Tag: leadership (Page 14 of 28)

Big Life, Small Worries

December 10, 2024 / / 0 Comments

I’ve never really shied away from a hard truth, so here’s one for today. If you’re constantly weighed down by petty drama, meaningless debates, and other people’s chaos, it’s not because life is hard—it’s because your life is too small.

When you’re living small, every little thing feels like a crisis. Someone looked at you funny? You stew over it for days. A co-worker got credit for your idea? You’re ready to quit. A friend didn’t text back? Obviously, it’s the end of the relationship. Someone is busy and misses a meeting that you feel is important? You go WWIII on them.

But the problem isn’t them. It’s you. Or more specifically, the scope of your life.

It’s like this. When you’re focused on building something bigger—living for a purpose, chasing a mission, or pouring yourself out for something that matters—you don’t have time for small worries. Your energy is spent on creating, growing, and changing the world around you.

You can’t live a big life while sweating over small stuff. That math doesn’t math.

The Curse of the Small Life

Small living is self-centered living. Don’t take this the wrong way, but if your world revolves around you—your preferences, your image, your comfort—then every little inconvenience feels like a personal attack. Why? Because small people make themselves the center of the universe.

That’s exhausting. And honestly? It’s unbiblical.

Proverbs 19:11 says, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” When your life is big—when you’re focused on God’s purpose and others’ needs—offenses lose their sting. You don’t get rattled by someone cutting you off in traffic or throwing shade on social media because your eyes are fixed on something (or someone) bigger.

But if your world is small, every offense feels monumental. You’re a ship tossed by every wave. You’re fragile. And let’s be real: Nobody wants to live like that.

Get Over Yourself and Get to Work

Living a big life starts with letting go of the need to be right, admired, or even comfortable. It’s not about you. It never was.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” That’s big living. It’s gritty, uncomfortable, and requires sacrifice. But it’s also the most fulfilling way to live.

Want a big life? Start focusing on what God has called you to do. How about try feeding the hungry. Mentoring a young person. Or just love your neighbor (even the obnoxious ones). Intentionally invest in your family. Step into your church. Go after that dream God planted in your heart.

When you’re busy doing big things, the little things don’t have room to take root. You’ll stop sweating over someone’s tone in an email because you’re too busy planning that next ministry, mission trip, or career step.

Big lives are marked by action, not reaction.

Here’s another punch to the gut: If you’re waiting for life to be perfect before you live big, you’re going to wait forever. The enemy of a big life isn’t failure—it’s fear. Fear of making mistakes, fear of looking stupid, fear of getting hurt.

Newsflash Princess! You’re going to fail. You’ll mess up. People will hurt you. So what?

Living big is messy, but it’s better than the alternative: wasting your life worrying about what doesn’t matter – or meddling in other people’s business!

Start now. Step out. Don’t let the size of your life be dictated by your fears.

The Payoff

When you live big, your worries shrink. Why? Because your perspective changes. You’re not bogged down by trivial things when you’re laser-focused on eternal things.

You’ll notice that small people criticize while big people create. Small people complain while big people serve. Small people cling to their comfort zones while big people break barriers and shatter ceilings.

The choice is yours: Big life, small worries—or small life, big drama.

Jesus didn’t come so you could survive in the shallow end. He came to give you life to the full (see John 10). A big life. A God-sized life. A life that drowns out small worries because it’s consumed with a mission that matters.

So, what’s it going to be? Stay small, or step into something big?

The American Church Needs a New Reformation

December 4, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Something is wrong with the American church.

Just look around. Our pews are emptying, not filling. Our younger generations are leaving, not staying. In a world desperate for truth, love, and purpose, we’re offering shallow programs, culture wars, and clichés. We preach grace but practice judgment. We sing about God’s power while hoarding human control. The gap between the Jesus of the Bible and the Christianity we practice has grown so wide it threatens to swallow us whole.

We need a new Reformation.

The original Reformation in the early 1500s, led by Martin Luther and several others, exposed how far the church had strayed from the gospel. At its core the Reformation was a cry to return to Scripture and reclaim God’s authority. They dealt with issues of indulgences (selling of forgiveness) and excessive emphasis on paying for salvation with good deeds and with money.

Today, the issue isn’t selling indulgences; it’s peddling irrelevance. We’ve exchanged the radical call of Jesus to love God and neighbor for cheap entertainment, partisan politics, and a consumer mindset.

