Tuesday, 1 December 2015

You’re Not God — Stop Acting Like It!

You're Not God — Stop Acting Like It!
 
CURRENT TEACHING SERIES
Building My Life on Values That Last
 
 
 
You're Not God — Stop Acting Like It!
Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Email
By Rick Warren — Dec 1, 2015
 
Devotional image from Rick Warren
 
 

“Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work.” (Ecclesiastes 10:15 GNT)

You’re not God. You don’t have all the answers. You can’t do everything. If you’re struggling to find balance in your life, that one admission can transform everything.

The Bible says, “Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work” (Ecclesiastes 10:15 GNT).

It’s just plain dumb to wear yourself out with work. When you overwork, you’re playing God. You’re saying that it all depends on you. That the world will crash down around us if you don’t keep the world spinning. That’s just not true! You’re not the general manager of the universe. You can resign. The universe will not fall apart. God has it under control.

Often one of reasons we do this to ourselves is that we try to please everyone. Learn this lesson today: You can’t please everyone. Even God can’t please everyone! One person wants it to rain. Someone else wants it to be sunny. Only a fool would try to do what even God can’t do.

When we live for the expectations of others, we pile on ourselves tons of “shoulds.” We tell ourselves, “I should work more hours,” “I should go to this seminar” or “I should volunteer for this assignment.” But realize this: No one is holding a gun to your head. Overworking is your choice. You choose to take on the extra work or to not take it on. And you choose the consequences that come with that choice.

When you deny your humanity and try to do it all, you’re robbing God of his glory. The Bible reminds us of this in 2 Corinthians 4:7: “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (NIV). Paul reminds us that we’re human beings. We’re feeble and fragile. Jars of clay break easily. If you drop them, they shatter. Clay pots have to be handled with care. Clay pots have to be handled appropriately. If not, they’ll get destroyed.

But the good news is that through our feebleness, the power and glory of God shines through. Your humanity isn’t something to hide. Instead let’s celebrate the power of God working through our limitations.

So admit it: You’re human. Thank God for that!

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

  • What tends to tempt you to overwork?
  • What do you think about this: “You rob God of his glory when you try to do everything on your own”?
  • How can working too much actually lead to a bad work ethic?

Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Email
 
 
 
Current Radio Offer
 
Our Gift:
Sermons for Life Change Vol. 2: The Most Requested Rick Warren Sermons
Would you like to live a life of significance? These six sermons have helped so many people live exceptional lives that we’ve put them together in Volume 2 of Sermons For Life Change: The Most Requested Sermons by Rick Warren.
LEARN MORE
 
 
 
Special Offer
 
Complete Audio Series (Purchase)

Includes all complete sermons from the Rick Warren Building My Life on Values That Last teaching series.

LEARN MORE
 
 
 
Complete Series
 
Series Summary

Message 1: Choosing My Standards
Message 2: ​​​​​Accepting Responsibility
Message 3: ​​​​​Developing Trust
Message 4: ​​​​Developing Self-Control
Message 5: ​​The Balanced Life
Message 6: ​Showing Respect
Message 7: Offering Forgiveness
Message 8: Maintaining Moral Purity
Message 9: Showing Fairness

PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST
 
Pastor Rick Warren
 
Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   Linkedin
 
Enjoy today's Devotional?
Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio.

Did someone forward this devotional to you?
Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.

This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at rickwarren.org.

Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life," read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America.

This devotional © 2015 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences.
Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe
 

No comments:

Post a Comment