Category: Uncategorized

(first published July 28, 2019)

Your early 20s — the mental limbo of feeling like a teenager yet being treated like an adult while thrown into the unpredictable, proverbial abyss. Now imagine the added confusion and pressure of being apart Generation Z and ignoring worldly ways. Forget the “quarter-life-crisis,” 20 is the new age to ruminate over every career, life, and spiritual decision before it even takes course. College hasn’t prepared you for the identity crisis and self-ownership of paying bills, figuring out “office culture,” and navigating life defined outside of the ephemeral “student” label. On a standard of life index, we are living in historically the “best of times,” but morally and spiritually we feel depleted. Forced to retweet and share self-deprecating memes for validation that you too, are not in it alone.  Is it the crushing $1.2 trillion student loan debt we signed up for, the skyrocketing cost of living relative to stagnant wages, or is our war a spiritual one waged during the technological revolution? As a newly-turned 21-year-old, here are some important Biblical lessons I’ve learned over the past year. Join me in analyzing some of my favorite Bible verses.

1.Age Isn’t An Indictment On Personality. Stop Wasting Your Youth Trying to Grow Up and Be Like The World.

Holden Caulfield was right. 

There will be no adulting. Stop wasting your youth trying to grow up. Do you feel 17 at 21? Great, then don’t dial yourself down to appease people you have no interest in. Stop putting on a facade of feigned maturity. Don’t turn youthful self-expression of teenage years into shared Linkedin motivational images, and contrite conversations about the weather.  Don’t let your humor, fashion, or aspirations die and be molded into a vague person-shaped vessel for dead dreams and monotony as soon as you turn 20. Enough about “adulting.” Contrary to popular belief, paying taxes on Turbotax.com and your first bills aren’t personality traits. But more on these bourgeois oppressive chains later. For now, clasp on to your passions and don’t let your age place limitations on your outlook on life. We can confront new responsibilities with hope and faith, not dread. End the desperation to be perceived as mature. Do not conform to the ways of the world but seek the kingdom of God.

Romans 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 John 12:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.    

2. Deny The Self: “Use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” Don’t be self-absorbed and focus on inner problems, focus on external pursuit of helping others. Walk after the spirit, not the flesh.

Living inside your head is the most dangerous game. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he calls us to “in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). The answer to inner turmoil isn’t to vainly turn inwards, look up and let God guide you outwards — towards others. Focusing on your inner problems and that negative unreliable narrator inside your brain will not solve anything. You have to step outside the negative feedback loop you’ve created and turn towards helping others. You can’t distract your problems away, “self-care” them away, or even think them away. Worrying is a useless mind trick designed to make us think we’re doing something about our problems.  

Daniel slept in a den of lions all night by not focusing on them but focusing on God. When you focus on problems you will feel overwhelmed you will forget that you are not meant to handle these problems alone, you will forget God’s promises.

Remember we are not to live self-serving, carnally minded lives — but lives of servitude towards God and glorifying Him by following the works of Christ towards our neighbors. Act according to God’s will not your own worldly will. Remember that  God’s Spirit unconditional love in us for Him and for others (1 Corinthians 13:4–13).

Galatians 5:13-15 –  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Galatians 5:16-21 –  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Matthew 16:25-26 –  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 22:36-39 – Master, which is the great commandment in the law?  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself

3. No One Is Virtuous But God, We All Fall Short of God’s Glory (Romans 3:23). Audit Yourself, Repent, and Through the Lord’s Love and Grace Our Hearts Can Be Unhardened to Bear Good Fruit. Do Not Be Lukewarm. 

I used to think being passive, quietly harboring resentment, judgment, unforgiveness, disbelief, and anger was tantamount to inoffensiveness. That is until I was called a despot, until I was called out for my nature that resulted from negativity. However, Jesus Christ described this character as being “lukewarm.” It is out of character for someone who has been born by water and by Spirit, to bear such bad fruit. It is not enough to not be evil, you must be anti-evil.

Many Christians fall under the mistake of thinking that because we are not under the law of Moses therefore no longer saved through works, but rather whoever accepts Jesus Christ is redeemed by God’s grace alone, that we can live complacently according to the works of flesh. But Jesus Christ said “..Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (Matthew 22:37.)” We must caution against letting our hearts harden and become lukewarm in our devotion to God. We must become longsuffering, kind, not envy, not arrogant. But rather humble ourselves in servitude of God and think no evil.

1 John 3:9 – Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

Mark 10:17-21 –  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Corinthians 13:4-7 – Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Revelation 3:15-16 –  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Matthew 7:17-20 – So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.   

John 15:1-7 – I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

John 15:8-10 – Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

Being inoffensive is not enough. We must be transformed of our mind and become as a “healthy tree” in order to bear good fruit. We must not walk after the lusts of the flesh — that results in harboring sinful feelings such as hatred outlined in Galatians 5:16-21 which later dictate our actions.    

Galatians 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Luke 17:9-10 –  Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

Luke 18:20-27 – 20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 2Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 2And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Matthew 7:21-24 –  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

If you have kept all these things from your youth as the man in Luke 18, consider your heart and whether we are spiritually profitable servants bearing the good fruit of the gospel.