We’ve turned church into a product—marketed, polished, and packaged to please the masses. And when people inevitably see through the facade, they leave. Some leave the faith altogether. Others leave for churches that embrace authenticity, however messy it may be.

The Weight of Our Failure

This is where the pain sets in. We’re not just losing attendees; we’re losing credibility. The broader culture sees the church as judgmental, hypocritical, and frankly out of touch. How can we blame them? We preach about the sanctity of life while ignoring the cries of the marginalized. We talk about Jesus’ love but fail to embody that love in our own homes, neighborhoods, and communities.

It’s easy to point fingers at the culture for abandoning Christian values. But maybe the culture didn’t abandon us. Maybe we abandoned the Jesus they need to see.

This is bigger than declining numbers or shrinking influence. It’s about souls. People are walking away from the hope of Jesus because they don’t see it in us.

The good news? Reformation isn’t about destruction; it’s about renewal. The first Reformation didn’t burn the church to the ground. It called it back to its foundation. Today’s Reformation must do the exact same thing.

We don’t need better branding. We need deeper discipleship. We don’t need bigger buildings. We need communities that feel like family. And we certainly don’t need more culture wars. We need to take up the only war Jesus called us to fight: against sin, darkness, and injustice.

This new Reformation must start with humility. The American church doesn’t need a PR strategy; it needs repentance. Let’s confess where we’ve put comfort over calling, self-righteousness over servanthood, and fear over faith.

The church also needs courage. The truth is, a reformed church won’t make everyone happy. But our goal isn’t to please people; it’s to glorify God. Let’s have the guts to challenge the idols we’ve built in His name—idols of politics, tradition, and power.

A reformed church could be a breathtaking force for good. Imagine churches known for their generosity, not their greed. Imagine Christians famous for their kindness, not their outrage. Imagine communities transformed because the love of Jesus shines so brightly that people can’t help but be drawn to it.

We’ve seen glimpses of this throughout history. The early church grew because it loved so radically that outsiders said, “See how they love one another!” The Wesleyan revival in England led to societal reforms that changed the nation. The Jesus Movement of the 70s brought countless young people to faith.

God isn’t done with His church. But He’s waiting for us to stop clinging to the past and start embracing His future.

The new Reformation won’t come from church growth seminars or celebrity pastors. It will come from ordinary Christians rediscovering what it means to follow Jesus. It will come from pastors bold enough to preach the gospel and lead with integrity. It will come when we stop playing church and start being the church.

Let’s not wait for someone else to start it. Revival begins in hearts, homes, and local congregations like yours and mine. Let’s pray for it. Let’s work for it. Let’s believe for it.

The world doesn’t need more American Christianity. It needs more Jesus. Are we ready to give it to them?

Make Faith Real Again

November 26, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Faith isn’t something you learn at church or in Sunday School; it’s something you live. Too often, Christians settle for reading, hearing, and seeing when God has called us to actually live out in our day to day lives.

Have you ever heard the statistics about what you remember? You remember 10% of what you read, 20% of what you hear, 30% of what you see, 50% of what you see and hear, but 70% of what you experience is remembered. If we want a faith that sticks—one that changes lives, including our own—we must move from passive absorption to active engagement.

Faith That Doesn’t Move Isn’t Faith

James 2:17 couldn’t be more clear. “Faith without works is dead.” Yet so many of us are stuck in the comfortable rhythms of church life: attending a service, hearing a sermon, maybe cracking open the Bible during the week. It’s good, but it’s not enough. Why? Because faith isn’t just about knowing; it’s about doing.

Think about it: Jesus didn’t sit His disciples down for weekly lectures and send them off with a pat on the back. He took them on a journey. He showed them how to heal the sick, feed the hungry, and love the outcast. Then He sent them out to do it themselves.

You can memorize every verse on love, but until you sit down with someone who’s hurting and listen, it’s just head knowledge. You can attend every Bible study on evangelism, but until you open your mouth to share the gospel with a neighbor, you haven’t truly learned it. Faith grows in the doing.

It’s no accident that we remember 70% of what we experience. God wired us this way because faith was never meant to be a spectator sport. It’s hands-on. Even Jesus was to “Follow me,” not “Listen to me.” Following requires movement.

Here’s the truth: if your faith feels stagnant, it’s because you’re not stepping into the experience of it. Reading about God’s love is one thing, but serving at a soup kitchen or mentoring a struggling teenager brings that love to life. Hearing a sermon about forgiveness is valuable, but going to someone who’s wronged you and saying, “I forgive you” burns it into your own heart the way nothing else can.

