December 4

A funny thing stood out to me. Paul changed his mind about traveling to Corinth. He made a plan and then changed it. God really encouraged me that if the great apostle can change plans, so can I. It really brought a freedom to me. I can choose and if I see that it is not the plan of God, and can choose God and be o.k. with it. Freedom!

Paul talks a couple of times about “not” losing heart and also being on the brink of death, in fact it sounds like he wanted to die, however what pushed him on was NOT his own life, it was the life of Christ in him and the life of Christ in others. His ministry was such a focal point of his life, that thinking about what God was doing through him was what kept him going! My life must not be lived for me. That is a trap! It depresses me. I am convinced that this is the reason so many youth have lost heart, they have no greater purpose than themselves. When I focus on my life as it relates to me, I will lose heart. So Lord, I focus on you, I focus on others, I focus on my life as it relates to you and to others. After all, isn’t my life hid in you? Maybe my stress comes from the times that I “un”-hide myself and look at everything instead of looking at you. Makes sense…

I saw the definition of rich in chapter 9 – having enough to be generous with others.