Mark Conner's Space

Potential

Potential – we all have it. It’s like a treasure chest waiting to be unpacked. It’s all about who we can become and what we can do to make the world a better place.

Most people don’t see their potential. They tend to see their faults and their limitations. Often it takes other people to see it and then to draw it out.

I’ll never forget a teacher who in my late teen years took me out to lunch. We chatted for a while and then he began to tell me what he and others saw in me. He told me that he believed I had a leadership gift and that God would use me to help other people. I had never seen that in myself before. I remember leaving that lunch feeling a lot taller than I already was. I was really encouraged about myself and my future.

As you mix with people today – don’t just see who they are now. See what they can become. Look beyond the surface and see their potential. Then speak into it. Believe in them, and help them to believe in themselves.

Potential – think about it.

Your Story

Every one of us has a story to tell.

Your life is your story. Your story is your life.

Like a story, your life has a beginning, a middle, and an ending. There is a theme, characters, subplots (work, family, health, happiness, friendship), trajectory, and tone.

 What kind of story is your life?

• A comedy?
• A drama?
• A thriller (horror) movie?
• A romance or a love story?
• An action movie?
• A fairy tale?

In reality, each of our life stories is an EPIC. It’s a long journey with many scenes, experiences, twists and turns, characters, and smaller individual story lines.

I wonder what is the ‘theme’ of your life? Yes, life has many twists and turns, as well as highs and lows, many of them beyond our control BUT you can choose what the theme of your life is going to be. You are not a victim to your circumstances or to what other people say or do. You can choose how you respond to what comes your way. Don’t make worry, fear, anger, or bitterness the theme of your story. Why not choose joy?

Your Story – think about it.

Creativity

Creativity – it’s everywhere. Just have a look at the world around you – there is such a variety of shapes, colours, textures, movements, sounds, and even smells. There is nothing bland, boring, or predictable about the world. In fact, there are over 6 billion people on the planet right now and each one of them has a unique fingerprint. Talk about creativity!

As you go through your day, ask yourself, “Is there a better way?” and “Could we do this differently?” Admit it when things are no longer working and make appropriate changes. Create an atmosphere around you that says, “Let’s find a better way” and that encourages “thinking outside of the box”. Regularly ask yourself, “What’s working well and why?” and “What’s not working and why?” Always be looking for new ideas. Don’t get stuck with a mentality that says, “That’s the way we’ve always done it.”

I believe that God is a creative God and that he calls us to be like him – people who are creative and innovative. He doesn’t want clones or copies. He wants originals. Create, don’t copy!

Creativity – think about it.

Feedback

One of the characteristics of wise people is that they are open to feedback. Feedback from other people can give us needed insight not only into our own lives but to any issue or challenge we may be considering. If you reject feedback, you will hinder your own personal growth.

All of us have things about ourselves that we are unaware of or don’t see. Only by being open to feedback from others can we learn about these areas and make positive changes.

Every one of us has weaknesses. Usually other people see them before we do! My theory is that the sooner I know about my weaknesses the quicker I can begin to work on them. So if my zipper is down – let me know! If I have cream on my face – tell me! Again, if I punch you when you give me feedback – how many know you’ll think twice about giving me feedback ever again!

Only people who are proud and arrogant assume that they are always right and other people are wrong - or at least misinformed.

Are you open to feedback? Are you teachable? Wise people are. What about you?

Feedback – think about it.

Legacy

Have you been to a funeral lately? If you have, I’m sure you’ve listened to various people give a tribute to the person who has passed away - stories that give you an insight into who the person was and the kind of impact they had on the people in their world.

Take a moment to imagine your own funeral. I know it s a bit of a morbid thought ... but it’s worth doing.

Imagine that four people are going to give a tribute about your life and the impact you had on them ... a friend, family member, a work or school associate, and someone from your local community or church family.

What would you want them to say? Who you want to be remembered for? What kind of a legacy do you want to leave in the hearts and minds of the people around you? Give this some serious thought and consideration.

For that vision to become a reality you need to begin living today with that end in mind. It won’t just happen. It will be the result of you intentionally living your life each day as the kind of person you truly want to be.