4. God is in control of tribulations, His strength is made perfect in our weakness. He will NEVER forsake you. Spiritual trials created by our sins are sent to chastise us and call us to repentance, others are sent to reveal Himself to us in our fallen world state. Fear is the opposite of faith so do not doubt. Jesus Christ and the apostles suffered on this earth but Jesus has overcome the world

God is a good, all-powerful, sovereign, merciful god — the alpha and omega, the creator of this universe. Nothing evil comes from God but rather from the consequences of living in a fallen world. Jesus has sent us as helpers towards this rworld For this reason, many are quick to become spiritually jaded, and forget that greater men such as Joseph, David, Abraham, Job, Jeremiah Paul the apostle, John the baptist, and others suffered too. Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers and despite suffering greatly, he not only chose to forgive, but to endure with great humility and faith until he was able to carry out God’s plan. He ultimately saved his betrayers and called them unto repentance all by trusting in God. God used Joseph’s suffering for a larger mission to enact tremendous good. “You meant evil against me,” Joseph says, “but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20).

Proverbs 3:5-7 -“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil” .

God’s strength was made manifest in biblical figures manifold times when they faced fearsome challenges in order to glorify Him. When Moses naturally feared going to the Pharaoh, saying “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11), God promised they would listen to Moses (Exodus 3:18). But Moses was full of unbelief. God chose Moses as he was, to lead a nation into the promise land through the wilderness for 40 years. God used the rod in his hand to part the Red Sea, to retrieve water from a rock, to be raised over Israel’s win in battle. It became the rod of God (Exodus 4:20). 

Moses begged God to use someone else for His purpose, Moses feared that he was inadequate, he feared the challenge he faced but God’s strength and power was made manifest in him despite his qualms.

Exodus 4:10-17 -And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.  And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

Tribulations aren’t always the result of sin, look back at John 9 where Jesus makes the works of God manifest in the man blind since birth and proclaims neither him or his family had sinned.

John 9:1-7 – And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

If you accept Jesus as your savior there is no punishment. Jesus died for your sins and now they are forgiven. 1 Corinthians 15:3 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;”

Much worldly suffering occurs from natural consequences (Gal. 6:7-8) — cheat in college, get kicked out. Break the law, go to prison. Suffering is not from God, but rather from man  (Ecclesiastes 8:9) and our fallen world state. But we are never alone, God has promised to carry us through the waters. He is my “rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2).

Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Matthew 11:28-30“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 13:3-8 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. …   

Do not be like the seeds that fall upon rocky soil, and let your heart become hardened by tribulation.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.    

Jeremiah 17:7-8 – “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Revelation 3:19 – As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. -20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Luke 22:44 –  “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Isaiah 53:5 – But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

He would face physical agony. Yet he sacrificed Himself so that whoever believes may not perish but be redeemed and have eternal life in His kingdom.  Have the faith of the Roman in Luke 7. Have faith that moves mountains.

 Luke 7:7-10 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

Mark 11:22-24 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Mark 9:23-26 – Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

Matthew 9:20-22: And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:  For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Matthew 8:24-26 – And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Trust Jesus as your savior, ask Him to forgive you for your sins, surrender to Him. He will write your name in the book of life. And remember John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

6. Materialism Is a Distraction Which Does Not Fill the Void. Don’t Be Carnally Minded.  Do Not Fall to Lifestyle Inflation Either. The Love of Money Is the Root of Evil. Give Freely.

What should a career-oriented Christian look like? Does the pursuit of wealth compromise our journey with Christ? These are the questions I’ve recently pondered as I come close to my college graduation. I have asked God to guide me according to His will and I do not ask for power or riches.

 Jesus Christ said, man shall not live by bread alone, for God knows we need our necessities, but we shall seek the kingdom of God first. Reading the word, it’s apparent God did not weave us in the womb and put us on this earth to be lovers of money or lovers of the things in it. There is a reason behind the old adage, “money can’t buy happiness.” Not only because of the law of diminishing marginal utility, but because materialism will never fill spiritual voids caused by sin. The pursuit of materialism can manifest as greed that compromises God’s commandments and ignores suffering.

Recall the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus was a disabled beggar who could not even reach the crumbs of this rich man who ignored his suffering. Lazarus, crippled, and suffering, could not work. Yet the rich man who had more money than he knew what to do with ignored him and ended up in eternal suffering.

Luke 16:20-25: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Matthew 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves. And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Matthew 19:23-24 –Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Acts 5:1-5 – But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,  And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

Acts 8:20-22: But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

Ananias in his worldly lust after money, not only lied unto men, but unto God. We can not both make idolatry out of money and serve God as stated in Luke 16. God hates the sins of lying, greed, and thievery. 

Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

We are called to walk in Jesus’ ways and love not the ways of the world. To lose our lives for Christs’ sake means to deny 

Mark 8:34-38 – And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

1 John 2:15-16 – Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

Matthew 6:19-21: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:25 –  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Matthew 4:4 – But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

John 6:35 –  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Matthew 25:34-43 – Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Do not worry about keeping up with ostentatious displays of wealth of those who desperately blast that image on social media. It is idolatry. Advertising companies want to conceive you brand-named shoes and phones produced for cents in an exploited country will give you friends, love, acceptance and self-fulfillment. If you have little, remember God has said “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen (Matthew 20:16).” Money will perish, do not perish with it (Acts 8:22).

7. Anxiety Is An Unreliable Narrator – Act in Spite of It. Then you will build a solid frame of reference for which to take bigger leaps of confidence. Have Faith in Christ.

