World will fail you

What in the world is the world depending on?

People depend on all kinds of things to get through life. They depend on their job/career, family, friends, drugs, alcohol, emotional highs through adventure or danger, and themselves.

They are misguided to believe these things will give them peace, comfort, guidance and meaning in life.

And everything in this world they depend on fails them. Every time.

What they don’t realize, what they can’t see because they are distracted by what they depend on, is that none of this will deliver for them.

There is only one true peace, love and life to pursue, and that is through God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) – “5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

How does this tie into sharing your faith in Christ with another?

You’ve been there – depending on something that surely failed you – and you now know that the only way to live life is in step with the Father through Jesus Christ.

A person can’t be truly fulfilled in life, here or in the hereafter, without turning to Jesus. This direction can be found in the verse that follows the often-quoted Prov. 3:5-6.

Proverbs 3:7 (KJV) – “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”

Now, disciple, help that someone you’re thinking of find what they’re looking for by introducing them to the way, the truth, and the life which is Jesus.

3 Questions for now

The realization of how much we depend on to get through each day can be baffling.

The dependence list is lengthy – phone, car, house, clothes, job, spouse, etc.

But when the inevitable failure hits, having a truly dependable something or someone in your life falls to God.

This is where knowing your people connections comes into play. They will face failure, and you have an option for them.

Here are questions and insights to ask or offer after you discover a point of failure:

• I heard your car broke down. That’s happened to me, and here’s how I go through it. (Be practical with a mechanic recommendation, and the bigger picture of getting through the frustration and worry.)

• Something bad just happened – how can I help? Let me pray for you to start.

• That something that happened to you … I’ve been there. May I share what keeps me going?

Share a prayer, share a verse or two, share some time together.

Be kind. Love others. Be bold.

Shawn’s noodling rant:

(“Noodling” is a term I swiped from my mentor. The meaning is to “ponder” or “think deeply about” a topic that God is challenging us with through scripture or the Holy Spirit, or both.)

Defeat distractions by depending on Jesus

I’m not sure there is a day that goes by where something I depend on fails me. (Just ask me about my computer “On” button not working this morning – thanks be to God for keeping me patient and not launching it across the room.)

Every single day and every single hour and minute of the day, something pops up to distract me from all the good intentions I have for living my life for Jesus.

I feel like chaos theory is stapled to my forehead. (You’ll have to look that one up on the Gooog-leee and prepare to noodle awhile.)

Distractions that permeate life can derail us in our walk of faith for Jesus. As I pondered this today, I couldn’t help but look for a solution, a counter to the inevitable distractions.

Dependence came to mind.

Or better yet, what we should be dependent upon in our daily lives.

As mentioned above, dependence on job/career, family, friends, drugs, alcohol, emotional highs through adventure or danger, and ourselves is a tried-and-true path to failure. Life lived like this is a constant state of distraction.

Where do we place our dependence that negates any and all distractions?

Psalm 18:2 (KJV) – “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

2 Samuel 22:33 (KJV) – “God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.”

I’m not saying it’s always easy waiting while life’s troubles and distractions assail us. The important thing to remember in any situation is to summon patience and wait upon the Lord.

The key to beating back distractions is to always default to dependence on Jesus. He is our everything, our comforter, and we must turn to Him.

John 14:15 (KJV) – “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

And Jesus delivers us from distractions when we depend on Him.

Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV) – “28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Now, disciple, lean into depending on Jesus and he will deliver you from distractions and light your path in this world.