Power in its most basic sense means; the ability to effect change. All of us in one way or the other ought to have some bit of power in our lives if we are to be effective in living.
There is an inherent power within each and every one of us and there is also the power that one gets by virtue of: position, station, and having a tool.
One of the greatest tools given to a christian to live an effective and powerful life is the Word of God and it is the most powerful tool that this world can ever know. It inspires confidence, it makes the invisible visible, the impossible possible, heals the sick, raises the dead, turns around hopeless situations and is the true bread of life.
It is "Alive and full of power(making it active, operative, energizing, and effective); it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of breath of life(soul) and (the imortal) spirit, and of joints and marrow (of the deepest parts of our nature), exposing and sifting and analysing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart" Hebrews 4:12 AMP
The sad reality is that, as powerful as the word of God is, man can render it ineffective in his/her life through traditions and man made doctrines; that is what Jesus taught; Mark7:8, Matthew 15:3
The epidemic of the modern christian however, is that the word of God is of non-effect in their lives because we have gotten too familiar with God and His word and thus inadvertently taken it for granted, not for all but quite a substantial number.
The effect is that, these attitude has permeated to many aspects of our living and taking things for granted seems to be a norm for many people. That in effect compromises your integrity and your effectiveness in enjoying a fuller life.
Anything you take for granted becomes of non effect in your life, be it your job, relationship, business, etc. Your passion for it diminishes and with less passion, less power flows through you for that particular thing; and you will agree with me that a passionless life is the most boring of lives!, not only that; you even risk losing that which you take for granted.
Its with these in mind that I titled this article, Best not to..., i.e not to take anything for granted!
Why?..
Because it will cost you Big, and real BIG!
Alright then, as solution oriented people that we are, allow me propose some principles to live by that will help us not to take things for granted, is that Ok?
Right,..
1. Thanks giving;
Our daily lives should be lives of thanks giving and praise for the great and small things in life. Giving thanks releases you from guilt, jealousy, envy and blocks the doors of complaining, criticising and condemnation which would otherwise usher in the the evil one with ease in to your life.
Giving thanks should not only be your lifestyle but your nature. In it, you will be fulfilling God's will for your life in Christ Jesus; "Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus Concerning you. 2 Thesalonians 5:16-18
Whenever you give thanks, you get liberated and you can never take anything for granted that way.
2. Knowledge;
Strive to increase your knowledge of the people and things a round you. Just ask yourself; how much of your spouse, job, friends and associates, business, word of God etc, how much of it do you really know? Chances are that if you have taken any of the above for granted, it is possible that you think you know all that there is to that particular thing, and that my dear is far from the truth; you can not exhaustively know all that there is to any particular thing.
It is also worth noting that, the more you grow in knowledge of anything that interests you, the more interesting and fascinating it becomes for you. Now tell me, will you really have time to take it for granted if you are preoccupied with learning more a bout it? Oh no! not at all. So, increase in Knowledge everyday! simple, isn't it?
Inquire earnestly, ask questions and search out, live a life of adventure! that way you will never lose PASSION.
Growing in knowledge helps you know the value of something while it is still in your hands and draws you closer to it. Some people have gotten to know the value of something when it is off their hands, i.e when they have lost it and at that moment it is too late.
When you grow in knowledge, it helps avert your 'short sightedness' and thus enables you see the big picture.
3. Moments of Retrospect.
This calls for taking 'time out' to 'be alone'. These is where you recharge your 'batteries' get perspective on living, evaluate and analyse issues, give 'flesh to your dreams' and champion the course of your destiny with God's help. This is what I call the quiet time, and you should guard & protect it like your heart with all diligence.
At these times, you can't help but be more appreciative of your life, you look at where you have come from, the people you have met along the way, the challenges and triumphs you have encountered, you count you blessings and thank your creator.
This has the effect of lifting your spirit, clearing your vision, opening the eyes of your understanding and encouraging the free flow of God's blessings in your life!
Make no mistake, it is in your moments of silence/quietness where great things fashion themselves! and these leads me to my next point;
4. Staying in the will of God;
The active word here is Staying. And that requires active prayer, meditation on scripture, intercessions, praise, and the good news is that, you can do all these through Christ which strengtheneth you; for it is not by your power nor by might but by His spirit! your only requirement is absolute surrender to the Holy Spirit and you will live one of the most powerful lives humanly possible by divine guidance and direction
When you are in the will of God for your life as pointed out earlier on, you can never take anything for granted. Whether that thing pauses a threat to you or is simply too beautiful to behold, you will know how to deal with it and with everything in all places at all times.
In essence you will be living and manifesting Phronesis ; the highest form of Wisdom and we all, need it.
.. it was once said that; " over familiarity breeds Contempt"....
And as we have been reminded yet again today, that, the word of God is the most powerful thing in the whole universe, lets heed these words of advise I received from one of God's anointed men;
...."don't get too 'familiar' with God and His Word such that it no longer moves you. Have that child like attitude of delight and hunger for the word always. Don't be casual with the word; don't treat the Word as one of your options in life, make it your only recourse in any situation. Honour God's Word and give it pre-eminence in your life, and it'll always work for you.
That said, you will truly be on your way to Best not take anything for granted, if you take heed to the bove.
A very big thank you for your kind attention, and if truth be told, I love you and wish you a rich and fulfilling life. Till next time, look out for one another and don't take anything for granted.
Peace & Love
Libs