Fear is the root of anxiety — fear of mankind, fear of failure, fear of the world. Fear is the opposite of faith. Not having faith questions God’s sovereignty, His power,, His goodness. We must pray in faith believing He will do whatsoever is consistent with His glory and will. We must pray to be healed of such anxiety and fear not man, but disobedience to God (Matthew 10:28). The apostles were tried, Daniel, Joseph, Jeremiah, and Moses feared, but through God’s grace He delivered them. We must remember, Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Matthew 6:26-34 – Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

In Matthew, we are consistently called to have faith. Those with faith are made whole by God’s grace. 

Matthew 9:21-22 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Matthew 9:27-29 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

Matthew 21:21-22 –  Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Psalm 145:8-14 –  The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;  To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.  The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

8. Repent and Confess. Jesus came not to condemn the world but to save it. 

We must be wary of slipping into sinful habits. 

1 John 3:9 – Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

1 John 2:1 – My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

(first published August 22, 2019)

Merely riding an undetectable pale speck on a universe spanning 93 billion light-years, our existence falls victim daily to our insignificant human conceits. Our psyches attempt to confront this vast, cosmic glory by assigning inordinate, life-or-death value to every inconvenience. We convince ourselves we are special, inherently cursed snowflakes, instead of humbling ourselves before the universe and our Creator. The truth is pride is the root of all insecurity, and you are not special therefore the world is not out to get you. A gracious and humble mentality is the antidote to low self-esteem. It is the opposite of pride — which has you convinced you’re entitled to coveted things, and the universe revolves around you to inflict suffering. Humble yourself and walk after the Spirit, not the carnal.

Nothing is more humbling than looking at the fiery white stars and feeling the weight of your frivolous problems dissolve with the night sky. Yet nothing is more inspiring than realizing our conscious existence is more than a lucky coincidence among 200 billion galaxies. Our pride desperately grapples with our cosmic insignificance by placing importance on frivolities that will not matter at the end of your existence. Human existence is unique among the universe, but you are not special. That’s the first step to living a peaceful life of adversity. To trusting God.

You Are Not Special. Stop Victimizing Yourself — Trust God and Pick Up the Rod Like Moses

If your carnal existence is a trivial blip in the universe, then the universe is not out to get you. Society doesn’t revolve around you. Challenges and tribulations don’t occur to spite you.  You are not special, your problems are not unique, and people still prosper and become “successful” despite adversity. The problem isn’t the problem, the problem is you. 

Shed your victim complex, trust God, obey God, and walk after the Spirit. God instilled autonomy in us to use it. We may not understand our problems now but God always has a plan and we must await in patience and obedience. Noah, Moses, Daniel, Joseph, Abraham, Jeremiah, John, and Paul suffered great adversity and feared overcoming — feeling underqualified — but instead of choosing to victimize themselves, they chose to trust God. God calls on us to be “sorrowful but always rejoicing” and “ in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

God does not choose the qualified, but rather qualifies us to fulfill his good will. His “strength is made perfect in weakness” and he calls on us as we are — in all our weakness and human fallibility — to use our autonomy for good. The Lord Told Moses to pick up the rod and part the sea, he shed his disbelief and obeyed

When Moses naturally feared going to the Pharaoh, saying “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11), God promised they would listen to Moses (Exodus 3:18). But Moses was full of disbelief. God chose Moses as he was, to lead a nation into the promise land through the wilderness for 40 years. God used the rod in his hand to part the Red Sea, to retrieve water from a rock, to be raised over Israel’s win in battle. It became the rod of God (Exodus 4:20). 

Moses begged God to use someone else for His purpose , Moses feared that he was inadequate, he feared the challenge he faced but God’s strength and power was made manifest in him despite his qualms (Exodus 4:10-17).

Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers and despite suffering greatly, he not only chose to forgive, but to endure with great humility, patience, and faith until he was able to carry out God’s plan. He ultimately saved his betrayers and called them unto repentance all by trusting in God. God used Joseph’s suffering for a larger mission to enact tremendous good. “You meant evil against me,” Joseph says, “but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20).

Proverbs 3:5-7 -“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil” .

Remember your autonomy. If you are cosmically insignificant, your problems not unique and the universe doesn’t have a warrant out for you. But you are spiritually significant, the breath of life and Holy Spirit resides in those who are saved. The key is humbling yourself by accepting you are not meant to walk this fallen Earth facing trials alone but with God.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Pride is the Root of Misery in a Capitalist Rat-race: Practice Gratitude and Humble Yourself

Insecurity is the opposite of gratitude and contentment. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not often rooted in low-self worth, but rather pride. The Western world is consumed by the alienating rat-race of success and status-symbols. We seek to establish our worth above others through these desires of the flesh. This view naturally results in insecurity stemming from comparison. We see ourselves as deviations from the 1%, devolving our personhood into a checklist of materialism. The developed world lets privileges such as cars, houses, brand-name college educations, and job titles define them. Instead of humbly living in contentment, gratitude, and letting the fruits of the Spirit and family define our success.

We exalt ourselves in idolatry and covetousness, comparing ourselves, and wonder why we end up feeling miserable, empty, and with low self-worth. This culture of “success” driven by a fear a “complacency” has completely obliterated gratitude. Insecurity presents itself in material attachments to fill a void — it is the belief that you deserve a better car, house, looks, skills, etc. after comparing yourself to others.