Legacy – think about it.

Thoughts

 

There is an old poem that goes like this ...

       

Sow a thought, reap an act; Sow an act, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character; Sow a character, reap a destiny

Your life is shaped by your thoughts. Ultimately, you become what you think about. Life is lived ‘inside out’. It’s not what happens to you but how you respond to it that is the determining factor in your life. Your response to everything is based on what and how you think about what is happening to you.

How do you change? By renewing or reprogramming your thinking. If you can change your thinking you can change your life.

The real challenge today is in our mind. We have to tear down strongholds of faulty thinking. We have to give diligent attention to every thought that comes our way - knowing its potential.

What are you thinking about right now? What occupies your attention most of the time? What is the focus of your thoughts? This will determine your direction in life. Are you happy with where you’re headed? Or do you need to make a change? It all starts with your thoughts.

Think about it.

Atmosphere

Every room has an atmosphere – it includes factors such as the temperature of the room, the lighting, and the freshness of the air – or the lack of it. In the same way, every group – whether it’s a team or a family – has an atmosphere. It describes what it feels like to be a part of that group of people. This atmosphere is a combination of the moods and attitudes of the people in the group.

Learn to be aware of your moods – what they are and what may be contributing to them – and then seek to control them. Your moods directly affect the atmosphere wherever you are - for better or worse.

Don’t be a thermometer – which is a reactive instrument that goes up and down based on the external environment. Be a thermostat – an instrument that directly affects the atmosphere. If things are a bit heated, you help to cool them down. If things are a bit cool – then you do your best to warm them up a little.

This is especially important for leaders because leaders set the relational temperature of every group that they lead.

Atmosphere – think about it.

Optimism

 

There are two types of people in the world – pessimists and optimists.

Pessimists:

• believe that bad events will last a long time
• imagine the worst
• tend to see themselves and situations as ‘helpless’
• give up more easily they tend to ‘awfulise’ and ‘catastrophize’, turning mere setbacks in disasters
• are more stressed than the average person

Optimists:

• see bad events as temporary and surmountable
• are happier and more content then other people
• have greater coping skills
• achieve better than pessimistic people
• Their health is unusually good
• age well and live longer

Of course, unrealistic optimism can be dangerous. Optimism must be balanced with reality. Otherwise you will end up in denial. However, after decades of research, not one good thing is able to be said about pessimism!

So we can see that our mind (or our habits of thinking) has a powerful influence on our body, our mood, and our entire life. That’s because there is never a thought without a consequence. And if the thought is optimistic, the consequences are better.

Optimism – think about it.

Move On

Have you ever been to a really bad movie? I’m sure you have. Did you go see it again? Of course not! Did you buy the DVD? Come on ... Why would you watch through something you didn’t like all over again! That would be silly.

But in reality that’s something we all do from time to time. Have you ever done something you regretted? Have you ever had someone really hurt you? Did you find yourself replaying it over and over again in your mind? Some people even replay it in high definition ... in surround sound ... and even in slow motion! In doing so, they relive all of the negative emotions and bring the hurtful situation to life all over again.

Don’t do that. Don’t live in the past. Don’t replay things that you regret or things that were hurtful. Forgive yourself and forgive others ... then move on. Don’t live in the past. Don’t relive the pain. You can let go. Yes, it was bad. Yes, it was wrong ... but you don’t have to replay it over and over again. Focus on today ... and what’s coming in the future.

Move on – think about it.

Beliefs

All of us experience adversity in one form or another on a regular basis. We respond to adversity by thinking about it. Those thoughts rapidly form beliefs and these beliefs have consequences – in how we feel and what we do next.

A simple example: Your best friend hasn’t returned your phone calls. In response you think ... “They don’t like me anymore; maybe I did something to offend them.” As a result you are fairly depressed all day and you don’t get much work done

Or imagine the same event ... but this time in response you think ... “They’re probably flat out and haven’t had a chance to call back.” As a result you feel fine and you have a productive day.

Can you see that the adversity is not the issue - it is what you believe about it that matters most!

