One part of your life that either builds self-respect or tears it down is behavior–the choices you make. Everyone is involved in a multitude of choices every day and your self-respect depends on the quality of your performance.
You do your best.
You do poorly.
You do it right.
You mess it up.
You do what is required.
You cheat.
You follow instructions.
You disobey.
You give it all you've got.
You do it half-heartedly.
You keep your agreements.
You go back on your word.
These and more are choices you make day after day, according to the principles that guide you.
Consider some statements from wise King David:
Knowledge of Sin
Thy word have I treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee (Ps. 119:11).
Insight and Understanding
I have more insight than all my teachers, for Thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have observed thy precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy word (Ps. 119:99-101).
Peace and Stability
Those who love Thy law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble (Ps. 119:165).
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
How can I find happiness in my life? (2)
Without complaining, he went to his job every day. At night he returned, his attitude as positive as if he had his old job. One night he got to talking enthusiastically about the fine art of digging ditches and how he was enjoying the opportunity of working outdoors and using his strength to accomplish a task. "I've never felt better in my life," he commented.
We boys were so fascinated by his enthusiasm that we went to watch him. Most of the men who worked with him were leaning on their shovels, looking miserable. Not our neighbor. When he saw us, he stopped to take us on a quick tour. He told us how to dig a ditch. Then he showed us his handiwork. His ditches were straight…uniformly deep - with firm sides. "Aren't they beautiful?" He was proud of his ditches.
One night, he announced that he had been made foreman. He was filled with compassion and pity for his men. They refused to accept their lot in life and spent the day moaning and complaining. Our neighbor now had a new zest for his job the challenge of lifting his men out of despondency and showing them how to be thankful they had some work to do.
As I watched this highly skilled craftsman who could find a challenge and satisfaction in anything he did, I realized he had mastered a pivotal principle: it was not the task that was important, but the spirit he brought to that task. He brought an undaunted spirit to every task and experience. As a result, he was happy and successful.
This man had a faith that sustained him. His faith could be summed up in these verses from the Bible:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6). -Henry Brandt. Visit him at www.BiblicalCounselingInsight.com
We boys were so fascinated by his enthusiasm that we went to watch him. Most of the men who worked with him were leaning on their shovels, looking miserable. Not our neighbor. When he saw us, he stopped to take us on a quick tour. He told us how to dig a ditch. Then he showed us his handiwork. His ditches were straight…uniformly deep - with firm sides. "Aren't they beautiful?" He was proud of his ditches.
One night, he announced that he had been made foreman. He was filled with compassion and pity for his men. They refused to accept their lot in life and spent the day moaning and complaining. Our neighbor now had a new zest for his job the challenge of lifting his men out of despondency and showing them how to be thankful they had some work to do.
As I watched this highly skilled craftsman who could find a challenge and satisfaction in anything he did, I realized he had mastered a pivotal principle: it was not the task that was important, but the spirit he brought to that task. He brought an undaunted spirit to every task and experience. As a result, he was happy and successful.
This man had a faith that sustained him. His faith could be summed up in these verses from the Bible:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6). -Henry Brandt. Visit him at www.BiblicalCounselingInsight.com
Friday, April 17, 2009
How can I find happiness in my life? (1)
Good evening friends. How can we find happiness in our life? Maybe a tough question to someone. But somebody else it’s not. If I were to be asked, for me it’s easy to find happiness in my life. Ourselves is the one ruling us. Let me share you one article which was written by Henry Brandt. You can visit him at www.BiblicalCounselingInsight.com. Let me share with you one of his topic. It’s a nice one.
A line of research concerning a group of young people called "indestructibles" was once reported in a leading psychological journal.
These indestructibles lived under extreme poverty, and came from very bad home conditions that were located in slum neighborhoods. Yet, they were well-adjusted and good students.
That research got me to thinking of some people I've met in my life who fit the description of “indestructibles.”
It is true that we cannot prevent troublesome or sorrowful events from intruding into our lives. But some people live heartily, joyfully, considerately one day at a time. They rely on their power of choice, whether their problems are solved today or not.
My first encounter with an indestructible was when I was a teen-ager.
The man was one of our next-door neighbors. It was during the height of the Depression. People by the droves were out of work; they were losing their life savings as a result of bank failures and were being evicted from their homes. Suicides were frequent. Nervous breakdowns were common.
My neighbor was a highly skilled (and highly paid) tool-and-die-maker. Suddenly, he was without a job or a paycheck. The best he could do was get a job with the WPA, a governmental agency which gave menial jobs to as many people as possible. His assignment: dig ditches.
This seemed a terrible thing to me. Imagine this top-flight craftsman digging ditches!
A line of research concerning a group of young people called "indestructibles" was once reported in a leading psychological journal.
These indestructibles lived under extreme poverty, and came from very bad home conditions that were located in slum neighborhoods. Yet, they were well-adjusted and good students.
That research got me to thinking of some people I've met in my life who fit the description of “indestructibles.”
It is true that we cannot prevent troublesome or sorrowful events from intruding into our lives. But some people live heartily, joyfully, considerately one day at a time. They rely on their power of choice, whether their problems are solved today or not.
My first encounter with an indestructible was when I was a teen-ager.
The man was one of our next-door neighbors. It was during the height of the Depression. People by the droves were out of work; they were losing their life savings as a result of bank failures and were being evicted from their homes. Suicides were frequent. Nervous breakdowns were common.
My neighbor was a highly skilled (and highly paid) tool-and-die-maker. Suddenly, he was without a job or a paycheck. The best he could do was get a job with the WPA, a governmental agency which gave menial jobs to as many people as possible. His assignment: dig ditches.
This seemed a terrible thing to me. Imagine this top-flight craftsman digging ditches!
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