This prideful void will never be filled it only deepens our insecurities and self-worth because it’s always rooted in the ephemeral material. This is why God calls on us to humble ourselves.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find .For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?: (Matthew 16:24-26)

Pride is the belief that we alone can solve our problems in this world, that we are on our timing instead of God’s. However, God only delivered those people who humbled themselves and submitted to His will by trusting Him. He carried a nation of His sons and daughters through the wilderness for 40 years to the promise land “flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8). No matter their adversities they trusted that God would provide and protect them — manna While the unbelievers who doubted God were left behind. 

 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2  Chronicles 7:14)

Pride is the opposite of trusting God and His supreme kindness, mercy, omnipotence and knowledge. It is placing to put your limited human knowledge above His. Pride is treating God with contempt.

During Israel’s exodus, the people grumbled against God. The Lord said, “How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them” (Numbers 14:11). Moses pleaded for his people (Numbers 14:13-20) and God forgave them. 

However, he decided that the prideful people who did not trust in him  “not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it” (Numbers 14:23)

Pride is trusting in your own will over God’s. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).

Jesus knew suffering.  “When Jesus saw her weeping … he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled..Jesus wept.” (John 11:33-35) He bore the sacrifice for humanity’s sins and by coming down here as a human, and being inflicted with human cruelty. “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me!” (Matthew 27:46)

Gratefulness and humbleness is like when Paul did not become embittered or resentful through his afflictions and trials.

“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,” (2 Corinthians 6:2-7)

We are on this pale blue dot for a short stay. By humbling ourselves and building gratitude, we’ll waste less of  it building insurmountable mountains out of temporary inconveniences and feeling miserable, being entitled, and comparing ourselves. Seek hope in the reality that while we are cosmically insignificant, walking after the Spirit gives our lives meaning. It’s the difference between depressing nihilism and finding liberty in hope. Knowing that by trusting in God and not our human pride we can become sanctified. 

“Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Timothy 2:9-12)

(first published November 7, 2021)

“We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” Yet we spend the now — all we ever have — wishing, escaping, envying, and complaining it away — ad infinitum. A mind controlled by ephemeral external circumstances and validation is a mind of no peace at all — it’s a reactive mind that lets inconveniences and outside pressures dictate your daily mood. Peace of mind isn’t externally created, as both research, and the Bible instructed us. To think happiness — an ephemeral response — is a buy, drink, night, trip, job, degree, or bank account digit away, is to have confidence in the flesh and all the things on earth which turn to dust. “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” Cultivating a proactive, mindful mindset focused on seeking the kingdom of God, bearing no thought for worries, and living with noble purpose among loved ones is the key to peace in an escapist, consumerist world of calamity. To live with purpose and trust in our Lord is the greatest act of rebellion one can achieve.

Wherever you go there you are. There’s not a thing on this earth that can bring us lasting peace but the peace of Jesus Christ himself. There comes a point where escapism and consumerism don’t work and you’re left wondering why you still feel so empty. When you’re left wondering why you let minor setbacks or inconveniences make or break your whole day, thereby letting others or material objects control your whole life. It’s why people say money — above a necessary level — can not buy happiness or peace. Spending your life chasing external-based peace is a path set on eternal dissatisfaction. To be whole alone, is to have confidence in God, not the things on earth.

Peace isn’t a place, person, status symbol, another vocation, a dopamine chase, or something to be coveted. It’s a mentality. It’s confidence in God, not the flesh. It’s not being reliant on external factors/validation but being confident in the Spirit which works within us to produce good fruit.

We fall into the trap of thinking joy is elsewhere — joy is after becoming the ideal checklist of a person. That joy is in another big city (when research shows ” unhappiness increases with higher density cities.” ) In another high status job, when research proves the law of diminishing returns applies in salaries as well — “making over $75,000 a year does not buy you greater happiness,” says neuropsychologist Kimberly Miller, PhD. Peace is internal not external. Success is a score that will settle in death.

The Answer 

What can we do then to attain more inner peace? Focus on the truth. Joy is in one another — in charity, the pursuit of a noble purpose, memory-making experiences with loved ones. 

True inner peace is when our mood isn’t reliant on temporary circumstances or daily inconveniences. Why would you let your life be dictated by frivolous, fleeting things in life? At the end of your life it’s not the accolades, following, job title, wealth that you will look back on — it’s the people and memories. It’s your relationship with God.

We can do this by detaching ourselves from external validation. By having a healthy dose of ambition on the right noble goals, while knowing achievement isn’t worth — our worth is intrinsic as children of God. Things do not give life meaning. What courses with the breath of life gives life meaning.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33 KJV)

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15 KJV)

Matthew 6:25: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” (Matthew 6:25 KJV)

“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1 Timothy 6:9 KJV)

“ Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.” (John 6:27 KJV)

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 32-35, KJV)

“They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever: That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.” (Psalm 94:6-10, KJV)

We are called not to worry about anything, but instead trust in God’s strength and love even in our weakness. When we make futile attempts to derive peace or joy from escapism, vices, and the ego, we are ultimately left desolate. This is because living according to this empty worldly philosophy is not the truth. We either listen to our own negative voices subconsciously derived from negative worldly influences that leave us comparing ourselves, hating ourselves, more irritable than ever, or we listen to the truth of God’s promises. 