We need to tune in on the internal dialogue that takes place in our minds. We need to dispute our beliefs and ensure that they are in line with reality. After all, our beliefs have a strong and direct influence on how we feel and the actions we take.

Beliefs – think about it.

Happiness

 

We live in a world where the pursuit of happiness is most people’s highest endeavour. Everyone wants to feel good, to have positive emotions, and to avoid negative ones.

 Studies on the subject of happiness have found that:

1. Most people have a set range of happiness that they will return to even after good or bad things happen to them.
2. Most external circumstances don’t have a long-lasting impact on personal happiness – including matters such as money, marriage, health, or education.

What makes the biggest difference in an individual’s level of happiness is a number of voluntary actions that they can take ... including ...

1. Gratitude – being thankful for the people and things in your life
2. Forgiveness – learning to let go and release the hurts and regrets of the past.
3. Serving – doing something for the benefit of another person
4. Hope – having a future that excites you and is worth looking forward to

How is your happiness level? Are you waiting for someone or something to make you happy? It’s probably not going to happen. You are probably about as happy as you ever will be ... unless you take some actions to change it.

Happiness – think about it.

Problems

Problems – no one likes them but the truth is that everyone has them. I use to think that the aim in life was to have no problems at all ... but then I discovered that as soon as I solved one set of problems, some new ones would arrive on my doorstep. After a while I came to accept that problems are part of life. The crucial thing is not avoid them or to ignore them but to face them head on – with courage and wisdom.

Often when problems arise we tend to immediately focus on why they have happened or who caused them. These are important issues but they can easily get us caught up in the blame game or a victim mentality. A better way is to get on the solution side by saying, “Okay, we have this problem – what are we going to do about it? Focus your primary energy on solving the problem – for everyone’s benefit.

The issue in life is not whether you have problems or not but what you are doing about them. Problems can destroy us if we let them or they can be stepping stones to help us become stronger and better people.

Problems – think about it.

Clarity in Uncertainty

Today we all live in fairly turbulent times. There is a lot of uncertainty and that can bring all sorts of fears and worries into our life if we aren’t careful.

One of things you’ll discover in life is that you can’t always be certain but you can be clear. Uncertainty is a permanent part of our lives. It never goes away. We all have to at times make decisions with limited information. So our goal should not be to eliminate uncertainty. Instead, it should be to ensure we develop the art of clarity.

On a sports team, can you be certain of the outcome of the game. Of course not, but you can be clear about what you are trying to achieve.

In business, can you be certain of the economic environment over the next year. Of course not, but you can be clear about the service or product you have to offer and who your market is.

In life, can you be certain about your future? Of course not, but you can be clear – about who you are, what is important to you, and what you are going to give your life to pursue.

Clarity – think about it.

Border Control

I have been privileged to have traveled to a number of other nations now and every time I enter a country I have to go through customs or ‘border control’. Before they let you in, they want to know lots of things such as: who you are, why you are visiting, how long you are staying, and what you are bringing in with you.

I have often thought what it would be like to have such good border control for our mind and our inner world. After all, our life is shaped by our thoughts. Every day we have all sorts of thoughts trying to get into our mind. They come from everywhere. Like birds flying over our head we can’t stop them – but we can stop them making a nest in our hair!

Thoughts are very powerful, as are images. Think about what you let into your mind. Get a good border control in place. Take every thought captive and check it out before you let it in. Ask some key questions: Is this true? Is it beneficial? Or is it dangerous?

Remember: what you feed grows and what you starve dies.

Border control – think about it.

Perspective

 An understanding of perspective is one of the keys to gaining wisdom for life. Here is a simple illustration that shows the importance of perspective ...

Imagine a group of people sitting in a circle with a small table in the middle. A few observations ...

1. Firstly, everyone sees the table differently, depending on where they are sitting. No one sees it exactly the same.

2. Secondly, no one sees the table accurately. There are parts of the table that each person does not see. No one person has the full perspective, no matter who they are (except for God!). If any individual thinks that they have the complete perspective all by themselves, then they are nothing short of ignorant ... and proud.

