“Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.” Unknown

It is said that people who try to please everybody usually wind up pleasing nobody. When we take on too much we wind up giving too little to matters that we really care about. “Pick your battles” as they say. Be involved but concentrate your energies instead of spreading your effectiveness out too thin. 

“...so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.” 1Thess.2.4 Conversations Within” ts 6/23/2018

“Silence is never more golden than when a quarrel is brewing.” Clifford Adams

The point of our involvement can be as critical as our involvement itself. If we want to help, we should be sure that our involvement is actually helping and not hurting. Sometimes the best way to help a situation is to steer clear of it ,and let those already involved figure it out. This will probably involve keeping our opinions to ourselves when our sharing them throws wood on a fire others are working to put out. 

“Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.” Prov.26.17 Conversations Within” ts 6/22/2018

“Faith can move mountains but don’t be surprised if God hands you a shovel.” Unknown

God will guide His children as much in trial and error, as in dreams and visions simply because God “ordinarily makes use of means.” We understand the science of evaporation and precipitation, but it is still the Lord who sends the rain. It should come as no surprise to us that God will use our rolled up sleeves, and a hard day’s work to accomplish the goodness we ask from Him in our prayers. I am convinced that Father wants partners in goodness, not puppets or mere spectators.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Prov.16.9 ` Conversations Within” ts 6/21/2018

Note on personal involvement. God sometimes sends us to answer our own prayers.

 We are called to serve one another. There is no such thing as an uninvolved servant. To serve is to be involved. If we want to serve effectively, let us seek the wisdom of God in prayerful reflection. Thoughts and prayers, properly done, will always lead to acts of justice and mercy, and always expressed in a spirit of humility and kindness.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Is.6.8 Conversations Within” ts 6/20/2018

“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.” Dalai Lama

 If I look to God for goodness and mercy let me be sure to hand it out to others as freely as I have received it from Him. I am in such need of mercy, if I err, let me err on the side of mercy. If we follow the Good Shepherd,  we can be sure that He will lead us to spread His goodness to others pretty much everyday. Rise each day confident of God’s goodness, and share it like sunshine. 

“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Ps.23 Conversations Within” ts 6/19/2018

When you're focused upon how good the good is, the good gets better. Abraham Hicks

I want to live in a state of perpetual thanksgiving. I want to radiate gratitude, and to be the aroma of it, to be God’s delight and share the deliciousness of each moment together with Him and with those in my life. It’s a matter of focus really--to see how good it is, how good I have it, to lift my heart towards Heaven with gratitude and praise. My cup isn’t half full or half empty, my cup runneth over. 

“My cup runs over.” Ps.23 Conversations Within” ts 6/14/2018

If the enemy within is defeated, why do I need to fear enemies without?

Fear is one enemy within, and once defeated, all other enemies will watch you dine at God’s table of peace. Fear loses its power when we rest in the knowledge that a loving God holds our future. There are many enemies within and each of them are no match for the Shepherd of our soul. Addiction, worry, depression, even aimless living will all watch us feast at the table of victory when we make God our eternal Shepherd.

“You prepare the table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Ps.23 Conversations Within” ts 6/15/2018

When walking through the “valley of shadows” remember that a shadow is cast by a light.” Austin O’Malley

God is with us in the valley and life has many valleys. “Do not be afraid” is His oft repeated encouragement. There is no evil that His rod and staff cannot handle. He is Lord even of darkness and uses it to deepen one of our most precious possessions. What possession is that? Faith. Faith allows us to see through every darkness with the penetrating gaze of God’s light.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Ps.23 Conversations Within” ts 6/14/2018

“The work of restoration cannot begin until a problem is fully faced.” Dan Allender

God can only restore the soul of one who admits that they need restoration. He cannot return us to the path until we understand that we are not on it. We cannot be found until we face up to the fact that we are lost. Even so, grace will often start just there. Grace can melt the cold fingers of selfishness that grip our heart. No matter how far we have strayed, He will come, find and restore us.

“He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” Ps.23 Conversations Within” ts 6/14/2018

“Come on inner peace! I don't have all day!” Sachin Garg

Green pastures and quiet waters is surely a metaphor for peace. When the Lord is our Shepherd He leads us in the paths of peace--peace with Him, with ourselves, and with others. It is said that “still waters run deep”, so also the peace of Christ in the soul. To follow the Shepherd is to possess a lush not lean life. Not lush in temporal trinkets or material possessions but the lushness of a mature inner life, joy within and a wholeness of soul. 

 “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters,” Ps.23 Conversations Within” ts 6/13/2018

“I’ve got this.” God

I find the greatest comfort knowing that God has repeatedly given His assurance that He will provide everything we need; everything. Whatever we need this day to keep in step with His leading is ours for the asking. This is one of the ways that we can discover what our real needs are. If we need it to do what He is asking from us, then we can be sure of His provision. When Christ told us to ask for bread, and, to ask for it every day, He was telling us that our need is as much in the asking as it is in what we are asking for. 

 “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want” Ps.23 “Conversations Within” ts 6/12/2018

"I believe there's something out there watching over us. Unfortunately, it's the government." Woody Allen

We are the privacy generation. Who likes being spied upon? We are being monitored by Facebook, Google, Amazon and everybody else that wants to market something to us. God is said to watch over us. I often ask God to watch over my family and friends. It is one thing to be watched and another to be watched over. God watches over His own with the eye of a protective parent. I don’t mind being watched over this way, in fact it is one of the most comforting aspects of my relationship with God. 

 “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Ps.23 “Conversations Within” ts 6/11/2018

“To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.” William Arthur Ward

We should exercise grace toward others. We should exercise grace to ourselves as well. I believe it is mature to laugh at oneself. Let’s face it, we all blow it from time to time, and we fail to get it right more often than not. Accept these shortcomings without accepting them. What I mean is we must face up to who we are---people who can’t make it without God’s grace. By all means take your sins seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.