Christianity isn’t a weekly TED Talk; it’s a lifestyle. Every act of service, every step of obedience, every leap of faith engrains God’s truths deeper into your soul.

This isn’t just about retention rates—it’s about transformation. When you put your faith into action, it doesn’t just stick with you—it impacts the world around you.

  • Read about God’s call to feed the hungry, but then go and pack lunches for the homeless.
  • Hear a sermon on loving your enemies, then invite someone you’ve been avoiding out for coffee.
  • See a video about the power of prayer, but then get on your knees and cry out to God for someone in need.

You’ll be amazed at how much more these truths resonate when they’re tied to an experience. It’s not about “earning” your faith; it’s about letting your actions solidify what God is teaching you.

A little challenge for you this week – stop sitting in the pew and start stepping into the world. Don’t just hear the Word—do something with it. If we want our faith to stick, we’ve got to get our hands dirty.

This week, pick one area where you can shift from hearing to experiencing. Serve, give, forgive, pray, or take a step into the unknown. Whatever it is, make it tangible.

Faith that sits still fades quickly. Faith that moves grows roots. Let’s be Christians who don’t just listen to the call of Jesus but answer it with bold, undeniable action.

You remember 70% of what you experience—so start living a faith you’ll never forget.

Love Wins…Kind Of

November 7, 2024 / / 1 Comment

We hear it everywhere: “Love wins.” It’s on T-shirts, social media, and bumper stickers. It’s a feel-good phrase, right? Just love each other, and everything will magically work out. But here’s the harsh reality: our love alone doesn’t win a thing.

Our love is conditional, selfish, and pretty pathetic. It gets tired. It gets offended. We say we’ll love unconditionally, but the second someone hurts us, or something doesn’t go our way, that so-called “unconditional” love suddenly has a lot of conditions. We fall in love as easily as we fall out of it, and we struggle to love people who challenge us. So, let’s cut the crap: if love depends on us to “win,” we’re doomed.

But here’s the twist that changes everything: Jesus’ love. Now, that love? That’s the love that wins. It’s not some mushy, feel-good sentiment. It’s radical, all-consuming, and completely unselfish. It’s a love that didn’t just say nice things but laid itself on the line—literally. Jesus gave up everything. He didn’t just love us when it was easy; He loved us when we nailed Him to a cross. His love didn’t give up when it got hard; His love didn’t turn away even when we turned away from Him. He didn’t stop loving when we lied. He kept on loving even in spite of our harsh words and unkind actions. Jesus’ love won in the only way that matters.

Think about it: Jesus’ love goes deeper than a smile or a kind word. Our love for a significant other is pathetic compared to this crazy, radical love. His love stared sin, death, and hell in the face—and it won. Our own efforts to love can’t even touch that. No amount of human effort or good intentions could win the fight against sin. We couldn’t love ourselves into God’s good graces. That’s why Jesus was essential. He did what we couldn’t do, no matter how much we loved.

When people say “love wins,” they’re often thinking of human love fixing things. They’re hoping that if we just love hard enough, the world’s problems will melt away. But here’s the cold, hard truth: without Jesus’ victory, our love accomplishes very little. Our love doesn’t heal hearts or change souls. It doesn’t break chains of sin or death. Jesus’ love does. He won that battle on the cross—one that our love couldn’t even enter.

So, what does that mean for us? Should we just stop trying to love others? Absolutely not. Jesus’ love calls us to love, but it also tells us to recognize our limits. Our love matters, but it’s not the foundation. It’s not the thing that holds eternity in place. That role belongs to Jesus’ love alone. We love others because He first loved us, but let’s not confuse the order here. We’re not the heroes of this story; we’re the ones who needed saving. Our love is the grateful response, not the game-changer.

So, next time you see “Love Wins,” take a moment to think about who made that possible. Let it remind you of the power, depth, and sacrifice of Jesus’ love, the only love that truly won. Without Him, our love is merely a shadow. With Him, our love has purpose.

That Kind of Sucks

November 4, 2024 / / 0 Comments

James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” In the words of a friend from my small group “Now, that kind of sucks, doesn’t it?” Imagine working hard all week to keep your room clean, finish your homework, and stay on top of everything, only to fail by not taking out the trash. According to this, your whole week is ruined, shot, a total failure, like it was all for nothing.

