The "If Only" Trap
"Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant." Ecclesiastes 11:4 NLT
Author Betty Mahalik says in this day and age we're surrounded by messages that scream, "My life would be perfect if only I'd a different job...house...car...nose...spouse...bank account (you fill in the blank). Or if I could be like some celebrity whose life appears well ordered and perfect. Well this week I stopped playing 'my life would be perfect if,' and started playing 'my perfect life.' What's the difference? Three things: (1) Being in the present; (2) An attitude of gratitude; (3) Taking action with what's available now...When we're caught up in the 'my life would be perfect if' trap, we lose touch with the present and can no longer practice gratitude. Think about it; it's difficult to be grateful for what you don't have...and what you don't have is always somewhere in 'future-ville.' Look around you...do you have a roof over your head and food to eat? A few good friends or close relationships? Then appreciate them...You're probably sitting there thinking 'Yes, but I want more money, a better relationship, more time to travel, to be thinner, happier, or whatever'...stop focusing on what you lack and start focusing on what you've already got." The Bible says, "Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest." If you demand perfection-or-nothing, you'll keep ending up with nothing. The fact that "God...made us what we are" (Ephesians 2:10 TLB), means while our best is always commendable, none of us will attain perfection this side of heaven. And that's okay, because Christ has clothed us in His righteousness and made us "complete in him" (Colossians 2:10).
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today
Author Betty Mahalik says in this day and age we're surrounded by messages that scream, "My life would be perfect if only I'd a different job...house...car...nose...spouse...bank account (you fill in the blank). Or if I could be like some celebrity whose life appears well ordered and perfect. Well this week I stopped playing 'my life would be perfect if,' and started playing 'my perfect life.' What's the difference? Three things: (1) Being in the present; (2) An attitude of gratitude; (3) Taking action with what's available now...When we're caught up in the 'my life would be perfect if' trap, we lose touch with the present and can no longer practice gratitude. Think about it; it's difficult to be grateful for what you don't have...and what you don't have is always somewhere in 'future-ville.' Look around you...do you have a roof over your head and food to eat? A few good friends or close relationships? Then appreciate them...You're probably sitting there thinking 'Yes, but I want more money, a better relationship, more time to travel, to be thinner, happier, or whatever'...stop focusing on what you lack and start focusing on what you've already got." The Bible says, "Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest." If you demand perfection-or-nothing, you'll keep ending up with nothing. The fact that "God...made us what we are" (Ephesians 2:10 TLB), means while our best is always commendable, none of us will attain perfection this side of heaven. And that's okay, because Christ has clothed us in His righteousness and made us "complete in him" (Colossians 2:10).
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today
Recent
Archive
2025
January
"Forgiving each other ...as...God forgave you."EMBRACING UNCERTAINITY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?PROBLEMS? DRAW CLOSER TO GODDON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANTPARENTING, THE BIBLE WAYHOW TO BUILD YOUR SELF-ESTEEMSIGNS FOLLOW FAITHWORSHIP: GIVING YOURSELF TO GODCHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS, AND CHANGE YOUR LIFEFind Prayer PartnersHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEHOW TO GIVEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (3))WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE LORD TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
Practice Saying No To YourselfThe Best Is Yet To ComeThe Grandfather's Mistake Became The Grandson's MiracleHow To Conquer The Fear Of FailingLet's Respect Our DifferencesPass It On To OthersThrow It DownYou Are Called To Be Salt And LightExpect To "Wrestle"Use Your Gifts In Ministry To OthersKeep Trusting GodFear Is The Enemy Of GrowthChange Your RoutineYou Are Not Beyond God's ReachDon't Look At Christians, Look At ChristHave A God PerspectiveGod Uses Damaged PeopleUnderstanding The Word "Imputed"Governed By Christ's Love For UsToday Expect God's FavorGrowth Is About EnlargementKeep Praying And BelievingRefuse To Wear The LabelShake It Off, And Move ForwardWhen Others "Don't Get It"Righteousness Is A Gift, Not A Reward
March
Don't Break, Bounce Back (1)How Long Will You Live?Don't Break, Bounce Back (2)Put Away The Measuring StickKnow When To Let GoUse Your ImaginationConnect, Commit, CommunicateHow God Sees YouRearing Spiritual FruitConsult God On Your Daily To Do ListBorn To Believe (1)Born To Believe (2)Only Jesus Can Satisfy Your Soul"Forgive Them" And Delete ItPut God Between Yourself and the FoeBe True To The ScripturesThe Kids Are Watchcng You (1)The Kids Are Watching You (2)If You're A Leader, Read ThisPrayer and Your RASLearn To Say NoYou Can Learn To LoveAlways Agree With God’s WordGive God All The GloryDon’t Let A Wall Build Up Between YouTo Be Used By GodTell Them While You Still CanYou’re Almost ThereA Ministry Of Tears“Much More” Or “Much Less” (1)
Categories
no categories