Rick Warren's Blog, page 517

How to Keep Your Enthusiasm

To reach your goals, you have to figure out how to maintain your enthusiasm over the long haul.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing great is ever accomplished without enthusiasm.” I believe that with all of my heart. I have found it to be true in my life. You’ve got to have passion and enthusiasm, or you’re never going to make it to the finish line.

Most people would consider me an enthusiastic person, and I am. But I haven’t been an enthusiastic person for a week or a month. My enthusiasm has not waned over a year or five or 10 years. I have been consistently enthusiastic about the goals that I’ve set for more than 30 years.

How do you do that? How do you stay enthusiastic day after day in spite of delays and difficulties and dead ends and problems and pressures and criticisms? How do you stay enthusiastic for more than 30 years?

Positive thinking is not enough. Pulling yourself up by your psychological bootstraps is not enough. Talking yourself into optimism is not enough.

The way you stay enthusiastic for a lifetime is found in the word “enthusiasm.” The word “enthusiasm” comes from the Greek word en theos. En is the Greek word for the English word “in.” Theos is the Greek word for “God.” So en theos means to be “in God.”

When you get in God, you will be enthusiastic. It’s the kind of enthusiasm that isn’t affected by the economy or the weather or your circumstances. It’s eternal because you are tied to the eternal God. You are in Christ.

Paul tells us how to do this in Romans 12:11-12. He says, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (NIV).

If you want to reach your goals, you need to tap into God’s power by being joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.

Pray this prayer today: “Dear God, I don’t want to go another day without you in my life, controlling every part of my heart. I offer you my body. I dedicate myself to you. In light of all you’ve done for me, I give myself as a living sacrifice to you as a spiritual act of worship.

“I humbly admit that I need help. I want you to renew my mind. Help me to think the way you want me to think. Please forgive me for my pride. I don’t want to think more highly of myself than I should. My faith needs to grow, and I need your help to set goals that can be measured so I can manage them. Forgive me for trying to change on my own.

“I want to fill my life with love. I want to fill my life with you. Help me to get group support. Help me to take delight in honoring other people, to focus on giving my life away so that you can take care of my needs. I want to nurture my enthusiasm by being in you. Help me to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. I give myself to you. In your name I pray. Amen.”

Como Mantener Tu Entusiasmo

Para alcanzar tus metas, tienes que encontrar la forma de mantener tu entusiasmo durante el largo recorrido.

Ralph Waldo Emerson dijo, “Nada grande se ha logrado sin entusiasmo”. Yo creo eso con todo mi corazón. He encontrado eso cierto en mi vida. Tienes que tener pasión y entusiasmo, o nunca vas llegar a la meta final.

La mayoría de las personas me considerarían una persona entusiasta, y lo soy. Pero no he sido una persona entusiasta por una semana o un mes. Mi entusiasmo no ha menguado por un año o cinco o diez. He sido consistentemente entusiasta acerca de las metas que he fijado por más de treinta años.

¿Cómo haces eso? ¿Cómo te mantienes entusiasta día tras día a pesar de los retrasos y las dificultades, los callejones sin salida y los problemas, las presiones y las críticas? ¿Cómo te mantienes entusiasta por más de treinta años?

El pensamiento positivo no es suficiente. Dejándote llevar por técnicas psicológicas no es suficiente. Hablarte con optimismo no es suficiente.

La forma para permanecer entusiasta de por vida se encuentra en la palabra “entusiasmo”. La palabra “entusiasmo” viene de las palabras griegas en theos. En es la palabra griega para “en”. Y Theos es la palabra griega para “Dios”. Así que en theos significa estar “en Dios”.

Cuando estás en Dios, serás entusiasta. Es el tipo de entusiasmo que no es afectado por la economía o el clima o tus circunstancias. Es eterno porque tú estás unido al Dios eterno. Tú estás en Cristo.

