Gary Zimak's Blog, page 8

Don’t Get Discouraged…

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The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, ‘My own hand has delivered me.’” (Judges 7:2)

God understands our tendency to take credit for the great things He
accomplishes in our lives. If not corrected this can lead to a false sense of self-sufficiency. Once that happens we are only a few steps away from distancing ourselves from him and ceasing to pray.

I shared my thoughts on this verse in Stop Worrying and Start Living. Here’s an excerpt…

“Because he is all-loving, God often reminds us that we need him. If you are discouraged because you’ve committed the same sin for the millionth time or you’ve done poorly on a job interview that you thought was a sure thing, let it serve as a reminder of just how much you need God’s help. Let your weaknesses and defeats lead you to the loving arms of your heavenly Father. With his help you can do all things!”

From time to time you will fail. Don’t get discouraged. It’s all part of God’s plan.

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Come To Me…

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

Today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight the above invitation from Jesus. Taken from the gospel of today’s Mass, it’s an offer too good to pass up.

Are you tired of feeling weary and burdened? Spend some time with Jesus today. Surrender your problems and your entire life to Him. Ask Him to give you the rest that He promised.

If it sounds simple, that’s because it is.

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Don’t Just Do Something…Stand There!

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“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

Most worry-prone individuals like to be in control. This often results in an excessive desire to be busy and get things done. For this type of person, the thought of being still can be a painful one. But, here’s the deal. Unless you can force yourself to take a break and spend time with God, you’ll never get to know Him. Furthermore, you will never be at peace.

Here’s what I wrote in Stop Worrying and Start Living…

In the past I would only pray when I felt like it or when I wasn’t busy. Now I choose to spend some quiet time with Jesus every day, no matter what. Even though it can be extremely difficult to sit still when e-mails have to be answered and writing deadlines met, I choose to do it anyway. Through this act of self-discipline, my relationship with him has grown, and I can feel his presence in my life more deeply. I know the frustration that comes from running around and trying to control every area of my life, and I also know the peace that comes from spending quiet time in God’s presence.

Over the past few months, many of us have been forced to take a break and be still. Global pandemics have a way of doing that. But here’s a question for you. Have you been making good use of your downtime? It’s great that you’re spending more time with your family, cleaning your house and sprucing up your lawn, but how much time have you spent working on your relationship with God?

Before things get back to normal and you find yourself rushing around again, why not try to spend some time praying and reading the Bible? Reflect on the fact that God loves you and is in control of your life. Share your worries with Him and ask for the grace to deal with your problems. You may never have an opportunity like this again. Don’t waste it!

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The Danger Of Loving “Stuff”

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)

No doubt about it, this is a tough message. Many individuals look at the words of St. John and reject them as being too harsh. After all, didn’t God create the world? What could be wrong with loving his creation?

Here’s what I wrote in Stop Worrying and Start Living…

“This message is all about desire. If my ultimate goal in life is to serve God, I am in good shape. On the other hand, pursuing riches and fame in order to live a life of comfort is problematic. While there is nothing sinful about earning a good living, it should never be more important than your relationship with God. Lasting peace can be found in him alone.”

“Loving the world” means putting “stuff” before God. We all do it at times. Today, let’s just try to do it a little less. It really will give you more peace.

Let not your heart be troubled!

~Gary

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The Lord Is My Shepherd!

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The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

I have often heard that Psalm 23 is the most popular of all the psalms, but I never tried to substantiate that claim. Deciding to finally put it to the test, I did a Google search for “most popular psalm” and Psalm 23 was at the top of every list! What is it about this psalm that makes it so popular?

I shared some of my thoughts in Stop Worrying and Start Living. Here’s an excerpt…

“Slowly reading and reflecting on the words of this psalm has brought me peace time and time again. And while I do recommend reading all of the verses, the first verse sums up the overall message in a succinct way: If I have God in my life, I have all that I need.”

If all this is true, you may ask, why do I feel so unsettled? Reading this psalm does bring me peace, but sometimes I still feel really “needy” once I close my Bible. Why is that?