“Sarah then said, “God has given me cause to laugh, and all who hear of it will laugh with me.” Gen.21.6 

“There is no angry way to say bubbles.” Unknown

I believe it a wise skill to teach yourself how to diffuse an angry situation. Most things done or said in anger are later regretted. Respond rather than react. Say it with a smile. Speak gently. Use some watchword like “bubbles” to remind yourself not to take things so seriously. Whenever you want to say something to someone, always use your Mister Roger’s voice.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” Prov.15.1 “Conversations Within” ts 6/8/2018

“Love is not provoked by another, nor does it provoke." Unknown

How easy am I to provoke? How easy is it to “push my buttons”, as we say? To say that love is not easily angered does not mean that it never expresses anger. Love sometimes expresses a restrained anger. The measure of its release seeks to benefit, not lash out in order to hurt, but to initiate healing. The surgeon cuts, but for a different reason than a combatant. The next time you think anger is appropriate, make sure its release is controlled and designed to heal rather than hurt. 

Love...is not easily angered. “Conversations Within” ts 6/7/2018

Always say what you mean and mean what you say even when you are not using words.

We should not take offense, nor seek to cause offense in others. Do not give people a reason to pass judgment on your actions by sending the wrong message. Make sure that your words and your actual witness match up. People watch people, make sure your message is the message you want to them to see.

“Abstain from the very appearance of evil.” 1Thess.5.22 “Conversations Within” ts 6/6/2018

“Wisdom is knowing what to overlook.” William James

We demonstrate the great value of a wise love when we patiently choose to overlook an offense. Cutting people some slack even when they are being rude--we might even say especially when they are rude, shows self control and many other mature traits. Do not let bad behavior in others provoke bad behavior in you.

“It is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.” Prov.19.11 “Conversations Within” ts 6/5/2018

“Forgive others as quickly as you expect God to forgive you.” Unknown

Consider the wonderful grace of being forgiven by someone you have hurt; then consider the wonderful grace of forgiving someone who has hurt you. Forgiveness is a universal need. The same attitude needed to receive forgiveness is that same one needed to grant it. Humility is the common denominator, and we can neither be forgiven nor properly forgive without it. I’m pretty sure this is the reason behind the stern warning of Jesus.

“But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 6/4/2018

Know when to say “No.”

Every “No,“ makes it easier to say “No,“ the next time. The key is knowing when to say “No” and when not to. Never say no to God when He is speaking wisdom to your heart. His wisdom will often teach us to say “No” to other things. Say “No” when it is good to say “No.” It can save us from burnout, a wasted day, and all manner of sorrow.

“The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply…” Ps.16.4 Conversations Within” ts 6/2/2018

“Winners forget they're in a race, they just love to run.” Simon Wilder (With Honors)

Guard yourself from burnout by refusing to walk down any path that leads toward it. Any path that is not bringing us joy or at least leading us to it in the end, is a path we should avoid. I am confident that God wants joy to grow in the garden of our activities. And what is joy? Christ explained that joy is being pleased that God is pleased with our attitudes and actions.

“I tell you these things that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full” Jesus Conversations Within” ts 5/31/2018

It is sad to go through the motions of living, but not really live.

Sometimes we show up without showing up. If we do this often, we may have burned out of a good thing. Just going through the motions is both a symptom and the cause of a heartless existence. Put your heart in whatever you do. Know why you are doing it and do it every time like it’s the first time. Be there. Be fully there. When you tell someone you love them, say it like if you don’t say it, you’ll burst.

“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 5/30/2018

“I have a theory that burnout is about resentment. And you beat it by knowing what it is you're giving up that makes you resentful.” Marissa Mayer

I agree that burnout is often about resentment but it may just be that instead of being resentful we try being grateful. Instead of resenting our spouse’s faults we appreciate their strengths. Instead of complaining about this or that we might look up and smile and give thanks for the joys of life. Do not look at what you are giving up, but what you are gaining in every sacrifice. Resentment cannot grow in the soil of a grateful heart.

“For the joy set before Him Jesus endured the cross.” Heb.12.2 “Conversations Within” ts 5/28/2018

If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit. “ Unknown

One of the best ways to avoid burnout is to build into our lives a healthy rhythm of work and rest. It is important to realize that rest involves more than resting the body. We must learn to rest the soul. It is one thing to be tired and another to be weary. Most of us have tasted what we call a good tired---the result of a good day's work and it usually is followed by a good night's sleep. What we want to avoid is a burnout kind of tired. 

“Let us not lose heart in doing good…” Gal.6.9 “Conversations Within” ts 5/27/2018

We are the soul within, not just the glove without. Give priority to the spiritual, for it is here where we can find true life, true health and lasting peace.

What is the body without the soul? What is physical health without spiritual health? We are paying greater attention to diet, to exercise and sleep because our physical health is joined to these things. There are of course habits that promote a spiritual health as well and we should pay equal if not more attention to them. The soul must be fed well, and our faith exercised properly. And, we do well to remember that Jesus spoke about finding rest for the soul.
“Learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 5/27/2018

“Hardships often prepares ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” C.S. Lewis

There are times when all that is needed is to endure--stay with it, stick it out, and hold the course. Faithfulness is the one thing that gives the first step of faith any meaning. Remind yourself daily of the reasons behind what you are doing of value. Do not be afraid to measure the cost to value ratio. Jesus encouraged us to count the cost and rewards. We should also be sure to count the loss of something if we quit.

"By your endurance you will gain your lives.” Jesus “Conversations Within” ts 5/25/2018