Rejoicing in Pain

Although no one enjoys painful trials, they are a necessity for the Christian life. Apostle Peter says that our trials are a sign that the goal of our faith is being accomplished. Through them, God is working to purify us and teach us to depend on the Father, all the while making us more like Christ. Just as fire tests and purifies gold, so God is testing and purifying our faith, “and our faith is far more precious to God than mere old.”

So God allows us to go through trials because of how precious we are to Him. It hurts, it’s painful and God knows that and feels compassion toward us. But he doesn’t always take away the pain because of what the pain produces in our lives. 

God has a purpose in our lives that will not be accomplished without suffering. Suffering exposes the games we play in an attempt to run our own lives and trust ourselves rather than God. Our loving Father knows that this is far more dangerous to our souls than the suffering that comes our way. Only when we learn to walk in dependence on Him can we experience the intimacy that our souls are thirsty for.

Peter concludes that we have exceedingly great reason to rejoice, even in the midst of our trials, because our trials are accomplishing for us a blessedness that can never perish, spoil or fade. In the midst of crisis, that is our hope. (k.ricafort)

Looking at things in a different perspective

"Progress depends upon what we are, rather than upon what we may encounter. One man is stopped by a sapling lying across the road; another, passing that way, picks up the hindrance and converts it into a help in crossing the brook just ahead. We are too apt to think that our progress in a given case will depend solely upon the obstacles we may run against. It is more likely to depend upon what runs against the obstacles." - Henry Clay Trumbull

Acceptance is the best weapon to overcome the guilt about past failures. Learn to forgive yourself, accept and let go of the things beyond your control. Things may not be so easy for us but, we all have to move on. We need to look at things in a different perspective.

 1) Know your limitations.

Know your limits. Know your capabilities and abilities so as to have realistic targets and goals.

2) Accept things with contentment.

 "Let each one prove what his own work is, and then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person." Be happy with what you have and with what you have not. Be happy with the achievements of others and make them your inspiration rather than you get envy.

3) Show your true color.

Don’t  do things just to please others, rather do it because it is the right thing. Be yourself. And live your faith and your principle. Let your color shine through.

4) Accept failures.

Accept failures, learn from them. Reevaluate and try to resolve things. Your failures and mistakes do not make you a lesser person.

5) Take things lightly.

Have a sense of humor. Try to relax and keep cool yet focus. Trust in Lord and do things deliberately to hit your goal.

6) Be generous.

Be generous in service, in love, in all good virtues and even in forgiveness. Always pay evil with good, and without partiality.

7) Giving the best shot.

Consider your day as if the last, so give your best shot.  (k.ricafort)

Secret of Success

1. Restoration

Restoration means that we are in a constant state of repairing our broken lives. It also requires us to be submissive to a Power much higher than ourselves 
because it takes humility, on our part, to recognize that there are things in our lives that need to be fixed. This humility glorifies God because we gladly give Him the authority to dictate how we live our lives. When we find that we are living in a way or doing something more, less, or different than He has commanded, we recognize that we are the ones in error and must do the changing.

2. Righteousness

Righteousness consists in doing what is just and right. A primary application is in the legal process. The verdicts of judges and the edicts of rulers must be righteous. "Righteousness" means innocence of a charge and Job, for example, repeatedly affirms his righteousness (Job9:2; 13:18, etc.). Righteousness is the first quality required of a ruler and it goes without saying that it is an attribute of the divine ruler whose ordinances are the ultimate righteousness.

Beyond simple abstention from wrongdoing, righteousness requires positive action which transcends the legal context to issues of ethics and morality. It therefore becomes the keynote both of the legal code and of the teaching of the prophets. God accepted Abraham as a covenant partner so that he and his descendants "keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice" (Gen 18:19) while Israel is told by Moses, "You shall follow what is altogether just that you may live and inherit the land" (Deut 16:20). 

3. Rescue

Money given in charity may to some mind seem thrown away, but when given from proper principles, it is seed sown, from which a valuable increase may be expected. It should be given carefully. Works of charity, like other good works, should be done with thought and design. Help should be given freely, be it more or less; “not grudgingly, but cheerfully”. If we had more faith and love, we should waste less on ourselves, and give more in hope of a plentiful increase. Can a man lose by doing that with which God is pleased? He is able to make all grace abound towards us, and to abound in us; to give a large increase of spiritual and of temporal good things. He can make us to have enough in all things; and to be content with what we have. God gives not only enough for ourselves, but that also where with we may help the wants of others, and this should be as seed to be sown. This will be for the credit of our profession, and to the praise and glory of God. Let us endeavor to copy the example of Christ, being unwearied in doing good, and deeming it more blessed to give than to receive.

Restoration, righteousness and rescue are secret principles to success. (k.ricafort)

Life in Significance

A life in significance is a purpose driven life. We need to realize and understand our values and goals.  It takes much effort, focus, planning and purpose. It’s a day to day system. It’s a decision we should make. If you will for it, then you can.

Failure is simply not hitting the objective, the opposite of success. You may not like to think of it, but it is a reality that majority of us fail in some point of our lives. But we need to accept and learn from out failures. No matter how hard it is to work out a relationship in marriages, friendships, families, careers, business, impaired reputation and even struggling with personal weaknesses and expectations. We need to face it, learn from and eventually cope up with.

Success is victory over something, achievements, accomplishment, obviously the opposite of failures. The glory and beauty of sweet success is God. Living a life in significance is simply knowing the heart of God and walking at the center of His purpose in our lives. (k.ricafort)