Romans 8:6-9 tells us the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God. If we believe in the word of God, why do you need sin, escapism, vices to get your needs met? If we’re not living by the word of God, we’re living by worldly ideas of success, hedonism, and money that never fill the void. All of our hope and way of living is to be found in Christ.

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:6-8 KJV)

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. .No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:19–24)

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Our Lord, Jesus Christ has overcome the world. Knowing this, we should rest in faith, not fear. John 16:33: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (Hebrews 13:6 KJV)

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV)

Those of faith can rest comfortably walking by faith, not by sight or fears we create. No matter how our false fears may try to lie to us about what we can do, who we are, and our worth, God’s word is the final truth. Omnipotent, almighty, loving God loves us for being His children, He will never forsake us, and He has called on us to not be anxious about anything. His strength is made perfect in our weakness so we must not succumb to this world in fear, but trust in God. Faith is the opposite of fear. Moses was fearful, felt wholly inadequate for the seemingly insurmountable mission God had put him up to,  but he listened to God anyway and walked outside the camp, trusting His word that He would not forsake him or the Israelites. By faith countless men and women of the bible were delivered as told in Hebrews 11. 

God is a good, all-powerful, sovereign, merciful god — the alpha and omega, the creator of this universe. Nothing evil comes from God but rather from the consequences of living in a fallen world. Jesus has sent us as helpers towards this rworld For this reason, many are quick to become spiritually jaded, and forget that greater men such as Joseph, David, Abraham, Job, Jeremiah Paul the apostle, John the baptist, and others suffered too. Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers and despite suffering greatly, he not only chose to forgive, but to endure with great humility and faith until he was able to carry out God’s plan. He ultimately saved his betrayers and called them unto repentance all by trusting in God. God used Joseph’s suffering for a larger mission to enact tremendous good. “You meant evil against me,” Joseph says, “but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20). 

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6 KJV)

To live with purpose and not on conventional autopilot, waiting for your ideal life to start, in a world where it’s so easy to stay in a career you dislike (85% of people hate their jobs), is an act of brave bravery. Living in the future robs your every day, stop waiting for your real life to start. Accept the things you can’t change, and change the things you can’t accept.

(first written January 22, 2024)

Pilgrims on earth. Pilgrims in a world we should “not love,” full of “vanity of vanities” we should not lay ourselves up for its treasures. Misinterpreted, these verses can even a faithful Christian devolve into a nihilistic outlook on our earth life, thinking “what’s the point” of trying hard if this isn’t our forever home. Once I realized that true peace came from Christ only, I felt lost in day-to-day life—accepting that I would find no satisfaction in achievements or healthy escapism because my life seemed directionless.

1 John 2:15-17 King James Version 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

As the preacher wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:2-11, “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. 3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? 4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.”

Hebrews 11:13-16 KJV These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:19-21)

 However, our meaning on this earth stems from what has the breath of life—and rejoicing in that life and in God. Not from some grand noble purpose or legacy we’re supposed to discover and then seek. Meaning is in feeling, not achieving. It’s in the simple moments in life. Not in thinking, what’s the point of celebrating this, we’re just pilgrims on earth for a finite time? No, you see, earth life being finite doesn’t lessen its meaning. 

It’s the sentiment behind this line in the ancient Greek poem, The Iliad

“Any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.” 

― Homer, The Iliad

The call is to not become worldly, not to feel anhedonia or directionless. Biblical figures truly in touch with the Holy Spirit, who rested in faith, experienced joy in their lives. They sung out to God.

It is sort of a coping mechanism for feeling scared about the passage of time, for not being in a faith community, or experiencing loneliness.

Life is a gift from God we can appreciate not in a larger-scale narrative we can only unlock meaning from once we justify our Christian worth through works or some impactful “heroic” legacy of our own calling, but in every small moment. In every small moment spent with loved ones. In every moment spent with God, in the Word, in prayer. 

Carnal worldly pleasures will always leave you feeling empty chasing an ever shifting shore of ‘arrival.’Peace truly isn’t a place, status symbol, escapism, another vocation, a dopamine chase, vice or an object to be coveted. Treasures of this earth leave us feeling empty. It’s a mentality. It’s not being reliant on external factors to feel confident in the spirit which works within us. It’s not being reliant on external factors to feel confident in the Spirit which works within us. Peace is faith in Christ. The arrival fallacy entraps us, but here’s a guide on how to escape it.

To think happiness — an ephemeral response—-is a purchase, drink, night, trip, job, degree, or bank account balance digit away, is to have confidence in the flesh & all the things on earth which turn to dust. Dopamine chases are not the answer—consumerism and achievement bring no satisfaction. This is because many people live their lives in what in psychology is called an “existential vacuum,” as coined by writer, psychologist and holocaust survivor Alfred Adler. This feeling of emptiness and meaningless stems from not having a purpose to derive meaning from. He teaches that “freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness.” Adler proposes that, “ there are three main avenues on which one arrives at meaning in life. The first is by creating a work or by doing a deed. The second is by experiencing something or encountering someone; in other words, meaning can be found not only in work but also in love.”  

One must anchor our purpose externally in the breath of life—in helping others instead of on the self-edifying, dopamine hamster wheel. Your purpose isn’t creating yourself, it’s loving others, and loving God.