That’s the image we get of how the law works from this verse. We can strive to keep it perfectly, and honestly we can be rocking it for a good little bit. But if we break just one small part, we’re guilty of breaking the whole thing. That means if you’ve done a bang up job following Jesus. I mean reading the Bible, going to church, giving that perfect tithe off your income, keeping your language clean, discipling a group from work. Then your child leaves a lego on the floor in the living room, and you get up early in the morning. Yeah you know where this is going. You stop on that little grenade of pain buried in your carpet. The pain shoots through your body like a jolt of electricity, and a phrase of what we’ll call colorful language comes bursting from your lips like Niagara Falls.

Yep the whole deal is down the tubes. One little lego ruined your streak of perfection and now it’s all over.

Another way to look at it is to think of it like a chain. Each commandment is a link, and together, they form a strong chain. But break just one link, and the entire chain is useless. Whether you lie, steal, hate, or gossip, by breaking that one command you’ve broken the whole law completely.

The truth is, we will never be able to fully obey all of the law. We try to be good, to do what’s right, to keep things as neat and tidy as we possibly can, but we mess up. It’s just that simple. Even when we’re doing our best, we slip. And in God’s eyes, stumbling once is enough to declare us guilty of all of it. It’s an all or nothing kind of thing, if you let the law be in the driver seat.

As impossible as this all sounds, there is some hope. Here’s the good news: that lego grenade is exactly why Jesus came. He knew you’d step on it and blow your stride of perfection. He knew we couldn’t fulfill the law on our own, so He did it for us.

The Bible tells us that Jesus lived his life perfectly. That means he didn’t sin. He didn’t cuss when he stepped on his little brother’s lego. He didn’t fly off the handle when Mary told Him to clean His room. Being a carpenter’s son, He didn’t fly off in a fit of rage when He measured once and had to cut three times. He did it all perfectly. And His perfection covers our imperfection. His sacrifice wipes out our failures. We don’t have to live in fear of breaking the law anymore because His grace is greater than our flaws.

True, it’s impossible to keep the law perfectly. And yeah, that kind of sucks. But because of Jesus, we’re not stuck in the suck of failure—we’re set free in grace.

Discipleship Beyond Sunday

October 31, 2024 / / 0 Comments

If your faith only shows up on Sunday, then you’re missing the whole point. Christianity isn’t a “Sunday-only” deal. It’s not about showing up for an hour of worship, saying all the right things, and then living the other six days of the week on autopilot. True discipleship means intentionally following Jesus 24/7—living your life as if you actually believe what you say you believe. It’s about letting your faith shape every part of your life, not just your church life.

So, here’s the hard truth: discipleship doesn’t stop when the benediction is over. In fact, that’s when it really begins. Discipleship is about aligning your life with Jesus, not just in words but in action, day in and day out. It’s about living with purpose, prioritizing people, and sharing the love of Christ in real, tangible ways.

Ready to go beyond Sunday? Here are three practical ways to live out discipleship in your everyday life.

1. Show Up for People

Discipleship isn’t just about Bible studies and prayer groups. It’s about bringing Christ’s love into every setting. You know all those places where you live, work, and play. Contrary to popular belief: you don’t have to preach sermons to share Jesus (actually please don’t!), but you can live in a way that makes people wonder, What’s different about them? Make it your goal to show up for people with empathy, integrity, and respect. Don’t just say you care – actually care! When a coworker’s struggling, don’t brush it off—take the time to listen. Offer a word of encouragement. Ask how you can help.

Start each day with a prayer asking God to help you see your coworkers and neighbors through Jesus’ eyes. When they feel genuinely valued and cared for, you’re living out discipleship in a way that speaks louder than words. This is kingdom work in the everyday grind.

2. Turn Your Home into a Faith Training Ground

Family life is messy and busy, but it’s also the perfect training ground for discipleship. If you’re a parent, don’t let faith only show up in mealtime prayers, as if you need help not choking on your food. Talk about God openly and naturally with your kids. Share stories of how you’ve seen God work in your life, in big and small ways. Ask them what they think about God, what questions they have, and how they’d like to pray.

If you live with friends or roommates, this applies to you too—make room for open conversations about faith, accountability, and growth. Choose one night a week to read a short Bible passage together and discuss it over dinner. Make your home a place where talking about Jesus is natural, not forced or weird.

