “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers-the moon and the stars you have set in place-what are m…[Read more]
Ask God to make you a blessing today.
A great way to grow in wonder and amazement is by asking God to turn your life into a blessing. Do this each morning before resuming your daily activities. Offer a short, simple prayer like this one: “Dear God, on this day make my life a blessing to someone, somewhere.” Then pay close attention to every per…[Read more]
Be reliable.
Do what you say you will do-whether it’s convenient or not. Follow through on all of your commitments, large and small. By your actions, show others you are a person who can be trusted and counted upon.
Meditate on Scripture.
The Bible is loaded with verses of comfort, encouragement, and wisdom. Make it a habit to read and study your Bible in a regular, disciplined way. Highlight verses that speak to you. Meditate on those words. Memorize some of the passages so you can recall them from memory at a future time
Strive for excellence.
The Bible tells us: “Whatever you do, do well” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Be the best that you can be at whatever station in life God has placed you.
Strive for excellence.
The Bible tells us: “Whatever you do, do well” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Be the best that you can be at whatever station in life God has placed you.
Keep your priorities straight.
Know what is ultimately important and what is not. Consider the words of former President George Bush: “I am blessed with a close and wonderful family, and I want to spend the rest of my life letting them know how much I love them and appreciate them,” he said. “One of my most important accomplishments, one I am st…[Read more]
Spread love wherever you go.
That is the advice of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who advised: “Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house. . . . Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kin…[Read more]
Fast and pray.
Prayer linked with fasting was often done by people in the Bible. Ezra 8:23 reports: “So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.” The next time you are asked to pray urgently for someone in difficulty, consider combining your praying with some fasting.
Turn worries over to God.
This is a clear teaching of Scripture: “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you” (Psalm 55:22). Do this each time a worry crops up.
Cultivate a little solitude.
“Solitude makes us tougher toward ourselves and tenderer toward others; in both ways it improves our character,” noted philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. Spend some time away from the crowd and the noise of life. Set aside a few minutes to be alone-just you and God. In quietness we turn our minds away from the…[Read more]
Serve.
Look for ways to serve the community, especially tasks that promise no reward, such as picking up litter on the streets. Read and reflect on the action of Jesus in John 13:1-5.