Meaning Is the ‘Why’ Not the ‘How’

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

The ends, not the means, sometimes give our lives meaning. So never let anyone dissuade you from honorable conventional goals that you feel called to—the better ends they produce are a worthy, meaningful path. Conventional goals can be a means to an end; with the end, not the means producing the meaning. Supporting a family and helping others through a conventional job is one of the greatest accomplishments someone can achieve—the meaning lays in love. Find your ‘why’ and you’ll find your way.

Choose your own path. If you detach your meaning from carnal, wordly goals then you are free to pursue passions without fear of failure because even failure has no bearing on your sense of worth. We are here as children of God to learn and live Jesus’ teachings, and focus on all that has the breath of life, not worldly things. Our worth is inherent as children of God—not defined by carnal measures. There is freedom in Christ, our meaning stems from being His children.

Peace, meaning, and joy aren’t a place, status symbol, vocation, escapist vice, dopamine chase, or coveted material item away. Peace is a mentality, it is full assurance in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you’re left feeling empty no matter what, it’s because the treasures of this earth will never fill the void that only the peace Christ has blessed us with can. As the preacher wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:2-11, “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. 3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? 4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.”

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:19-21)

The arrival fallacy is an illusion that once we make it, we will achieve true happiness, according to psychology expert Tal Ben-Shahar, who coined the term. It’s why even very successful people might struggle with mental health issues, before making it they lived with hope of “making it” being the key to happiness. But after “making it” they find that that wasn’t the solution.

Achievement is not happiness. Life is what happens while you’re waiting for your “real life” to start. Living in the past or future robs your every day. You hold great light inside you, have inherent worth and are always becoming. Live in the moment, one day you’ll look back and realize how truly great those moments were. Engulf yourself in the present, cherish the journey, center yourself around what matters — not checklists or objects— the breath of life all around you. 

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Ch. 9 – Living in the Present

The fourth dimension—time. One of the most valuable concepts we have in our earthly life, only seems to speed up as we age, and a year becomes a smaller fraction of our lives. Entire lives are sometimes spent away in the future or past, instead of in every present moment. People spend their days ruminating or eternally seeking an ever-shifting gilded shore we promise ourselves contains true happiness, that contains our “real” lives. The present is all that is real and happiness isn’t elsewhere—that is the arrival fallacy.

Life is what happens while you’re waiting for your “real life” to start. The present is all that is real. Start now, start where you are. Lying in the past or future robs your every day. In ten years what will you regret more — trying and failing, or not trying and never knowing? Don’t let fear block you from your unlived potential.

Suffering of past mistakes or future anxiety is suffering in memory or imagination. Stop robbing your every second over the past and future which don’t exist now, only the present does. You can’t hate yourself into who you want to be and you can’t ruminate or stress your way out of a problem. Don’t punish yourself over mistakes of the past if you didn’t know any better don’t dwell. Living in the past robs your everyday, so accept what you can’t change and change what you can’t accept. Your current situation is not your destination, so look towards your goals not the unchangeable past.

(first published October 3, 2021)

No amount of self-care or escapism will ever change what only exposure therapy and stepping outside of your comfort zone by walking by faith does. Escapism will not yield growth, and withdrawing won’t cast out anxiety — it only deepens it. Anxiety is a fear-based unreliable narrator that rejects you before people and opportunities do. The only way out is through those fears. Confidence isn’t magically bestowed, but built by risk-taking. Out of vulnerability comes growth. Walking by faith, not fear delivers us.

If nothing changes, nothing changes. Anxiety’s strangle-hold creates a comfortable pattern of behaviors that aren’t really you, but a defense mechanism to feel safe — to avoid feeling anxious. But these behaviors only weave a trap that deepens the anxiety instead of beating it. Anxious individuals lose themselves in avoidance, complacency, self-doubt, and fear that entraps them in a dissonant life year after year. Hiding their personality, talents, and joys that make them come alive because expressing that would mean facing fears outside their comfort zone. But there comes a time when people recognize this affliction as a distinct unreliable narrator from who they really are, and want to change their lives.

One of the most helpful treatments for social anxiety disorder is exposure therapy. It can help people overcome fears of social and performance situations and is conducted typically with the help of a therapist as part of CBT programs. A lot of the techniques can be implemented in daily life to help combat fears of being judged or embarrassed or failing. Exposure therapy techniques work by entering situations that someone might avoid due to social anxiety in order to then disprove those fear based beliefs. This then builds a groundwork of confidence for which to challenge negative, anxious thoughts, and start achieving bigger feats.

Be fearful, but do it anyway. That is the goal with exposure therapy. Other people do not judge strangers, much less loved ones like you harshly judge yourself — they’re too busy thinking about their own lives. Focus on preparing yourself, detach yourself from the outcome, and make your goal trying not strictly succeeding. 

Implement exposure therapy in daily life by speaking in frontof a group, striking up conversation with people you might want to be friends with, sharing your own vibrant inner world, sending a text or email, talking on the phone, being assertive, participating in a daunting job interview, giving compliments, saying “no” to things you’re not interested in, saying “yes” to things you’re interested in but just fear embarrassment attending, and going out by yourself to all those places you’ve missed out on in fear of being seen alone.

In fact, feelings of anxiety can be part of the growth process and evolution into your ideal self according to Dabrowski’s “theory of positive disintegration.” Anxious thoughts point out areas of dissatisfaction in your life that you want to work on to align with your inner goals, personality, and desires to live out your personal values.