3. Post with Purpose

Let’s face it, social media is where many of us spend far too much time. And for a good number of us, it’s a breeding ground for comparison, anger, and divisiveness. But here’s a radical idea: what if you treated your online presence as part of your discipleship? This doesn’t mean you need to start plastering Bible verses on every post, but it does mean using your influence wisely. Before you post, ask yourself: Does this bring people closer to God or push them away?

I’d recommend this approach to text messages and emails as well because I’ve been on the receiving end of some less than God honoring emails and texts in my life.

A good practice is to share content that reflects the hope, peace, and love you find in Jesus. Engage in conversations that are meaningful rather than mindless. Be intentional about the way you represent yourself online, and let your social media reflect the faith you live out every day.

And don’t have hard conversations over any form of media. Challenging topics should always be covered face to face when at all possible. And if face to face can’t happen, a phone call is the next best option. You’re not going to win someone over through a text, email or social media conversation.

True discipleship means living your faith boldly every day, not just in a pew on Sunday. When you start seeing every part of your life—work, family, even social media—as an opportunity to follow Jesus, you’ll find that discipleship isn’t just a “church thing.” It’s a life thing. So, take the next step. Don’t let your faith be a Sunday-only affair. Let it shape who you are every single day.

Leaders Multiply

October 29, 2024 / / 0 Comments

If you’re not mentoring others, you’re missing the point of leadership. The best leaders aren’t the ones who do everything themselves—they’re the ones who build up others to lead effectively and carry the mission forward. And if you’re not willing to do that, you’re not a leader—you’re a bottleneck.

This isn’t an issue in the world; it’s an issue in the church too. The church doesn’t need a single superstar. We need a team of leaders empowered to make disciples, serve passionately, and spread the Gospel. Jesus didn’t come to make an all-star solo career. He came to multiply. He poured into His disciples, investing deeply, and sent them out with authority to do even greater things. That’s real leadership. If He could trust people to continue His mission, we have no excuse not to do the same.

Mentorship Isn’t Optional—It’s Essential

Too many pastors and ministry leaders are burning out because they refuse to share the load. They micromanage, hold onto tasks with a white-knuckle grip, and avoid handing over real authority. This isn’t servant leadership; it’s ego, pure and simple. Here’s the hard truth: if you’re not mentoring, you’re not multiplying. And if you’re not multiplying, you’re failing in your role as a leader.

You’re not called to carry the whole load by yourself. You’re called to build others up. And let’s be honest—if your ministry collapses the moment you step back, you didn’t build a ministry. You built a one-man show. The church deserves better than that, and so does the Kingdom.

Mentorship means giving up some control, and for some of us, that’s terrifying. We’re afraid someone else won’t do it “our way.” Spoiler alert: they probably won’t, and that’s okay! The goal is to equip others to lead in their own unique ways, with their own God-given gifts. God doesn’t call clones; He calls disciples, each with a different role and each with a unique approach.

Mentoring means letting people lead, even if they might stumble. Growth often comes through failure, and it’s better for future leaders to make small mistakes now, with guidance, than to have the entire weight of leadership fall on them unprepared.

Real Leaders Make Room for Others

Some leaders seem terrified that empowering others will make them “replaceable.” Well, here’s a wake-up call: you should be replaceable! The church isn’t built on any single person’s charisma or skillset. It’s built on Jesus, and He made room for others, showing that real leadership is about serving others and preparing them to serve, not building up our own reputations.

Jesus invested in 3 of His disciples. Then mentored the 12. But eventually he sent out the 72 and even more as we look through the book of Acts. He didn’t keep the role of leading the church through the New Testament to Himself, so why are we? Why are we making it so hard for people to use their gifts for God’s glory? Why are we clinging to our traditions and our way of doing things, when it’s obviously not reaching the people in our own backyards let alone in our modern Samaria and end of the earth scenarios!

Mentorship allows you to multiply your impact, making your ministry stronger, more resilient, and able to reach far beyond what you could ever do alone. The legacy of a true leader isn’t found in what they achieved on their own; it’s in the lives they impacted and the leaders they raised up.

Building up others takes time, energy, and intentionality. It’s about conversations, encouragement, correction, and shared experiences. And here’s the kicker: if you’re too busy to mentor, then you’re doing ministry wrong. Jesus made time for His disciples. He taught them, walked with them, and sent them out to lead. We need to do the same.

