Are you at the point where you’ve given up?
Two extremes.
Over the last couple of weeks, I had the opportunity to interact with a couple of younger members of society. That opportunity brought a whole new concept to belief. That concept being, proactive living with His help. Without naming names, let me describe the two people. (And remember, I’m not a preacher and I am definitely not a counselor, this is only my opinion!)
The one extreme.
The first grew up with mom, dad, grandmother, and grandfather doting over him, he was the first grandchild, and the family wasn’t overwhelmed with money but had enough. Well loved young man. He lived in somewhat of a college town and could have gone to college if he wanted.
He drove the little circle track race cars that will go 65-90 miles an hour when he was in junior high and high school, became very successful at it, was the star of the racetrack for most of the time he raced. He also wrestled in high school, busy kid, holds records for the school unbroken after a number of years. He grew up in a “you’re going to be the best” situation.
Got out of high school, his grandfather passed away, all of a sudden he’s on a ship with no rudder. He doesn’t have anything he’s passionate about. He got into drugs, was suicidal for a while, and has been literally and constantly in and out of rehab facilities since. He’s in his mid-20s.
The other extreme.
The other kid grew up in a broken family, he has 5 other brothers and sisters from different sets of parents, he’s also from a middle-class family, he is well-loved from about 3 different directions. He came from a “you’re ok, no big deal” life. This kid did okay in school, not exceptional, and was suicidal for a while until he joined the army to become a ranger. Which he succeeded in doing. He came out with a huge boost in ego.
He got into the positive self-help motivational genre, started a website business, and has progressed to being able to spend $30,000 for 6-day seminars with the likes of Bob Proctor and that crowd. Those people are impressed with him, they send him people who need his web services to which he charges $65,000 per client. Very successful kid. He is in his mid-20s.
What a contrast. One was given everything, had an expectation of being the best, and then had that expectation suddenly taken completely away. The other had to work for whatever he has gotten. Had no great expectation from family members. Both were on suicide watches at one time in their lives. I met both in the last two days, both mentioned they are where they are because of their belief.
One was being reactive. The other was being proactive.
I read a book called, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” by Stephen Covey, a few years back. Yet another one of those life-changing books, if you are looking for a better path to travel in your life.
God will give you everything you need, but some of us have a hard time understanding that. Does that necessarily prevent us from finding our own way with His direction? No, He speaks to each and every one of us in the terms we can understand, and fortunately, if you don’t understand His written word, He’s not going to throw you out with the trash.
“Rarely does a good idea interrupt you.” Jim Rohn.
He will keep speaking to you and eventually you will realize He’s speaking to you in ways you can understand Him, exclusive ways to allow you to hear Him. I’m pretty much living proof of that. Because I’ve been told during my non-believer years that I didn’t read the bible enough, and I didn’t go to church enough, and all the while He was communicating with me, guiding me, taking me where I needed to go.
One of those ways I made it through that jungle myself, was studying self-help books, that’s what He wants all of us to do, become a better person through our own efforts. As in, He helps those who help themselves.
So this book was one of those books that made quite a bit of difference in my life. Out of those Seven Habits, the first habit is to be proactive. Don’t wait for life to happen to you, go take the bull by the horns and go do it. If you are sitting there on the couch or trudging through a daily routine, you’re missing the boat.
He helps those who help themselves.
Do not let anyone tell you to sit there and wait because “He will take care of it all.” That’s not how it works, you need to get up, dust yourself off and go for life. Do you REALLY think he wants all of us to just sit there, not participating in our own lives, waiting for Him to drop the Golden Egg onto the couch beside us?
How can He take the wheel if the car isn’t even moving? Might as well die now because you aren’t trying to learn what he has to teach you!
Running yourself through the exercises of life is how He wants you to learn. Whatever it is in life, you may fail, or you may succeed, but to refrain from doing anything is the choice to not take a part in your own life. That’s why we have free will. Being proactive allows you to learn what works and what doesn’t. Being reactive and taking whatever you’re handed doesn’t allow you to learn what works or doesn’t because you don’t know how you arrived at that point.
You aren’t being a part of your own life, you’re accepting what chance gives you, not what He’s chosen for you or what you’ve decided you want. And we all know chance will take us down the road to ruin and vice in a second, no questions asked! So the trick in today’s world is to be proactive, and be aware of what He wants you to learn.
Learn to be aware of where His path for you lies. And if you are only being reactive, you can be led down the path that is a dead end. And you won’t know how you got there, and you won’t know how to get out. Being proactive is what He wants of you. Make a decision, use your free will, that’s why He gave it to you.
I had the opportunity to speak with the first young man, he told me his counselors told him so much as to follow the Lord blindly wherever He takes him because he’s messed up his own life and proven he can’t take care of himself. How will he learn to take care of himself if he doesn’t try again?
What a bunch of baloney, where is God’s message in that? “You messed up, you’re not worthy of being allowed to try again, so sit there, and I will send you food and water until you die of old age?” That’s how he got into the predicament he was in. If you don’t show God you are willing and able to work on yourself, how is he going to show you the path forward?
He wasn’t paying attention to what God was telling him. He didn’t take the opportunity to learn how to handle life. He wasn’t proactive in the least bit. That’s how life’s random chance took him down the road of addiction in the first place. He needs to be proactive so HE knows he is in control of cleaning himself up and taking his life where HE wants to go, where God wants him to go. And God will help him!
So off my high horse! Hope you enjoyed my rant! Like I said, remember I’m not a preacher and I am definitely not a counselor, this is only one man’s opinion!
Learn the concept, being proactive in your life. Give GOD something to work with.
Are you in a Journey Of Belief? Here is more on the subject. My Journey Of Belief.
Two people who are believers in the concept of helping yourself and God will help you are Rachel Hollis and Jen Sincero.
Rachel’s bestsellers are “Girl, Wash Your Face” and “Girl Stop Apologizing.”
Jen’s books are the “You Are A Badass” series. Get copies, READ THEM!
What in your life was better because of being proactive? What will be better in the future if you start to be proactive now?
Leave us a comment below!
Steve