Exposure therapy simply works — I’ve seen it diminish my fear of presentations, interviews, public speaking, and more. I did so by focusing on the controllable — my level of preparation, detaching myself from the outcome, and being fearful but doing it anyway. Confidence is built by disproving anxious thoughts. Stepping outside your comfort zone builds the confidence needed to challenge anxious thoughts and tackle bigger feats. Remember, anxiety is an unreliable narrator. 

If you protect yourself from the possibility of failure, you protect yourself from success. This is why the growth mindset — backed by neuroscientific research —  is the number one determinant of success.  Accepting that a learning curve and failure is part of the journey towards mastery and success, not innate ability, is what makes people achieve. A fixed mindset leaves people stuck miserably believing their abilities are fixed so they flee from their goals. 

If you continue thinking confidence is an inherent trait some are forever destined to lack, you will never challenge your anxiety and achieve all that you’re capable of in your healthiest mindset. The grandiose idea of “confidence” paralyzes people thinking they must possess an insurmountable amount of confidence in one self before they do anything to pursue their goals. But we must recognize that fear and do things anyway – that is how you grow.

Remember, behind every self-made story of success was not an individual with grandiose,  insurmountable confidence, but rather a need greater than their fears. It is not the absence of qualms which  led Joan of Arc to a French victory, but rather the belief that something was more important than their own instinct for self-preservation. That an external goal and purpose was worth being vulnerable for. Motivational gurus have sold us the mentally paralyzing lie that we need impassable self-confidence before we do anything to take over our human-agency and pursue our passions and goals. When in reality, we’d be fulfilling our potential by realizing we should never become complacent. We should stay fearful, and do it anyway – that is how we grow.

Confidence is built through achievement, through physical confirmation that your mind is full of potential, and that you can have what you want as long as you’re willing to traverse through the tough terrain others turn back at.  Real self-confidence and self-worth  is not something achieved through fleeting external validation but through feelings of accomplishment and personal growth. Though he made no money, Van Gogh still painted 900 works of art, posthumously going down as one of the most talented painters in history. Have the courage to seek inner growth, not external validation or cheap “confidence.” Otherwise, it can be no more than a mask putting on the appearance of growth while continuing to carry feelings of emptiness and insufficiency.

Have the courage to determine how far you go. We’re all human, the only thing separating you from those at the top of your field is the amount of discipline/work you apply and resilience. No one knows your behind the scenes – your doubts, fears, failures, so stop feeling like an imposter. You are a blank page with an equal shot in anyone’s eyes. Start thinking ‘why not me?’ That heavyweight champion did not start off lifting 200 pounds. Have the courage to feel uncomfortable at the gym, to not be confident, to feel out of place. Those shortcomings and anxieties are the driving force behind every success story. More dreams are ruined by doubt than failure. And impact isn’t created, lives aren’t changed, the world isn’t left off a better place through “would’ves.” Stop waiting for permission from an abstract spurt of “confidence”  to make life-changing leaps that will transform your life for the better.

Those of faith can rest comfortably walking by faith, not by sight or fears we create. No matter how our false fears may try to lie to us about what we can do, who we are, and our worth, God’s word is the final truth. Omnipotent, almighty, loving God loves us for being His children, He will never forsake us, and He has called on us to not be anxious about anything. His strength is made perfect in our weakness so we must not succumb to this world in fear, but trust in God. 

Faith is the opposite of fear. Moses was fearful, felt wholly inadequate for the seemingly insurmountable mission God had put him up to,  but he listened to God anyway and walked outside the camp, trusting His word that He would not forsake him or the Israelites. By faith countless men and women of the bible were delivered as told in Hebrews 11. 

God is a good, all-powerful, sovereign, merciful god — the alpha and omega, the creator of this universe. Nothing evil comes from God but rather from the consequences of living in a fallen world. Jesus has sent us as helpers towards this rworld For this reason, many are quick to become spiritually jaded, and forget that greater men such as Joseph, David, Abraham, Job, Jeremiah Paul the apostle, John the baptist, and others suffered too. Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers and despite suffering greatly, he not only chose to forgive, but to endure with great humility and faith until he was able to carry out God’s plan. He ultimately saved his betrayers and called them unto repentance all by trusting in God. God used Joseph’s suffering for a larger mission to enact tremendous good. “You meant evil against me,” Joseph says, “but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20).

Proverbs 3:5-7 -“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil” .

God’s strength was made manifest in biblical figures manifold times when they faced fearsome challenges in order to glorify Him. When Moses naturally feared going to the Pharaoh, saying “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?”(Exodus 3:11), God promised they would listen to Moses (Exodus 3:18). But Moses was full of unbelief. God chose Moses as he was, to lead a nation into the promise land through the wilderness for 40 years. God used the rod in his hand to part the Red Sea, to retrieve water from a rock, to be raised over Israel’s win in battle. It became the rod of God (Exodus 4:20). 

Moses begged God to use someone else for His purpose, Moses feared that he was inadequate, he feared the challenge he faced, but ultimately, God’s strength and power was made manifest in him despite his qualms as He delivered the people to the promise land.

Exodus 4:10-17 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.  And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 

Our Lord, Jesus Christ has overcome the world. Knowing this, we should rest in faith, not fear.