3. Thirdly, the only way to get an accurate picture of the table is to combine everyone's perspective. We must listen to those who see differently from us to learn about what we cannot see.

Take the table out of the middle of the circle and replace it with anything else - an issue, a decision needing to be made, a conflict ... whatever. The lessons are still the same. We need other people's perspective to add to our own in order to gain wisdom for life.

How's your perspective?

Perspective ... Think about it.

Energy

To be highly effective in our work and to also enjoy life to the fullest we need to manage our energy, not just our time. Research reveals that energy, not time, is the most important component of personal effectiveness.

Let me give you an example: If you’re scheduled to have open heart surgery, obviously you’d want your doctor turning up on time. But what kind of mood would you want him or her in – angry, depressed, tired, nervous? Of course not! You’d want them to be awake, confident and fully engaged in what they’re about to do to you! You don’t just want their time ... you want the best of their energy!

How’s is your energy level right now? Are you fully engaged in what you are doing each day? Or are you just ‘turning up’?

The key to being ‘fully engaged’ when we need to be is to ensure that we are managing our energy well. You do that by creating a balance between activity and rest in your life … of energy expenditure and energy renewal. If we’re giving out all the time without taking time to disengage and renew your energy, then you’re headed for an energy crisis.

Energy … Think about it. 

Internal Stress

Recent research tells us that a lot of Australians are experiencing a great deal of stress in their life. Life is getting more complex, the pressures are increasing, the pace is getting faster, and a lot of people are struggling to cope.

One of the keys to good stress management is learning to keep our “internal stress” as low as possible so that we have the capacity to cope with the inevitable “external stress” that will come our way.

 

Internal stress is the stress we carry on the inside of us and it usually comes from three things:

1. Unrealistic expectations (about God, ourselves or others).
2. Destructive attitudes
3. Unresolved relational issues

Have you ever seen someone have something very small happen to them and they just lost it. What was going on? The thing that happened to them wasn’t the issue. It was most likely the fact that they were already carrying a bunch of internal stress and this extra thing pushed them over the edge.

 

Adjust your expectations to be more in line with reality.

Deal with negative emotions quickly.

Resolve your interpersonal conflicts.

 

By doing so, you can reduce your level of internal stress significantly, placing you in a position to be able to cope much better with the inevitable stresses of life.

 

Internal Stress … Think about it.

Attitude

Developing and maintaining a good attitude in life is vital. However it’s not always easy!

 

One huge misconception about attitudes is that if you have a good attitude you will never feel bad or get upset. How untrue! People with great attitudes experience all the same sorts of negative emotions that other people do, they just work through them constructively and refuse to allow these emotions to hinder their outlook on life.

 

Everyone has times when they feel angry, resentful, worried, afraid, anxious, jealous, and maybe even depressed. The difference between people is how they choose to handle these negative and potentially destructive emotions.

 

Have you ever been shopping and had to use a shopping cart that had one wheel not working? Isn’t it stressful to have to push that thing while it is squeaking and squealing every step of the way? What an energy drain! Yet, that is exactly what it is like when one negative emotion seizes up our inner world. It drains us spiritually, emotionally and physically. That’s why it is so important to deal with negative emotions as quickly as possible so we can live with complete freedom.

 

It’s your choice!

 

Attitude …. Think about it.

Smile!

When I was much younger I had a significant leader give me some feedback. He started out by encouraging me about my potential and my future. Then he said, “Mark, there’s a few things you need to work on. Firstly, you need to smile more. You’ve very tall and that can be quite intimidating for people. Begin to smile more regularly." Then he shared a few other things that we don’t have time to talk about today.

I must admit, at first I was a bit annoyed. “Smile … come on, I’m smiling on the inside!” But then I realised he was right. So I began smiling more. I’d drive down the road and just put a big smile on my face. I’d get into an elevator and I’d smile.

A smile really does make a difference to the atmosphere around you. It warms things up and it tends to draw people to you rather than away from you.

You know we don’t really know what Jesus looked like because we don't have a picture or video of him. However, it tells me something about Jesus when the Gospels tell us that children ran up to him. What kind of people do children run towards? Not grumpy people, that’s for sure! I’m sure Jesus had a smile on his face and an enthusiasm about life that was contagious.

