Western culture Christians today are exposed to numerous types of agenda that promote better personal growth, prosperity, and formulas that lead to perfection...like becoming the "perfect Christian". It works well in the United States because of our personal freedoms that allow us to pursue the American dream. It is a match made in Heaven...or is it?
We are born to thrive, a statement that I have heard often in recent years and like so many things in life I have encountered, there is certainly truth to what this phrase is communicating. Yet I have also discovered there can be traps in this phrase as well. It appears we as Americans can get so wrapped up in the pursuance of goals we will sacrifice virtues along the way, like integrity, acknowledging and understanding another's view, rationale that tells us if we logically execute Plan A, B, or C, then specific results will happen and we impress ourselves with such perfection.
Yet, in the midst of all these various elements on succeeding in life, people are still not happy, often depressed, and hurt others...whether it be premeditated or by accident. Allow me to take a look at three areas: Perfection Prayers, Thriving Prayers, and Prayers of Praise.
Perfection Prayers
" I looked between the bars of a cage, and there it was...Perfection."
I have often marveled at the success of various ancient cultures, how they were able to advance their civilizations, the obstacles they overcome, and the inventiveness of its various people.
I equally forget about those things called obstacles, some causing defeat and failures, yet the ancients continued forward. There were famines and plagues, wars birthed from greed, bribes, and acts of selfishness that in some circumstances completely annihilated an entire culture of people. We then rationalize the reasons for this lack of success and advancement is they failed to believe in the God we believe in, they failed to perform the right Godly principles, or they did not execute properly God's perfect plan so they might truly experience perfect lives.
Hmmm? So, are we different, or are we similar to mankind of the past?
Winston Churchill, the great prime minister of Great Britain during WW ll once wrote: " The Maxim, Nobody prevails but perfection. It is spelled p-a-r-a-l-y-s-i-s."
The problem with perfection prayers they are dependent on the merits of ourselves...and that can be a killer. It gives an appearance of being infallible, yet man has always been fallible, it's simply a part of mankind's make-up. That is why the Cross is hard for some, mankind is taken out of the equation in reference to getting to Heaven, mankind cannot get there on its own merits. Infallible...are religions infallible? Listen to the cries of the Crusades. Are doctors infallible? Listen to the cries of patients that didn't make it? Are we infallible? Look at the expectations when they are no longer valid.
Perfection is a mirage that doesn't exist. Perfection can rob you of contentment in life, self-worth, and self-esteem. Perfection if not kept in check becomes nothing more than a analytical self measurement, and feeds on the creativity within yourself and will look for ways to corrupt the hopes of others.
Perfection keeps one from discovering who they really are and what unique gifts God has given to them. If the truth be told, the storms of life can serve to be beneficial to the heart of man. It causes their lives to pursue a different course, heals those imperfections within, and allows a person to pursue their purpose in life with passion, without the fear of failure or when one deviates from a plan. In my humble opinion, God replaces the selfish demands we put upon ourselves and directs us another way...it is called trust, and the cool thing, we can fail at times...and still have a confidence of putting our trust in Him.
Sometimes I find it almost comical at times how God messes up our ideas of perfection. It is like we have worked hard on a performance of a play, the curtains are being raised, when suddenly the main character in the opening scene...has to go to the restroom. Although at that moment is a real sense of panic, I now look back at those times in my life...and smile.
Thriving Prayers
"We were meant to thrive", the very lyrics of a popular Christian song we hear in America today. And, yes, I do think there is truth to that phrase. The question for me is not whether we are meant to thrive, rather it is the motive on why I am so attracted to embrace this thought of thriving.
Recently I have read various reports of those being murdered because they adhere to the Christian faith. People are thrown in prison and starved or beaten to death, others are beheaded, and still others are shot unless they recant their personal recognition that Jesus died for them and lives in their hearts and lives. That doesn't sound like real thriving to me. Besides, couldn't they have just faked it, recant their beliefs in word only knowing in their hearts they really do believe in Him?
My trusted friend over time, the Oxford dictionary describes this verb thriving as: " to develop well, demanding all of our physical strength, our efforts, and energies. It is capable of exercising a force like one who shakes their head denying an allegation with vigor."
The word thriving is an old middle English word that denotes one who is growing and having an increase, getting hold of the purpose of a particular event or situation one might find themselves in.
Honestly, God seems to write of alternative ways for us to thrive, particularly in reference to the motives behind our desires to pray. In Psalms 39:12 it reads: " Here my prayer O Lord, listen to my cry for help." Then, in Isaiah 44: 8-9 it reads: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts." Prayer brings us to the point where our thoughts are aligned with His thoughts which in turn satisfies our cry for help.
The Scriptures indicate prayer to be an act of humility, not engulfed in haughtiness or selfish actions. Prayer allows us to incorporate a humility in ourselves that goes beyond our own scenarios in life and leads us to having the experience of having a grateful heart and a genuine concern for others.
