Rick Warren's Blog, page 528

Your Life is Shaped by Your Thoughts

God is far more interested in changing your mind than changing your circumstances.

We want God to take away all of our problems, pain, sorrow, suffering, sickness, and sadness. But God wants to work on you first, because transformation won���t happen in your life until you renew your mind, until your thoughts begin to change.

Changing Your Life Will Take Concentration

If you want to experience lasting change in your life, you need to refocus your mind.

The Truth About Shadows

One of the common sources of stress is loss. You can lose your job, your health, your money, your reputation, or a loved one.

When people go through loss, there are always two common reactions.

There Is No Excuse Not to Rest

The Bible is filled with instructions about rest and recreation and relaxation. In fact, it���s so important that God put it in the Ten Commandments ��� right up there with ���Don���t commit adultery��� and ���Don���t murder.��� He says that every seventh day, you have to take a day off. That���s how important a Sabbath is in your life.

Let Jesus Lighten Your Load

I don���t know what burden you���re carrying. I don���t know what���s weighing you down. But I do know the answer.

When You���re Under Attack, Just Rest

Our civilization is losing its civility. The world is getting ruder! One of the things that���s causing that is the internet, because it allows people to hide behind the screen and say things online that they would never have the courage to say to others face-to-face.

Only God Can Provide

The major cause of stress in your life is worry. You worry because you wonder if you will have what you need when you need it. But anytime you expect other people to meet your needs instead of God, you���re going to be frustrated and disappointed, because nobody can meet all your needs. Only God can do that.

The Path Back to God

I don���t know where you are today. You may feel far away from God. Maybe you haven���t been to church in years, or maybe you���ve just been distant for a month or two. Maybe you���ve had one of those weeks where you thought, ���I really don���t feel God���s presence in my life.��� And yet we all long to be close to God. How do you get back to him?

God Smiles When We Obey Wholeheartedly

God smiles when we obey him wholeheartedly. That means doing whatever God asks without reservation or hesitation. You don���t procrastinate and say, ���I���ll pray about it.��� You do it without delay.

If God Is for Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

God is for your success in life; he created you for a purpose and wants you to succeed. It is God, your Creator, who will measure your success in life, and no one else.