God has been increasingly challenging me to take off Saul’s armor as a leader and courageously to follow His voice. This has led me today to review Geri’s chapter in I Quit to quit living someone else’s life (ch.8). The following is a brief summary from her chapter that is worthy of a meditation time before God. God invites you and me to ignore the distracting voices around us — regardless of their source — and to pursue wholeheartedly our God-given life. Four practices provide trustworthy guidance for this journey: Discover Your Integrity When helping someone who is struggling with an inner conflict, I often ask, “What is your integrity calling you to do?” Most ¬people hesitate before responding because they have rarely thought deeply about what they believe and value. The question behind that question is this: “What is important to you?” If you do not take the time to answer that question, other ¬people’s fears, expectations, and agendas (or even your own fears) will drive you. Listen to Your Inner Rhythm All creation has a natural rhythm. The same principle applies to the emotional and spiritual rhythms of our lives. If I neglect my relationship with God, if I go beyond my ¬people limits, if I don’t nurture delight and joy, my soul begins to die. I get depressed. When we do finally stop and rest, our natural rhythms reassert themselves and return us back to God’s intended balance. But in the rush and pressure of our lives, it is easy to not listen or respect our rhythms. Set Your Boundaries With whom do you need to set boundaries? The answer is simple: with everyone! This includes your mother, father, siblings, spouse, children, friends, coworkers, even your pet! Boundaries are crucial if you are to avoid detours and follow God’s path for you.It’s not bad that ¬people want what they want. ¬People will always want things from you. However, the fact that someone wants something from you does not necessarily mean God wants you to provide it, or even that he wants them to have it. Let Go of Others In letting go, I do not run interference in the lives of others. Controlling the lives of others takes time and energy; it also takes the focus off your own life. The miracle is that when you do these things, you climb up and over a powerful waterfall that threatens to sweep you away. And you enter into the joy of your own beautifully God-given life, where you now carry out your own God-given purpose. What might you add to that list? Adapted from I Quit (Zondervan, 20100, chapter 8, by Geri Scazzero with Pete Scazzero.)
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