Smile … Think about it.

Global Issues

Today we are living in a global village. Yes, it’s a big world but we’re all connected in so many ways like at no other time in our history.

Here is Australia we have our own challenges but we really are still a ‘lucky country’. We’ve been blessed in so many ways and it’s easy to forget that many billions of people in our world live on just a few dollars a day.

 

Some of the global issues we are facing are huge – things such as poverty, disease, war, and famine, just to name a few. These challenges are so huge that we can be overwhelmed by them. Yet each one of us can make a difference.

 

Here are a few things that you might consider doing:

 

1. Sponsor a child in a needy country. Check out Compassion or World Vision for starters. 
2. Make a financial donation to a reputable world relief agency.
3. Take a trip to another needy nation and do some ‘hands on’ humanitarian work.
4. Pray – after all, God cares about the poor and needy.

Jesus told us to love God with all of our heart and to love our neighbour as ourselves. In our global village, our neighbour is the person next door but also those around the world.

 

We can’t do everything but each one of us can do something.

 

Global Issues … Think about it.

Comfort

Have you ever noticed that bad things sometimes happen to good people? It’s one of those contradictions in our world. It doesn’t always make sense.

 

Think about Job, a man who lived back in Bible times. He had a whole bunch of bad stuff happen to him … even though he was a good man who lived a good life. His friends started out by just being a comfort to him, which was good, but then they tried to figure out ‘why’ all of this bad stuff was happening. They thought it might be because Job had done something wrong and they ended up being a source of further pain for Job rather than a comfort.

 

When people go through difficult times, they need our care, our concern, and our comfort. They don’t need our great insights on the complexities of life.

 

Thankfully, God is a God of comfort. He understands our suffering. In fact, he has suffered himself and he is able to help us through our times of difficulty. Let’s partner with God and be a comfort to those around us going through difficult times.

 

Comfort … think about it.

Example

Take a moment to think about the people who have had the greatest positive influence on your life. I’m sure there’s at least one or two you can think of. Then ask yourself what it was about them that caused them to impact you so much. Summarise it in a few words.

 

I’m sure you’ll discover that it was the character of their life that made the biggest impression on you, not so much their talents, their gifts or their abilities. It is things like love, faithfulness, enthusiasm, passion, persistence, and integrity that influence us.

 

This shows us that our greatest influence in life will be who we are (our life) not just what we say or do.

Right now, you are influencing people around you. What kind of influence is it? Is it positive or negative?

 

You are being watched … so think about the example you are giving. Make a decision to live a life worth following. Be an example to others.

 

Example … think about it.

Generosity

If you are a parent, have you ever taken your child to McDonalds, bought them a meal, and then suddenly felt a little hungry yourself? You reach over and ask for a few of their fries and they respond by quickly pulling their fries away from you and saying “No!”

 

How do you feel in that moment?

I start to think … “Do you know where those fries came from? I paid for those fries!”

 

Then I think … “I don’t need your fries anyway. I’ve got enough money to buy all the fries I want!!”

 

And … “I can make sure you never have any fries again as long as you live under my roof!!”

 

Now I THINK those things … I don’t SAY them!

 

I wonder if that’s how God feels sometimes when we’re a little on the stingy side and we don’t adopt a generous attitude towards life and our possessions?

 

After all, he’s the 'fry-maker'! Everything we have comes from him … and he can stop stuff coming … or he can keep it coming. Don't be tight-fisted. Why not choose to be a little more generous today.

 

Generosity … think about it!

Money

Money … everyone wants more of it. Somehow we think it is the answer to all of our problems.

No doubt money has great power … for good or for evil. It all depends on our attitude towards it and how we use it.

One of your goals should be to be financially ‘free’. In other words, to have your needs met and enough to give away. That’s a good definition of ‘prosperity’.

 

A great plan for achieving this is the ’10–10-80 plan’. It goes like this … Every time you receive any form of income give away 10% of it. Donate it to your local church or community organisation. Then take the next 10% and put it away in a savings or investment account. Finally, endeavour to live on the remaining 80%. If you do this consistently over a period of time, you will be financially free.