Prayer is not like a magical sequence of words when said enough times will change a situation or a person. Prayer does not constitute demands upon God to where if He doesn't honor a certain request we will withdraw from His friendship, nor does prayer guarantee us against suffering in its many forms.
One form of power in prayer is the realization our prayers are not always about us, it is about others. That is why men and women are beaten, starved, or beheaded for refusing to recant of knowing Him. They make their stand to demonstrate the power of prayer, the willingness to thrive under the most adverse circumstances and offer the sacrifice of their very lives in the honor of knowing Him and giving praise for doing so. They not only do this for Him, they do this to encourage us to follow this train of thought...prayer strengthens others and offers hope, causing us to thrive, even at the point of death.
Prayers of Praise
This is a hard thing at times to understand, yet proves out to be the most rewarding type of prayer. A prayer of praise is described in the Sacred Scriptures as a sacrifice. Sacrifice in the Oxford dictionary describes sacrifice as a "slaughter in ancient times, offering animals in an act of remorse for sin." For us today the sacrifice of praise means to consider our prayers of gratefulness more important than our own values and situations we may be facing. The word sacrifice is from the Latin word sacer meaning holy. It is a holy thing to do when we offer praise, and it is the right thing to do. Praising Him takes away are striving to be perfect and helps us to focus on how we are to thrive in this life.
Here are a couple of Gleanings that have proved helpful to me:
Psalm 34:7
"When we make the time to honor the Lord with an offering of praise, not based on any circumstances we might find ourselves in, His very angel stands guard over us. When we take the chance to trust Him, we find a rest knowing God always comes through."
{Note: David wrote this while Saul was trying to kill him. He found comfort when he recognized his dependence was to simply trust and praise Him.}
Nehemiah 8:10
" Look, this is not the time to get sad or down on yourself. Your ideas of perfection and the failure to do so only leads to being depressed and to wallow in grief. This day you live belongs to Him, and He wants to share it with you. You have confessed your sin, now is the time to celebrate! Your life is not dependent on well you perform, your life is built on trusting Him. Go home, prepare a feast with rich foods and sweet drink, share your meal with those who may not have anything to prepare. This is the secret to your happiness and well being. Get a hold of this: the joy of the Lord is your lifelong strength!"
{Note: Nehemiah had been sent as a leader of the Jewish nation after the Jews had been released from the exile, serving in Babylon for nearly seventy years. Now, the Jewish people had returned to their homeland and were in a great project, the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The first thing God wanted to rebuild there...was their hearts toward Him.}
We are born to thrive, a statement that I have heard often in recent years and like so many things in life I have encountered, there is certainly truth to what this phrase is communicating. Yet I have also discovered there can be traps in this phrase as well. It appears we as Americans can get so wrapped up in the pursuance of goals we will sacrifice virtues along the way, like integrity, acknowledging and understanding another's view, rationale that tells us if we logically execute Plan A, B, or C, then specific results will happen and we impress ourselves with such perfection.
Yet, in the midst of all these various elements on succeeding in life, people are still not happy, often depressed, and hurt others...whether it be premeditated or by accident. Allow me to take a look at three areas: Perfection Prayers, Thriving Prayers, and Prayers of Praise.
Perfection Prayers
" I looked between the bars of a cage, and there it was...Perfection."
I have often marveled at the success of various ancient cultures, how they were able to advance their civilizations, the obstacles they overcome, and the inventiveness of its various people.
I equally forget about those things called obstacles, some causing defeat and failures, yet the ancients continued forward. There were famines and plagues, wars birthed from greed, bribes, and acts of selfishness that in some circumstances completely annihilated an entire culture of people. We then rationalize the reasons for this lack of success and advancement is they failed to believe in the God we believe in, they failed to perform the right Godly principles, or they did not execute properly God's perfect plan so they might truly experience perfect lives.
Hmmm? So, are we different, or are we similar to mankind of the past?
Winston Churchill, the great prime minister of Great Britain during WW ll once wrote: " The Maxim, Nobody prevails but perfection. It is spelled p-a-r-a-l-y-s-i-s."
The problem with perfection prayers they are dependent on the merits of ourselves...and that can be a killer. It gives an appearance of being infallible, yet man has always been fallible, it's simply a part of mankind's make-up. That is why the Cross is hard for some, mankind is taken out of the equation in reference to getting to Heaven, mankind cannot get there on its own merits. Infallible...are religions infallible? Listen to the cries of the Crusades. Are doctors infallible? Listen to the cries of patients that didn't make it? Are we infallible? Look at the expectations when they are no longer valid.
Perfection is a mirage that doesn't exist. Perfection can rob you of contentment in life, self-worth, and self-esteem. Perfection if not kept in check becomes nothing more than a analytical self measurement, and feeds on the creativity within yourself and will look for ways to corrupt the hopes of others.