Pablo nos dice como hacer esto en Romanos 12:11-12. Él dice, “Nunca dejen de ser diligentes; antes bien, sirvan al Señor con el fervor que da el Espíritu. Alégrense en la esperanza, muestren paciencia en el sufrimiento, perseveren en la oración” (NVI).

Si quieres alcanzar tus metas, necesitas aprovechar el poder de Dios al estar alegre en la esperanza, paciente en la aflicción y constante en la oración.

Haz esta oración hoy: “Querido Dios, No quiero estar otro día sin ti en mi vida, toma cada una de las partes de mi corazón. Te ofrezco mi cuerpo. Me dedico a ti. A la luz de lo que has hecho por mí, me entrego como un sacrificio vivo a ti en un acto de adoración”.

“Humildemente admito que necesito ayuda. Quiero que renueves mi mente. Ayúdame a pensar en la forma que tú quieres que piense. Por favor perdóname por mi orgullo. No quiero tener un concepto más alto de mí del que debería. Mi fe necesita crecer, y yo necesito tu ayuda para fijar mis metas que puedan ser medidas para que las pueda manejar. Perdóname por intentar cambiar por mis propias fuerzas”

“Quiero llenar mi vida con amor. Quiero llenar mi vida de ti. Ayúdame a tener apoyo de grupo. Ayúdame a deleitarme en honrar a otras personas, a enfocarme en dar mi vida para que te puedas hacer cargo de mis necesidades. Quiero nutrir mi entusiasmo al estar en ti. Ayúdame a estar gozoso en la esperanza, paciente en la aflicción y constante en la oración. Yo me entrego a ti. En tu Nombre oro. Amén”

You Have the Power to Say ‘No’

I don’t know about you, but I admit there were a lot of things I could not say “no” to before the Holy Spirit came into my life. I wanted to say “no,” but I didn’t.

It really doesn’t matter what you call them, but we all have compulsions, habits, lusts, drives, desires, or attractions that make us feel like we have no choice but to do them. You just can’t help yourself. You just can’t say “no.”

But if you’ve accepted Jesus Christ into your life, you can say “no.” Romans 8:9 says, “You are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all)” (NLT).

Yes, you will still have those desires. But the Holy Spirit will give you the power to say “no” to them; you do not have to satisfy those desires. This is the difference the Spirit of God makes in you. This is how God sets you free from your compulsions.

The worst kind of slave is being a slave to your own natural desires. Some people say, “Well, if it’s natural, why should I limit it?” A lot of things seem natural. It’s natural to be self-centered, but acting on that desire might not be good for your kids or your spouse.

Natural doesn’t mean it’s always good. I might have a natural desire to cheat you out of all your money, but that doesn’t mean I should do it.

When I’ve accepted Christ into my life, I have the Holy Spirit to help power my decisions and say “no” to the natural and “yes” to the spiritually mature choice.

Don’t Give Up: Refuse to Be Bitter

Grief is a part of life, but you can’t let a season of grief turn into a lifestyle of grief.

At some point you have to let it go!

There is a difference between mourning and moaning, between weeping and wallowing. A loss can deepen me, but that doesn’t mean it can define me. A loss is a part of my maturity but not my identity.

God gives you grace to get through what you’re going through. Other people may not have that same measure of grace, so they might give you bad advice!

“[Job’s] wife said to him, ‘Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.’ But Job replied, ‘You talk like a godless woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?’ So in all this, Job said nothing wrong” (Job 2:9-10 NLT).

Job refused to become bitter and resentful. Bitterness prolongs pain. It doesn’t relieve it; it only reinforces it. “Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you . . . it causes deep trouble, hurting many in their spiritual lives” (Hebrews 12:15 TLB).

Job gives three steps in refocusing:

1. Put your heart right. That means you forgive. “But I can’t forgive!” you say. That’s why you need Christ in your life; he’ll give you the power to forgive.

2. Reach out to God. Ask him to come into your heart and heal those wounds and help you and give you strength and power for tomorrow, next week, next month.