Don’t be a leader who hoards influence. Be a leader who multiplies. Start mentoring others, not because it’s nice to do but because it’s essential for the growth of God’s Kingdom. A ministry that invests in people instead of projects? That’s a ministry that will stand the test of time.

Passing the Baton

October 28, 2024 / / 0 Comments

One of the most critical responsibilities of a leader is preparing for the day when he or she is no longer in charge. But all too often in the church world we avoid this like the plague. Maybe it’s pride? Maybe it’s fear of being replaced, or perhaps it’s a lack of trust in others. Whatever the reason, leaders who don’t plan for succession set their ministry up for failure.

It’s really no secret, no one stays in leadership forever. Whether it’s due to retirement, illness, burnout, or simply moving on, a leadership transition is inevitable. Yet, too many leaders behave as if they’ll be in the driver’s seat forever. This mentality is not only unwise, it’s selfish. Refusing to prepare for the next leader is a surefire way to see the ministry crumble when you’re no longer around.

Jesus even modeled succession. He spent years pouring into His disciples, teaching them, empowering them, and preparing them to carry on the mission once He was gone. He didn’t just hope they would figure it out on their own. He invested in them so the ministry could thrive. He gave them authority and then released them to lead.

The harsh truth: If you’re not preparing your successor, you’re building your ministry on your own ego, not the Gospel. And that’s a recipe for disaster.

Succession Is About the Future, Not Your Legacy

Many leaders get so caught up in their own legacy that they forget leadership isn’t about them—it’s about the mission. If your leadership crumbles the moment you’re gone, you weren’t building His Kingdom. You were building a monument to yourself. Succession is about ensuring the ministry continues to grow and thrive long after you’re no longer in the picture.

The church’s mission doesn’t end when you do. It’s much bigger than any one person, and we should be leading in a way that reflects that truth.

Succession planning isn’t just about finding the next person to fill your seat. It’s about building up leaders who can take the ministry further than you ever could. Your job as a leader is to invest in people, not just in programs or systems. When you pour into others, you’re ensuring the next generation of leaders is stronger and more prepared than you were.

This requires intentionality. It means mentoring younger leaders, giving them real responsibility, and letting them make mistakes. Too often, leaders hesitate to share authority because they’re afraid the next generation will mess things up or won’t do it the way we prefer it to be done. Newsflash: they will do it differently and they will mess things up. And that’s okay. Growth happens through failure. Your job is to guide them through it, not protect them from it.

Many leaders wait until they’re burned out or ready to retire before thinking about succession. By then, it’s too late to effectively pass the baton. A sudden leadership vacuum can lead to disarray, division, and even collapse.

Start early. Start now. Begin investing in future leaders long before you’re ready to leave. Succession planning should be part of your ongoing leadership strategy, not an afterthought.

In the end, leadership is about stewardship. You’re holding a position temporarily. Your job is to steward it well and then pass it on to someone else who can run with it. If you’re not preparing for that, you’re missing the mark. Let go of your pride, and start raising up the next generation of leaders today.

Drop the Scarcity Mindset

October 24, 2024 / / 2 Comments

It’s time to face an uncomfortable truth: someone else’s win doesn’t mean you’re losing. We’ve all felt it—the sting of jealousy when a friend gets a promotion, the bitterness when someone achieves something for which we’re still praying. It’s easy to think, “Why not me?” That thought right there? It’s toxic. It’s what’s called scarcity mindset creeping in, whispering lies that there isn’t enough for everyone.

But that’s a load of garbage!

God is not running out of blessings. His abundance is limitless. Stop acting like His blessings are on backorder just because someone else’s life is flourishing. When you see others succeed, your gut reaction shouldn’t be to shrink in self-pity. Instead, throw them a fist bump, celebrate, and trust that God is still in control. If God’s doing amazing things for them, He’s in the neighborhood—your blessing might be just around the corner.

Scarcity tells you that someone else’s success means less for you. It says there’s only so much to go around, and if they get it, you’re stuck with scraps at best. But the Bible blows that lie out of the water. Philippians 4:19 tells us, “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.” There’s no cap on God’s goodness.

When we cling to a scarcity mindset, we lose sight of what we actually have. We get so caught up in envy, we forget about the resources, talents, and opportunities already in our hands. God has uniquely equipped YOU to fulfill His purpose for your life. So why are you wasting time comparing your journey to someone else’s?