In my opinion, we often focus more on what we don’t have than what we do have. Life is filled with distractions, and we can easily lose sight of the presence of God. Spend some time with Him today and you might realize that many of your wants aren’t really that important after all. If you have God in your life, you have all you need.

Let not your heart be troubled!

~Gary

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FAITH, Not Fear!

Are you struggling to find peace in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic?

I am thrilled to announce that I have been asked to lead a 2 night online Mini-Conference sponsored by the Women of Grace Benedicta Institute for Women!

Join me on March 25 and March 26, 2020 from 7:30 – 9:00 PM ET as I’ll help you to make the journey from FEAR to FAITH. I will be joined by Fr. Nathan Cromly on the first night and by Fr. Mitch Pacwa on the second night.

Click HERE to register for this Mini-Conference and get ready to move from FEAR to FAITH!

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Are You Ready For Lent?

It’s hard to believe, but Lent is upon us! Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago that we were enjoying the warmth of the summer sun or looking forward to Christmas? Now, it’s suddenly time to head into the desert and walk with Jesus as He prepares to carry His cross, die and rise from the dead!

The first recorded words of Jesus in Mark’s gospel remind us that, ready or not, it’s time to make a decision:

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

Even if you have already chosen what you will be giving up (or doing) for Lent, I recommend that you take a close look at the above words. There are four important messages contained in this sentence.

Let’s take a look at each of them…

The time is fulfilled – Ready or not, Lent is here. I don’t know about you, but I like the fact that Lent has a concrete starting point. Otherwise, I would be tempted to put off doing all those things I should be doing to grow spiritually. The fact that Ash Wednesday begins on a specific calendar date gives me a sense of urgency about getting my spiritual life in order.

The Kingdom of God is at hand – With all of the craziness going on around us, it’s easy to lose sight of the nearness of God. Our life doesn’t have to be chaotic for us to become distracted. If we’re not careful, daily chores and responsibilities can consume our attention and cause us to lose sight of God’s presence. Jesus is reminding us that we don’t have to travel to a secluded island or an elaborate cathedral to encounter him. He is with us in the messiness of daily life.

Repent – This is an interesting word. Typically, we associate repentance with sin. While that can certainly be true, the Greek word used by Mark in his original manuscript (metanoéō) has a broader meaning. It literally means to “change one’s mind” or “think differently afterwards”. Faced with the knowledge that Lent is beginning and that God’s kingdom is near, Jesus challenges us to a radical conversion. Not only are we instructed to change our deeds (through acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving), but the way we think as well.

Believe in the Gospel – It’s way too easy to dismiss this command as a “no brainer”, but that would be a huge mistake. Once again, the original Greek manuscript gives us some powerful insight. The word rendered in English as “believe” actually means “have faith in, trust in or have confidence in” in Greek. Can you imagine if you went into Lent with the goal of having greater trust in Jesus? It would be absolutely life-changing.

If you haven’t decided what to give up for Lent, I have a suggestion. My latest book, Give Up Worry For Lent, was recently ranked in the Top 100 of all books for sale on Amazon! While I am completely humbled and awestruck by that ranking, it shows that people are looking for the supernatural peace that can only be found in Jesus Christ. As someone who has always struggled with anxiety, I am honored that the Lord has chosen me to share this message with the world.

If you’re someone who tends to worry, I invite you to pick up a copy of the book and let’s walk together through the Lenten season. One day at a time, we’ll surrender control of our lives to the Lord. Instead of worrying about things that are out of our control, we’ll cast our cares on him. In other words, we’ll do our part and let Jesus do his part.

If you’re not a worrier, ask the Holy Spirit for the best way to respond to Jesus during the Lenten season. The time is now. The kingdom is near. Are you willing to allow your thoughts to be guided by the Holy Spirit so that you can think differently? Are you able to express confidence and trust in him?

I have a decision to make and so do you. The Lord clearly lays out what is needed for his followers. Lent gives us a chance to make it happen. What is your decision?

Have a blessed Lent. I’ll be praying for you. Please pray for me too!

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Where Can I Buy Give Up Worry For Lent?