Perfection keeps one from discovering who they really are and what unique gifts God has given to them. If the truth be told, the storms of life can serve to be beneficial to the heart of man. It causes their lives to pursue a different course, heals those imperfections within, and allows a person to pursue their purpose in life with passion, without the fear of failure or when one deviates from a plan. In my humble opinion, God replaces the selfish demands we put upon ourselves and directs us another way...it is called trust, and the cool thing, we can fail at times...and still have a confidence of putting our trust in Him.
Sometimes I find it almost comical at times how God messes up our ideas of perfection. It is like we have worked hard on a performance of a play, the curtains are being raised, when suddenly the main character in the opening scene...has to go to the restroom. Although at that moment is a real sense of panic, I now look back at those times in my life...and smile.
Thriving Prayers
"We were meant to thrive", the very lyrics of a popular Christian song we hear in America today. And, yes, I do think there is truth to that phrase. The question for me is not whether we are meant to thrive, rather it is the motive on why I am so attracted to embrace this thought of thriving.
Recently I have read various reports of those being murdered because they adhere to the Christian faith. People are thrown in prison and starved or beaten to death, others are beheaded, and still others are shot unless they recant their personal recognition that Jesus died for them and lives in their hearts and lives. That doesn't sound like real thriving to me. Besides, couldn't they have just faked it, recant their beliefs in word only knowing in their hearts they really do believe in Him?
My trusted friend over time, the Oxford dictionary describes this verb thriving as: " to develop well, demanding all of our physical strength, our efforts, and energies. It is capable of exercising a force like one who shakes their head denying an allegation with vigor."
The word thriving is an old middle English word that denotes one who is growing and having an increase, getting hold of the purpose of a particular event or situation one might find themselves in.
Honestly, God seems to write of alternative ways for us to thrive, particularly in reference to the motives behind our desires to pray. In Psalms 39:12 it reads: " Here my prayer O Lord, listen to my cry for help." Then, in Isaiah 44: 8-9 it reads: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts." Prayer brings us to the point where our thoughts are aligned with His thoughts which in turn satisfies our cry for help.
The Scriptures indicate prayer to be an act of humility, not engulfed in haughtiness or selfish actions. Prayer allows us to incorporate a humility in ourselves that goes beyond our own scenarios in life and leads us to having the experience of having a grateful heart and a genuine concern for others.
Prayer is not like a magical sequence of words when said enough times will change a situation or a person. Prayer does not constitute demands upon God to where if He doesn't honor a certain request we will withdraw from His friendship, nor does prayer guarantee us against suffering in its many forms.
One form of power in prayer is the realization our prayers are not always about us, it is about others. That is why men and women are beaten, starved, or beheaded for refusing to recant of knowing Him. They make their stand to demonstrate the power of prayer, the willingness to thrive under the most adverse circumstances and offer the sacrifice of their very lives in the honor of knowing Him and giving praise for doing so. They not only do this for Him, they do this to encourage us to follow this train of thought...prayer strengthens others and offers hope, causing us to thrive, even at the point of death.
Prayers of Praise
This is a hard thing at times to understand, yet proves out to be the most rewarding type of prayer. A prayer of praise is described in the Sacred Scriptures as a sacrifice. Sacrifice in the Oxford dictionary describes sacrifice as a "slaughter in ancient times, offering animals in an act of remorse for sin." For us today the sacrifice of praise means to consider our prayers of gratefulness more important than our own values and situations we may be facing. The word sacrifice is from the Latin word sacer meaning holy. It is a holy thing to do when we offer praise, and it is the right thing to do. Praising Him takes away are striving to be perfect and helps us to focus on how we are to thrive in this life.
Psalm 34:7
"When we make the time to honor the Lord with an offering of praise, not based on any circumstances we might find ourselves in, His very angel stands guard over us. When we take the chance to trust Him, we find a rest knowing God always comes through."
{Note: David wrote this while Saul was trying to kill him. He found comfort when he recognized his dependence was to simply trust and praise Him.}
Nehemiah 8:10
" Look, this is not the time to get sad or down on yourself. Your ideas of perfection and the failure to do so only leads to being depressed and to wallow in grief. This day you live belongs to Him, and He wants to share it with you. You have confessed your sin, now is the time to celebrate! Your life is not dependent on well you perform, your life is built on trusting Him. Go home, prepare a feast with rich foods and sweet drink, share your meal with those who may not have anything to prepare. This is the secret to your happiness and well being. Get a hold of this: the joy of the Lord is your lifelong strength!"
{Note: Nehemiah had been sent as a leader of the Jewish nation after the Jews had been released from the exile, serving in Babylon for nearly seventy years. Now, the Jewish people had returned to their homeland and were in a great project, the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The first thing God wanted to rebuild there...was their hearts toward Him.}
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