Day 21 - Week at a glance
Scripture focus: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity." Jeremiah 29:11-14a NIV
1. There are five roadblocks to recovery that can derail our best intentions: stubborn resistance, intentions, arrogant entitlement, resentment and disconnected isolation.
2. Humility is an antidote to these roadblocks.
3. Humility makes us teachable and open to suggestions. (God makes us both willing and able to follow through on those suggestions.)
4. Humility provides the firm foundation that gives us the wisdom to see that people don't much care about our good intentions if we never pull the trigger and follow through. (God provides us with the wisdom to realize that we need to pay attention to how others perceive us.)
5. Humility leaves no room in our heart for arrogant entitlement. We learn that life isn't all about "us". (God sends others into our lives so that we can learn how to serve rather than always trying to find someone to serve us.)
6. Resentment melts away (over time) when our humble spirits continue to inform us about the truth of our own shortcomings. (God is patient with us while this process proceeds.)
7. Isolation isn't an option for people who are humbled by the grace and mercy of God. It may be messy and challenging, but big-hearted people know that when God said love him and others, that command was going to require that we live in a community. (God shapes our definition of what family means, and provides principles for how to live healthily within our community.)
8. Intimacy is a second key antidote if we're going to live large. We simply have to learn how to get along with others without them driving us crazy or vice versa. (Prayer is essential - fortunately, God listens and responds.)
9. We must "reframe" our perspective on suffering. (God has the "frame" we need.)
10. We must humble ourselves and get a grip on what prosperity, God's grand epic adventure, hope and a future mean in the kingdom of God. (God is quite capable of providing this renewed view.)
11. In all of these things, we continue to ask ourselves: what are the half-truths and whole-lies that are standing between me and my maturity? (The big boys and girls of the world will go to any lengths to allow God's maturation process to proceed.)
This completes the first twenty one steps of your 365 step journey; I pray you are nearer to God as a result of the steps you've taken this week.
Recommended reading: Genesis 43 and Proverbs 4 in the morning; Matthew 14 in the evening
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