3. Face the world again, firm and courageous. Many people, when they’re hurt, withdraw into a shell. They say, “I’ll never let anybody hurt me again!” They retire from life. Job says to do the exact opposite: Resume your life; don’t retire from it. Get back out there in the world.

There’s a happy ending to Job’s life. “The Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than he had blessed the first” (Job 42:12 GNT). Job went through all this hurt, but in spite of that, God blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than the first.

Wouldn’t you like the same in your life? Say, “God, I don’t care whether I have five years or 50 years left. Would you bless the last part of my life more than the first part?”

The lesson of Job’s life is this: It doesn’t matter who’s hurt you or how long you’ve been hurt or how deeply you’ve been hurt. God can make the rest of your life the best of your life if you’re willing to forgive and let go of resentment and release the offender.

Talk About It

Don’t Give Up: Accept Help from Others

When we’ve had a loss or disappointment, the natural reaction is to withdraw from others. This is a bad idea! God doesn’t want you to try handling pain or loss or stress by yourself.

The Bible says, “When desperate people give up on God Almighty, their friends, at least, should stick with them” (Job 6:14 The Message). God commands us to bear each other’s burdens! We’re told to “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV).

Every one of us will experience difficulties and pain. Pain is the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, old or young. Every one of us will face troubles. This is why small groups are so important. The Bible says, “By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2 NCV).

Job says, “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty” (Job 6:14 NIV). The Good News Translation says, “In trouble like this I need loyal friends — whether I’ve forsaken God or not.”

Every person needs Christian friends who will stand alongside you even when you say, “I don’t think I believe in God right now” and who will nurse you back to faith.

Don’t Give Up: Tell God Exactly How You Feel

God can handle your emotions — he gave them to you, after all! He can handle your anger, doubt, fear, questions, grief, and even your complaints. Be honest; tell it to God. Get it off your shoulders. Spill your guts! Tell God exactly how you feel: “God, I hurt!” This is exactly what Job did.

Job was brutally honest with God: “I can’t be quiet! I am angry and bitter. I have to speak” (Job 7:11 GNT). He continued to unload in the verses that follow: “Why do you keep me under guard? Do you think I am a sea monster? I lie down and try to rest; I look for relief from my pain. But you — you terrify me with dreams; you send me visions and nightmares until I would rather be strangled than live in this miserable body. I give up; I am tired of living. Leave me alone. My life makes no sense. Why are people so important to you? Why pay attention to what they do? You inspect them every morning and test them every minute. Won’t you look away long enough for me to swallow my spit? Are you harmed by my sin, you jailer?” (Job 7:12-20 GNT).

If you were God, how would you react to that? Maybe get angry? Is that what God did? No! Because God understood Job. God understands you, too, and he understands your hurt. God isn’t surprised when you say, “God, I don’t like this. This stinks. It hurts!” Who do you think created those emotions? Who do you think gave you the capacity to get angry and express those feelings? God did. God is not surprised by your emotional state.

God let Job get it off his chest. It was a catharsis, a kind of cleansing so that Job could get clean and be healed.

The right response to unexplained tragedy is not “grin and bear it” or pious platitudes but honestly telling God your struggle. Lamentations 2:19 says, “Cry out in the night . . . Pour out your heart like water in prayer to the Lord” (NCV).

Job questioned God’s actions, but he never stopped trusting God. Did you know that trusting God with your feelings is an act of worship? “Job stood up, tore his robe in grief, and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground and worshiped” (Job 1:20 GW).

Go ahead. Express all your feelings. Release your frustrations. God can handle it!

It’s a Matter of Trust

When I ask people what keeps them from trusting in God, they sometimes say, “Well, I haven’t seen what’s on the other end, so I’m not going to trust it.” Yet they trust all the time in things they can’t see.

We can’t see television or radio waves, but we watch TV and listen to the radio. We can’t see cell phone waves, but we use our phones every day without thinking.

It’s selective trust. We trust what we want to trust.