 

After all, THE key to financial freedom, regardless of what your income level is, is spending less than you earn and then saving the difference. Unfortunately, most people spend everything they earn and even more, going into destructive debt which causes so many problems.

 

Money … think about it!

 

P.S. A few years ago, I shared two messages with our church entitled Your Personal Money Makeover. Here are the message summary files, which we gave to our small group leaders.

 

Your Personal Money Makeover (Pt.1)

Your Personal Money Makeover (Pt.2)

Decisions

Decisions … we make them every day. Yet, think about how important they really are.

You might have heard the funny story about the successful businessman who was asked by a young man what the key to his success was. After thinking for a moment, the businessman answered, “Good decisions, that’s the key”. The young man then asked, “How do you make good decisions?” After a pause, the businessman said, “Experience, that’s how you make good decisions.” Hesitantly, the young man asked one more question, “How do you get experience?” Once again the businessman paused then answered, “Bad decisions!”

 

Well life is a bit life that – we live and hopefully we learn!

 

But the truth is that who you are and where you are today is largely a result of the decisions you made yesterday. In the same way, who you will be and where you will be tomorrow will largely be a result of the decisions you make today. After all, our decisions, not our conditions, determine our ultimate destiny.

 

What decision do you need to make today? Many problems are just a decision waiting to happen.

 

Decisions … think about it!

Handling Disappointment

Life brings disappointment from time to time. How do we handle it? How do we adjust? Where is God in it all?

The following poem Welcome to Holland was written by Emily Pearl Kingsley, a parent of a special needs child. It always move me, every time I read it ...

"I am often asked to describe the experience
Of raising a child with a disability,
To help people, who have not shared that unique experience,
Understand it
And imagine how it would feel.
It's like this
When you're going to have a baby,
It's like planning a fabulous trip to Italy;
You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans-
The Coliseum, Michelangelo's David, the gondolas in Venice-
You may even learn some handy phrases in Italian.
It's all very exciting.
After all the months of eager anticipation,
The day finally arrives.
You pack your bags and off you go
Several hours later, the plane lands,
The stewardess comes in and says
'Welcome to Holland'.
'HOLLAND!?' you say. 'What do you mean, Holland?
I signed up for Italy.
I'm supposed to be in Italy.
All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy'.
But there has been a change in the flight plan.
The important thing is
That they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place
Full of pestilence, famine and disease.
It's just a different place.
So, you must go out and buy new guidebooks.
And you must learn a whole new language.
And you will meet a whole new group of people
You would never have otherwise met.
It's just a different place.
It's slower paced than Italy;
Less flashy than Italy.
But after you've been there for a while
And catch your breath,
You look around and you begin to notice
That Holland has windmills;
Holland has tulips;
Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy,
And they're all bragging about the wonderful time they had.
And for the rest of your life you will say
'Yes, that's where I was supposed to go;
That's what I had planned'.
The pain of that will never, ever go away,
Because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.
But if you spend your life mourning the fact
That you didn't get to Italy,
You may never be free to enjoy
The very special, the very lovely things about Holland."

Friendship

We were created for friendship.

However, good friendships don’t just ‘happen’. They have to be cultivated and nurtured intentionally.

Each of us has various circles or levels of friendship.

1. Acquaintances – these are the dozens and maybe even 100s of people you know, but on a surface level.
2. Casual friendships – these are the many people with whom you have common interests and activities. There is a basic level of openness.
3. Close friendships – these are the people who are close to you and with whom you have common goals.
4. Intimate Friendships – these are the few people you have a deeper level of connection, commitment, and trust with. You feel safe with them.

It’s important to choose the right friends, as they influence us probably more than anyone else. We easily become like those we hang around with.

We all need to be friendlier. Reach out and make new acquaintances - out of these will come close friends. Make friends by being friendly. Ask questions, listen, and show interest.

There is a price to be paid if you want a valuable friendship. You can’t just order them through a drive-through window. It takes time and effort.

Friendship … Think about it.