John 16:33: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

(first published April 11, 2020)

In our ever increasingly competitive job market how can we confound our unquenchable drive for success with humble gratitude and labor not in vain? How can we live an ethical life amid a “hustle culture” that demands we monetize our every living breath and action and compare ourselves against others who do? How can we labor, but not in vain or in self-idolatry?

Ambition, success, prestige, or money will never bring us the inner peace that only knowing Jesus Christ can. As a college student and Christian graduating in a month amid a pandemic-induced global recession, I’ve questioned the importance of my drive for academic achievement and career success. Is this desire all vanity? How can Christians pursue a meaningful career that does good? The monotonous emptiness of a corporate job serving to enrich stockholders and corporations haunts my dreams. So how can us young adults manage the path our career takes in a way that glorifies God? How can we strive for success without vanity while not becoming complacent?

Ecclesiastes 1:2-12 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 

Is striving for academic achievement and career success all vanity? Not if we strive to let God lead our paths and glorify Him. His ways are higher than our ways. His knowledge is higher than ours. God will never mislead us or forsake us. 

Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Colossians 3:23-24 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

1. Walk Worthy of the Vocation Wherewith You Are Called

Whatsoever we do we must do it as we’re working unto Him. We must make God our focus instead of objects like money that perish. Therefore be ambitious but remember our worth comes from Christ and not material objects.

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Ephesians 4:I-8 therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

1 Corinthians 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Our Almighty Father has given us not only spiritual gifts, but a calling.

2. Seek the Kingdom of Heaven Not Riches

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Remember that gain is not godliness. The goal in life is to learn to walk in Jesus’ commandments and statutes and become sanctified. That is done by obeying God, trusting Him, and loving Jesus Christ with all our heart all our soul and all our understanding. Through this process we are set apart not to walk after wordly ways but to have the word in our heart and walk after Jesus Christ’s ways.

“So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen (Matt. 20:16).” The blessed apostles who served God and not mammon were penniless, persecuted, imprisoned, Lazarus the greedy rich man burned while the beggar was carried to Abraham’s bosom, Jesus overthrew the moneychangers from the church and fed the most needy in society.

Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God (Mark 10:25).” It’s easy to feel unworthy in this consumerist age, but followers of Christ are not meant to live easy, carnally attuned life.

We are meant to seek the kingdom of heaven first as the disciples of Christ who knew that life was more than raiment did. After all, we carry nothing out of this world. Do not try to gain the world while losing your soul.

Matthew 16:25-26: “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Timothy 6:5-11: “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ..For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

John 6:27, 32-35, KJV: 32 “27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.”

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” 

Psalm 94:6-10, KJV: “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever: That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

Poverty and struggle isn’t a lack of blessing. It’s easy for those who have it to say money does not matter, but if we look to the Bible and the apostles, we see that the most spiritually blessed were materially poor.

The Bible tells us that the wicked may triumph and be materially rich on earth, but by walking in sin and disobedience they will not obtain the treasure of heaven. The Bible is firm in its condemnation of greed, of moneychangers, and wealth that comes from corruption and exploitation. It warns that wealth can be corrupting as people use it to sow desires of the flesh.

The Bible condemns the worship of the rich and oppressive class, and oppression of the poor.

“But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats (James 2:6, KJV).” It even calls on the wealthy in power to give fairly to workers.

Psalm 94:3-4, KJV: “Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?”

James 5:1-8: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.  Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

3. If You Are Materially Privileged, Use it to Give Cheerfully

• Colossians 4:1: “Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.”

Those who are materially rich, are to not only walk in God’s commandments and statutes  but to give to the poor cheerfully, and not live a hedonist life of excess.

• Matthew 19:20-21, KJV: “And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” 
• 2 Corinthians 9:7-9: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.”
• Deuteronomy 24:19-22, KJV: “19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 22 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.” 

“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35

4. Every Honest Job Can Be Done Unto God

Vanity is becoming corrupt by seeking the pursuit of glorification of the self or riches at the expense of Godly values. Vanity is gaining the world while losing your soul. What it is not, is the lifelong pursuit of knowledge. The pandemic has exposed who the true “essential workers” are — it is the laborers who stock our pantries, the workers who are exploited through poverty wages that haven’t kept up with a 167% rise in inflation over the past 50 years.

Bringing glory unto God is not the same as bringing glory unto ourselves through a capitalistic rat-race of competition for prestige and riches. We are to lay ourselves for the treasures in heaven not on Earth. And seek the kingdom of heaven first, instead of raiment. Jesus Christ is the bread of life. God knows our needs and He will not forsake us. He kept the people of Israel who trusted in Him fed through the wilderness for 40 years without so much as their feet swelling up until they reached the land of milk and honey.

Matthew 6:19–24: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. .No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Matthew 6:25: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

We can pursue whatsoever honest vocation we are called unto with integrity and goodness while seeking God’s face above all else — not prestige or riches. Christians are to walk after the spirit, after the kingdom of heaven first because Jesus is the bread of life. We are called not to distract ourselves with earthly lusts and covetousness. We are not to worry about anything but trusting God.

5. Success Isn’t Money or Prestige, It’s Growing in Our Journey With God

It’s about what we do with what we have and whether we do it while growing in our spiritual journey with God — whether it’s to provide for a family, help those in need, etc. as a worker, academic, or a professional.

Luke 21:1-4, KJV: “And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”