Pay Them No Mind

Pay Them No Mind

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

But some scoundrels said, ‘How can this fellow save us?’ They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.

1 Samuel 10:27, NIV.

TODAY’S WORD

In scripture, King Saul had some people come against him. They were making fun of him. He could have easily become distracted and lost his focus. He could have defended himself saying, “I’m a good leader. I have what it takes.” But what did he do? He kept silent. One translation says, “He paid them no mind.”

Friend, sometimes that’s what you have to do when people are coming against you. You have to realize that some people are just jealous. Not everyone is going to have your best interest at heart. But don’t let them control your destiny. Don’t let them distract you from God’s best. Instead of playing up to people or trying to win over all your critics, keep your eyes focused on what God has for you. Spend time with people who see what God is doing in you. Focus on those who will celebrate you. Ignore the critics so you can be all that God has called you to be.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today I keep my heart and mind focused on You. I choose to ignore the naysayers. I choose to turn away from critical voices. I declare by faith that I will accomplish the plan You have for me as I daily put You first in everything that I do in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

***

Life Is Hard So You Can Grow 1 hours ago  Rick Warren “Take on an entirely new way of life — a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 MSG) Many religions and New Age philosophies promote the old lie that we are divine or can become gods. Let me be absolutely clear: You will never become God or even a god. That prideful lie is Satan’s oldest temptation. Satan promised Adam and Eve that if they followed his advice, “you shall be as gods” (Genesis 3:5 KJV). This desire to be a god shows up every time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and people around us. But as creatures, we will never be the Creator. God doesn’t want you to become a god; he wants you to become godly, taking on his values, attitudes, and character. We are meant to “take on an entirely new way of life — a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you” (Ephesians 4:22-24 MSG). God’s ultimate goal for your life on Earth is not comfort but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created your uniqueness, so he certainly doesn’t want to destroy it. Christ-likeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality. God wants you to develop the kind of character described in the Beatitudes of Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit, Paul’s great chapter on love, and Peter’s list of the characteristics of an effective and productive life (Matthew 5:1-12; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13; 2 Peter 1:5-8). Every time you forget that character is one of God’s purposes for your life, you will become frustrated by your circumstances. You’ll wonder, “Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time?” One answer is that life is supposed to be difficult! It’s what enables us to grow. Remember: Earth is not Heaven! Many Christians misinterpret Jesus’ promise of the “abundant life” (John 10:10) to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of your dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer. In a word, they expect the Christian life to be easy. They expect Heaven on Earth. This self-absorbed perspective treats God as a genie who simply exists to serve you in your selfish pursuit of personal fulfillment. But God is not your servant, and if you fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, either you will become severely disillusioned or you will live in denial of reality. Never forget that life is not about you! You exist for God’s purposes, not vice versa. Why would God provide Heaven on Earth when he’s planned the real thing for you in eternity? God gives us our time on Earth to build and strengthen our character for Heaven. Talk About It In what ways have you been trying to control your circumstances or the people around you? In what ways are you living the "full life" that Jesus came to Earth to provide for you (John 10:10)?