Once again this year, we are running into a “good” problem. As the Give Up Worry For Lent movement continues to grow, the book has completely sold out on Amazon! Yesterday, Give Up Worry For Lent was ranked in the Top 100 of ALL books offered for sale by Amazon. All Glory To God!

How To Order The Book

With Lent just a few days away, the lack of availability poses a problem for those of you who want to order the book in time for Ash Wednesday. The good news is that you have multiple options:

You can order the Kindle version of the book HERE. You can order the book directly from Ave Maria Press (at a 20% discount and free shipping!) HERE. (Contiguous US only. Offer expires April 13)You can order on Amazon HERE and the book will be shipped soon. Contrary to what the website says, a new supply of books was shipped to them last week. They just have to be recorded in their inventory system.

Also, don’t forget to “like” the Give Up Worry For Lent Facebook page for daily updates and comments from yours truly. In addition, you can listen to the weekly Give Up Worry For Lent segments on EWTN Radio’s The Son Rise Morning Show every Wednesday at 6:35 AM ET and each week on The Gary Zimak Show podcast.

As we walk together through the upcoming forty days, let’s decide to make 2020 the year when we finally Give Up Worry For Lent!

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Get Ready For Give Up Worry For Lent 2020!

Are you ready to give up worry for Lent?

I am thrilled to announce that Give Up Worry For Lent 2020 will officially kick off on Ash Wednesday (Feb 26) at 6:35 AM ET on EWTN Radio’s The Son Rise Morning Show!

In addition to reading the book, you can hear me provide additional information every Wednesday at 6:35 AM ET on The Son Rise Morning Show and you can like the interactive Give Up Worry For Lent Facebook page.

Let’s get ready to walk through Lent 2020 together as we focus on Jesus and Give Up Worry For Lent. Let’s Do This!

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How Do I Know God’s Will?

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God has created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. (Saint John Henry Newman)

If you’re like me, you’ve probably prayed the Lord’s Prayer thousands of times. You have spoken the words “Thy will be done” at least that many times. But even though we express that sentiment, do we really mean it? And if we mean it, how do we know what God wants us to do?

For many of us, trying to figure out what God wants us to do can be very intimidating. If you feel that way, relax! The Lord doesn’t want us to be in the dark. If He wants us to do something, He will let us know. Unfortunately, we often fail to listen, don’t know how to listen, or can’t believe what He is asking us to do. Although it may take time, determining what God wants us to do isn’t impossible or even extremely difficult. It simply takes a combination of common sense, willingness to seek Him out, and desire to listen to what He is saying.

If the Lord wants you to do something, He will let you know. Let’s look at some ways to hear His voice more clearly and put His plan for your life into action:

1. Resolve to do what God wants even if it’s not what you want. Tell Him that you earnestly want to do His will more than anything else. Often overlooked, this step is very important and sets the stage for the remaining steps.

2. Ask God what He wants you to do. Here’s another step that is simple, but important. Furthermore, expect God to answer when you ask.

3. Listen for His answer. It can come in many ways – through Church teachings, the Bible, prayer, thoughts, circumstances or other people. It’s not impossible, but it is very rare that the Lord will speak audibly to you. That’s why it’s so important to learn to “hear” His voice. The most important thing to remember here is to be patient. Don’t force God’s hand. If He’s not giving you the next step, be patient. He will let you know when it’s time to act.

4. Decide what you should do. At some point, you’ll need to reach a decision. Once you reach an initial decision (it doesn’t have to be final), run it by the Lord and see if it brings you peace. Once again, don’t rush unless it’s necessary. If you are at peace, it’s time to move to the next step.

5. Act on your decision. This is often the most difficult step of the entire process. Once you have a reasonable idea of what God wants you to do, try it out and see what happens. After discerning that Jesus was really calling Him to walk on the water, Peter eventually had to get out of the boat. Don’t let fear stop you. Even if you make the “wrong” decision, the Lord can still bring good out of it. Trust Him!

Want to learn more about discovering God’s will for your life? Check out my book – Faith, Hope and Clarity (How To Know God’s Will)!

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