Here’s the truth: someone else’s blessing doesn’t put you in a drought. We need to reprogram our thinking. You can celebrate others and still pray for your own breakthrough. God’s grace isn’t a pie with limited slices—it’s endless. If we stop grasping for what others have and start thanking God for His provision, we’ll realize how much He’s already given us.

So the next time someone around you wins, drop the scarcity mindset. Cheer them on, and while you’re at it, pray with faith that God’s going to keep showing up for you, too. Then take a second to give thanks for the things you do have in life. We all have something for which we can give thanks. Recognizing blessings is a sure fire way to see that you have more than you thought.

The Overflow Life

October 15, 2024 / / 0 Comments

When you look around, what do you see? A world that’s empty and bleak? Or a world bursting with possibility? I’m reminded of this question every spring when I plant my garden. A couple envelops of seeds sure don’t look like much. But in a few months those seeds become full grown plants that produce far more fruit and vegetables than I could imagine.

In the Genesis account, God didn’t just create for the sake of filling empty space. He made a world designed to be overflowing with life. Creation itself is a testimony to the abundance mindset that God has built into the very fabric of existence.

Every created thing has within it the power to bring forth something new. Fruit contains seeds, allowing them to reproduce and grow more fruit. Animals and humans, have the ability to reproduce and fill the earth. God didn’t design creation to be a one-and-done deal. He built it with the potential for multiplication, for abundance, for more. He planted a cycle of increase right into nature itself.

But here’s the secret we seem to have forgotten: this abundance mindset wasn’t just for creation—it’s meant for us too. Yet, many of us live with a scarcity mindset. We focus on what we lack instead of what we have. We look at the challenges, the struggles, and the limitations, and we convince ourselves that there just isn’t enough. Not enough time, not enough resources, not enough opportunities, not enough love, not enough grace. But when did God ever say there wouldn’t be enough?

Creation isn’t the only thing He filled with potential. He also filled you with potential. You have been made in His image, crafted by the Creator who designed this entire system of overflow. But so many times, we find ourselves operating out of fear, out of worry, out of this scarcity mindset that tells us we’ll never have enough. And it’s killing us.

The Bible is filled with reminders of God’s abundance. Look at how Jesus fed thousands with just a five loaves and two fish, and he even had leftovers. He turned water into wine, and I don’t mean a cup of it but gallons upon gallons! And when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full,” He wasn’t talking about a mediocre, halfway kind of life. He was talking about an abundance of love, grace, and purpose.

A Mindset Shift

Now, don’t get me wrong: abundance doesn’t mean we’re all going to be swimming in cash or never facing tough times. This isn’t some backhanded way of talking about some form of prosperity gospel. It means that we stop letting fear and lack of anything dictate our lives. We stop saying, “I can’t,” and start asking, “What has God called me to do?”

The Apostle Paul talks about being content whether in plenty or in want (Philippians 4:12-13). Contentment isn’t settling for less. It’s the confidence that whether you have little or much, God’s got you. And let’s face it—God’s version of “little” is often more than we think.

But the problem is, so many of us don’t realize what we’ve been given. We see our lives as empty baskets instead of containers brimming with seeds. But remember, seeds don’t just grow on their own; they need planting. They need water, sunlight, and care. It’s time to plant seeds of abundance in our lives, our churches, and our communities.

Abundance is a Lifestyle

When we start to live with an abundance mindset, we begin to see opportunities where others see obstacles. We start seeing potential where others see problems. We become people who give freely, who love deeply, and who live fully.

Our churches need this mindset too. Are we going to be a church that hoards what we have, fearing it will run out? Or are we going to believe in the overflow? We have to step out in faith, believing that the same God who created this world of abundance can provide what we need to grow, to reach, and to impact more lives.

An abundance mindset isn’t just a nice idea; it’s a choice. It’s a choice to believe that God has given you enough to be a blessing, to make a difference, and to step out boldly. It’s a choice to look at your life, your church, your community, and see not what is lacking, but what is possible.

So, how are you going to live? Are you going to be someone who sits back, afraid of running out? Or are you going to be someone who steps out, believing that the God who made fruit with seeds, animals with the ability to reproduce, and humans with the power to create has also given you everything you need to live abundantly?

Let’s stop thinking small. Let’s step into the overflow. Because when you live with an abundance mindset, you’re not just living for yourself. You’re becoming a part of God’s plan to keep creation multiplying, thriving, and changing the world.

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