What about you? Are you willing to trust in the One who is unseen but is more reliable and more dependable than any technology this world could create? Are you willing to commit your life to him?

If you are, I encourage you to pray this prayer:

“Dear God, forgive me for my pride and for thinking that I don’t need you in my life. I’m sorry. I admit that I need rescuing. I need saving. There is no way I can pay for my sins on my own.

“And so I’m asking you, Jesus, as much as I understand it, to rescue me and set me free. I am calling on you because you’ve said that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

“I want to commit my life to you, and I want to learn to trust you and know you better. Give me the better life and set me free. In your name I pray, Amen.”

When You Call on God, He Will Answer

Are you at a place in your life where you need to be rescued? Are you ready to call out for help? It doesn’t take a special phone or a bat-signal. All you have to do is ask and Jesus will rescue you. You can ask him to rescue you in any area of your life: a relationship, a financial situation, a health issue, anything. But you have to ask.

In Psalm 91:15, God says, “When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them” (NLT). That’s not just talk, because God doesn’t lie. It would be contrary to his character because he is total truth.

Notice that God says you have to do your part and then he’ll do his part. You call, he answers. That’s it. Just call on the name of the Lord. And the name of the Lord is Jesus.

It’s vital to understand that in any rescue operation, the rescuer gets to determine the means and method of the rescue. You don’t get to determine how you are saved. It’s not up to you; it’s up to your Savior. And Jesus says, “I am the way . . . No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).

Jesus doesn’t say he’s a good way or a nice way or even the best way. He says, “I’m it.” If there were a plan B, God wouldn’t have sent Jesus — his plan A — to Earth to die for you. So if you’re going to be saved and have all your sins forgiven, there’s only one way it will happen, and there’s only one person you can call on: Jesus.

You Can’t Be a Self-Made Savior

David was one of Israel’s greatest kings – powerful, smart, wealthy. He could have anything he wanted, but he knew he was unable to truly save himself. Only one person could rescue him: “I stand silently before the Lord, waiting for you to rescue me. For salvation comes from him alone” (Psalm 62:1 TLB).

It is impossible to work our way, buy our way, or earn our way into heaven. When it comes to salvation, we are unable to save ourselves. The government can’t save us. Our popularity can’t save us. Our level of success can’t save us. “There’s no such thing as self-rescue, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. The cost of rescue is beyond our means” (Psalm 49:7-8 The Message).

If you didn’t need a savior, God wouldn’t have sent one. But he knew that your spiritual condition was much worse than your physical condition could ever be. That’s why he sent Jesus to rescue you.

There is no way you can get into a perfect heaven on your own. There is no way you can pay for your salvation. The cost is beyond your means. So Jesus paid for it by coming and dying for you on the cross. He made that ultimate payment with his life. God simply invites you to accept the free gift of salvation that Jesus makes available.

Sending Out an S.O.S.

Have you ever gotten yourself into such a mess that you knew there was no way you could get out of it on your own? Whether it was getting your car stuck or getting so lost you didn’t know where you were, you needed a rescuer.

But how easy was it for you to ask for help?

The Bible is full of situations where people needed to be rescued — Adam and Eve, Joseph, Moses, Jonah, the people of Israel. They all needed a rescuer, a savior. But not all of them found it so easy to ask for help. Why? Pride.

It’s hard to admit we need someone else’s help. People might think we’re weak or foolish or somehow less perfect than the image we like to project. But the Bible says God is ready to “rescue those who are humble” (Psalm 18:27 NLT).

Jesus is the ultimate rescuer. He came to Earth to save all humanity through his death and Resurrection. “Jesus . . . gave himself to rescue all of us” (1 Timothy 2:5 CEV).

But that means you have to admit that you need rescuing. It takes honesty and humility to admit our need and say like David, “I am in deep trouble. Rush to my aid, for only you [God] can help and save me” (Psalm 70:5 TLB).

That’s all you have to do. Just accept his grace, his mercy, and his love. But make sure you swallow your pride first.