READ: Philippians 1:9-10
What constitutes a crisis for you? I remember when my girls were growing up, particularly when they were in middle school and high school, that everything was a crisis. It seemed as if someone were crying over something every day: looks, hair, clothing, friends, boys, rules, sisters. Everything was a life-ending, life-is-over-for-me crisis. And the truth is, I know some adults who have never really gotten beyond middle school. They still turn everything into a crisis. They make mountains out of mole hills. They lose their cool. They lose their Christian witness over stuff that is so insignificant.
Someone once said something very wise to me, “If it is not going to matter or make a difference in your life a year from now, it was probably not a crisis.” Paul says in Philippians 1:10, “I want you to understand what really matters so you can live holy lives.” There are plenty of real crises in life. Be careful that you don’t use up your energy, your strength, or lose your witness over something that doesn’t really matter. Ask God to show you what is important and what is not. He will.
What constitutes a crisis for you? I remember when my girls were growing up, particularly when they were in middle school and high school, that everything was a crisis. It seemed as if someone were crying over something every day: looks, hair, clothing, friends, boys, rules, sisters. Everything was a life-ending, life-is-over-for-me crisis. And the truth is, I know some adults who have never really gotten beyond middle school. They still turn everything into a crisis. They make mountains out of mole hills. They lose their cool. They lose their Christian witness over stuff that is so insignificant.
Someone once said something very wise to me, “If it is not going to matter or make a difference in your life a year from now, it was probably not a crisis.” Paul says in Philippians 1:10, “I want you to understand what really matters so you can live holy lives.” There are plenty of real crises in life. Be careful that you don’t use up your energy, your strength, or lose your witness over something that doesn’t really matter. Ask God to show you what is important and what is not. He will.
– Dr. Tim Thompson