Shortcuts Are Shortsighted

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Life's Healing Choices

Shortcuts Are Shortsighted By Rick Warren — Jun 10, 2015 “Listen carefully to my words. Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep within your heart, for they bring life and radiant health to anyone who discovers their meaning.” (Proverbs 4:20b-22 NLT, second edition) One of the pitfalls you may face as you fulfill your purpose in life is temptation to take shortcuts. In truth, these shortcuts will only get you off track. The shortcuts may be moral, ethical, spiritual, financial, or even relational. But they will distract you from what God wants you to do in your life, eventually eating up your time, energy, resources, and creativity. Shortcuts are always shortsighted. God wants you to stop being “absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ — that's where the action is. See things from his perspective” (Colossians 3:2 MSG). PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over How do you know when something is a shortcut? What are the shortcuts you’ve tried to take in the past when working toward your goals? How can shortcuts cause us to be disobedient to God?   As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. --1 Samuel 18:1     Jonathan was the kind of man who could share in his friend David’s victory without insecurity or jealousy. Think about that for a moment. Jonathan was the son of Saul and the rightful heir to the throne of Israel. But the very moment he met David—the man who would take his place as king—they became life-long friends. Jonathan could have easily been jealous of David. But Jonathan was willing to share victory. And David was able to share victory with Jonathan. So the question for you today is, are you willing to share success with others like Jonathan was? Can you rejoice when others succeed? When someone else is promoted…when someone else gets a victory…when someone else is blessed…when someone else gets the recognition…can you share in their victory, and, like Jonathan, rejoice? One of the tests of real faith is genuinely sharing and rejoicing in the victories and successes of others. It’s my prayer today that you will be the kind of person that Jonathan was—one who could rejoice when others rejoiced!   Can you rejoice when others succeed?