Saturday, December 10, 2016

Are You Setting Yourself Up to Fail in 2017?



We’ve all witnessed the party host, totally transfixed on making every detail of the event perfect, and of course, having to do everything by herself.  Then, something crashes because it was just too big of a load.  Or, perhaps the evening survived any great mishap, but she and her guests could not enjoy the event due to the tension.  Similar stories of lone ranger pride play out all the time, in the work place, at school and church events, on sports teams, when raising children, etc.

So it’s always a glorious day when we see someone stop trying to take on big jobs by himself, but instead choosing to share the burden.  We see smiles and even laughter again.  We see deep friendships forming because of the teamwork and communication happening. We also see people who had been experiencing fear, anxiety, loneliness, and anger, suddenly at peace with life.

The Bible says in many places that there is great value in a team.  Furthermore, God identifies and even ordains 3 specific teams:
1)  The first is the team of husband/wife.  If you are married God intended for you to do most things in life as a team and to enjoy each other in the process.   
2) The second team is the church.  The Bible didn’t say that church is a place where you go, it said church is a team of people who serve each other and benefit greatly by gathering together often.  
3) The third team is one you might have guessed.  You and God are a team if you believe in the death and resurrection of His Son to forgive your sins.  The Bible says that God gave you His Holy Spirit inside of you at the time of your saving faith, which means he is on your team and will guide and strengthen you.

So, here’s a great way to fail miserably at life in 2017.  Ignore the incredible teammates you have who want to help you succeed.  Don’t open up to your spouse or your friends from your church.  Don’t seek guidance from your pastor or Godly mentor.  Above all, stay away from church gatherings as much as possible and remember never to pray.