Refresh! What to Do When Life Crashes

1Playing God will wear you out. There was a time when King David tried to play God and deny his sin. Sometimes we try to run from pain by staying super busy. Before long you wonder why you’re exhausted. When you play God, you feel like Atlas with the weight of the world upon your shoulders. Stop it. The last time I checked there was a “no vacancy” sign above the Trinity.

I Believe God Can Help Me

2The opposite of being poor and spirit and mourning over your spiritual poverty is an attitude of being proud and unbroken in your belief that you can do anything. That’s our old sin nature that rises up and says, “I don’t need any help. I can do it myself!” That attitude will get you in trouble.

I’ll Be Meek Without Being Weak

3Meekness is strength under control. In the same way God wants to lovingly break you and put you under His authority. He wants to make you sensitive to His leadership; ready at any time to respond to the commands of your Master. Rather than following your own will, you are following the will of God. As you consider your level of meekness, simply answer this question: Have you allowed god to break your stubborn will?

I’ll Cooperate with God’s Change Process

4Once you decide to cooperate with God’s change process, don’t expect to see results overnight. But you CAN expect to see some long term results. Isn’t it refreshing to know you aren’t responsible for working on your life to bring about change? It is God who is working in you. That truth alone should set you free. God isn’t expecting you to be perfect, so don’t expect in yourself or in others.

I’ll Show Mercy Because I Need Mercy!

5How do you release someone who has hurt you? You forgive them. You don’t do it for their sake; you do it for your sake. You don’t forgive them because they ask you to forgive them; you do it because God has forgiven you. They may not every ask you to forgive them, but you can forgive them anyway.

I’ll Admit My Faults and Accept God’s Cleansing

6The Holy Spirit doesn’t convict us of sin to make us feel guilty. He convicts us so we’ll realize the need to be clean. When you are dirty and sweaty it’s a reminder you need to take a shower. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin so we’ll understand the need to confess our sin and experience God’s cleansing power.

I’ll Build Bridges, Not Walls

7Sometimes people ask a dying person, “Have you made your peace with God?” I know they mean well, but you and I cannot make peace with God. We don’t have to make peace with God, because Jesus already made it. We only have to accept His terms of peace.

I’ll Wait for My Reward

8When you buy a new car, it has both standard equipment and options. In the Christian life, persecution isn’t an option, it is standard equipment. Jesus didn’t say, “Blessed are you IF people insult you.” He said, “Blessed are you WHEN you are insulted.”