In today’s world of self-centeredness, service to others is not a cultivated virtue. Everyone who decides to look for ways to help others, to invest in them, would have their own lives change for the better. In fact, if you will help enough other people get what they want, you will be truly helping yourself.
To this approach in life are three keys that lead to more abundant living. These are: caring about others, daring for others, and sharing with others. This is assigning to one’s self the purpose of making others happy and successful. People have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be. For this reason invest in others because it pays great dividends (William Ward). In Jan McKerihen’s words, “If you can not win, make the one ahead of you break the record.” Character will develop properly when you think of what you might do for people (Woodrow Wilson).
Character is the foundation of all worthwhile success. A good question to ask oneself is “What kind of advice do I give others that I need to follow myself?” It is a known fact that living a double life will get you nowhere twice as fast. In Tyron Edwards’ words, “Thoughts lead on to purposes, purposes go forth into actions, actions form habits, habits decide character, and character fixes our destiny.”
One good habit we can all seek to form is the habit of consulting God about everything. Unless in the first waking moments of the day we learn to fling the door back wide and let God in, we will work on a wrong level all day. Swing the door wide open and pray to the Father in secret, and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God (Oswald Chambers). When God is all we have, then He is all we need.
The Scripture says, “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard you heart and your mind in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6,7). “Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you” (1 Peter 5:7). Anxiety comes from fear. Fear in itself is faith in the negative, trust in the unpleasant, assurance of disaster, unbelief, and defeat.
Therefore, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). God is never more than a prayer or praise away. Add to it the pursuit of God and get to know Him in your daily walk. Each time we bow before Him, we should ask to be changed ourselves, not our God nor the circumstances we face. Our hearts’ cry should sound loud and clear, “I want to be in your will not in your way, Lord.”
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