This is season of Lent, and many people are giving things up in order to refocus their lives. Some see this as relinquishing aspects of overindulgence - sweets, alcohol, or particular food-types they somehow believe will make them better (carbs gone, red meat gone, gluten gone…) - while others add things to their routine such as getting back to the gym.
Rather than giving up things you enjoy (or adding things you may not enjoy), you would be healthier if you gave up the things that harm you. The sacrifice is actually greater to give up unhealthy habits than indulgent pleasures - harder than giving up candy for forty days, but the rewards benefit you so much more! Believe in yourself again by getting rid of dead “wait” - the proverbial weight that makes you second-guess yourself and keeps you from living.
It is an interesting parallel to taking shortcuts along the way. Men and women forget the whole reason why they chose a certain path back “in the beginning.” Do you remember? Here’s how you eliminate your “dead wait” this season as you move toward great things:
1. Bust Out in Spring Cleaning
You’ve heard the phrase “there are people that come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.” But many of us spend a lot of time on the relationships we have categorized as “a lifetime” rather than giving a lot of energy into “a reason” - trying to convert it to a season or a lifetime. Spending and giving are two very different forms of remittance, and one means a whole lot more than the other.
We can’t help ourselves. We get locked into habit. This spring, this season, look at that list of contacts in your phone or your email, your social network and your business files. That list represents names. People. Who matters most? To whom should you give the most of your time? “Create in me a clean heart” begins Psalms 51:10 - Clean up your priorities and make time for the right ones for the right reasons.
We can’t help ourselves. We get locked into habit. This spring, this season, look at that list of contacts in your phone or your email, your social network and your business files. That list represents names. People. Who matters most? To whom should you give the most of your time? “Create in me a clean heart” begins Psalms 51:10 - Clean up your priorities and make time for the right ones for the right reasons.
2. Encourage Yourself to “Go Blind”
While a blind date may not always be successful, when it comes to choosing your path going blind isn’t bad. Rely on your heightened senses to guide you instead of your eyes deceiving you or making decision based on perception. When “blind”, you aren’t making assumptions - you take action based on your gut - and our instincts are usually spot-on. Blind means don’t look in the rear-view mirror, either.
Forget what lies behind you (Phil. 3:13’s introduction) and move toward what lies in front of you. You know that doctors are saying don’t look down when walking, don’t test when walking, it bends your neck and causes a myriad of problems. Don’t look down - don’t fret what’s ahead. Know whatever is in front of you is better than what’s behind you: keep moving forward.
3. Imbibe in Things You Enjoy
At a crossroads in a friend’s life ten years ago, I asked him something to the effect of “what would you do if earning money was no object?” He immediately replied, “Be a carpenter.” He liked the grains of the wood, designing pieces in his head, inhaling the scent as he sands the pieces, and he never forgets the color of pieces. There was no hesitation in him.
Enjoying life is important because the memory of joy stays with you even when you struggle (you guessed it - Ecc 8:15). If you can’t make money at your passion yet, at least make sure you do something for fun on a regular basis. Use your talent to bring joy to your life. Filling your non-work hours with enjoyable pastimes reduces stress and increases your happiness.
4. Remember Your Fairy Tale
There was a story about a nameless nobleman, who wanted to fight wrongdoings and bring justice to the world. He finds a friend, looks to do good works, and eventually becomes discouraged. You’d know the story if I told you it was Don Quixote a la Mancha - but you’d only be partially right. You only remember the name and the place, but not the raison d’être.
The first three words are the most important part of the tale - The Ingenious Gentleman. Imagination and Ingenuity got him through his battles - he didn’t conform to the norm, and why should you? 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us to look beyond the outer person and into the heart of their nature - look into your heart. Remember the WHOLE story of why you wanted to take those first steps and your real reason for being…
5. And…Never Say Never
What’s never been done is merely an opportunity for you to be the first to get to the finish line. And don’t plan to just “get there” - blow right past your goal. If you plan to go farther than you want, you know you will absolutely make it to where you want to be and beyond. (I will let you find your own verse about being blessed!)
Frederica Mathewes-Green says, “Everyone wants to be transformed, but nobody wants to change.” If you never change, you never grow. If you never reach, you never stretch. Lent is a time for passion in miracles - you are a miracle and can do miraculous things.
Take flight, have faith, be blessed, never forget your imagination - you will succeed!