Depression

Have you ever been depressed?

Maybe you have, but you didn’t recognise it as depression. Depression simply refers to ‘low mood’. We’ve all experienced times of at least mild depression at some time in our life – your football team loses, you fail a test, a friend moves way, or you have a difficult day. However, this type of mild depression usually passes within a few days or even hours. However, some depression can settle in for weeks, months and even years in some situations.

Unlike a physical injury or illness, depression is hard to ‘see’, but it is no less painful or difficult to work through.

Depression affects people in a wide variety of different ways. Symptoms of depression may include a negative change in thought, in mood or in behaviour. Depression can happen to anyone.

When you’re feeling depressed …

• Observe your thinking. Our thinking has a powerful affect on our feelings and also our behaviour. When we feel low, our thoughts and memories are usually selectively bad.
• Talk to a friend or counsellor. We all need caring relationships that provide emotional support to us, especially during tough times.

Freedom from Depression … Think about it.

Complacency

One thing that we need to constantly guard against in our lives is complacency.

Complacency is becoming tolerant or overly-comfortable with the way things are. It’s about being too much at ease and in a state of stagnation, refusing to advance or move on. It is about mediocrity, which is the tendency to settle for ‘average’.

If we are not careful, an inappropriate casualness can settle into our spirit and passion for life disappears. We drift into complacency, indifference, apathy, and eventually hopelessness.

Complacency sometimes occurs because we have no purpose beyond ourselves. The resulting selfishness can lead to a loss of vision for our life. We end up living unmotivated lives, just marking time, just getting through another day, existing but not really living.

If you feel yourself starting to drift into complacency, stir yourself up. Shake yourself. Wake up! Open your eyes. Look around you. Find a need and begin to meet it. Start to live … beyond yourself. Make a positive difference in someone else’s life. Make your world a better place.

Someone once said that lukewarness is 'serving God in such a way as to not offend the devil!' Don't be lukewarm - be the devil's worst nightmare!

Be a pioneer, not a settler. Don’t retire, re-fire! Live a life of passionate purpose.

Complacency … Think about it.

Freedom from Addiction

Have you ever felt like you were addicted to something? Addiction is an abnormally strong craving for some thing or activity. It refers especially to things that control us that are not constructive or helpful.

Some well-known addictions include illicit drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and gambling. Other more ‘respectable’ addictions include: food addictions, television, computers (especially internet use), work, and even spending.

We live in a society where there is an epidemic of addictions taking place. Our world is filled with all sorts of cravings, appetites for mood changers, and a quick fix mentality that only feeds the likelihood of addictions. We are all vulnerable.

Finding freedom from addictions is not easy. However, it is possible.

• Be determined to change. Considering the consequences of not changing can be a helpful motivator.
• Pray and ask God to help you.
• Reflect on why you do what you do. Willpower is not enough. Observe your thinking patterns and motivations.
• Adopt a strategy for stopping. Your decision has to be turned into action. You have to change how you are living your life.
• Open up to helpful people. Speak to a counsellor.
• Turn your focus to alternative positive things.

Freedom from Addiction … Think about it.

Community

We live in a world increasingly characterised by individualism, loneliness, isolation, and consumerism. Many people in society today lack true relational connection. In the midst of busy lives, overcommitted schedules, and congested cities, many people still feel alone. We are often surrounded by people but often we don’t really know them and they don’t know us. We are a culture craving relationship.

We can easily live life around many people, but possibly not experience life deeply with anyone. No wonder so many people feel alone and isolated, experiencing a kind of ‘crowded loneliness’. Our sense of community is under siege.

This is not good. We were never meant to live in a state of isolation. We were created to be relational beings. As author John Ortberg says, ‘I have never known anyone … who was isolated, lonely, unconnected, had no deep relationships – yet had a meaningful and joy-filled life.’

We were designed to be connected to other people in meaningful relationships. Doing life alone is ‘not good’.

Be counter-cultural! Invest generously in your family and friendships. Develop quality relationships characterised by kindness, sensitivity, warmth, closeness, openness, transparency, encouragement, forgiveness, and support.

Community … Think about it.