God Will Pay You Back

We’ve all had unfortunate things happen to us. Someone takes advantage of us. Someone steals our just rewards. Even a lack of recognition for our hard work can hurt our feelings. We don’t have to be numb to our feelings but if we keep a good attitude when the wrong thing is happening to us, then God will pay us back in due time.

My 14-year-old son Daniel is in Royal Rangers (the Christian version of Boy Scouts); he’s been enjoying this program for several years now. Once a week, he gets to hang out with a group of boys and do boy things. He has always worked very hard for his merits therefore he is ahead of most kids his age.

Recently they had a graduation ceremony. Daniel was the youngest of the lot to get the Gold Medal Award (GMA). Unfortunately, not all of leaders were in favor of him getting the recognition even though he had met all the requirements. It was a long, drawn out drama and finally they allowed him to receive the honors he had earned. 

Maybe you’ve been done wrong. You worked hard for the commission but the sale went to another person. The house you were hoping to buy was sold under your feet. You may have gone through the training, putting in the extra hours, but you didn’t get the promotion you were praying for. You cleaned the house all day but you weren’t appreciated for it. You may have been betrayed in a relationship or a business partnership. No matter who did you wrong, God will pay you back with double the honor.

This is what happened to my son Daniel. Not only did he get his Gold Medal Award in time, he got to meet with the Mayor of our city (pictured here). His outpost had sent many requests before for previous candidates but this was the first time the city officials decided to recognize Daniel in front of the whole city council. Not only that, it was broadcasted live! Even though a few people were against my son, God honored him in front of higher authorities and a greater audience. God paid him back double for his troubles. In the same way, if you keep your peace and stay in faith, God will pay you back more than what you’ve lost.

People do unpredictable things when they’re hurt, insecure, jealous, or threatened by another person. If you try to defend yourself, God will stand back. But if you take the high road, keep calm, and stay in peace, the Lord will fight the battle for you. I’ve learned that the higher you rise the more critics will come out of the woodworks. But if you stay in faith and trust God instead of taking revenge, He will make things right for you. The world may not be fair but God is!

This is what happened to a man named Mordecai in the Bible (Book of Esther). He was a Jew and once he had saved the king’s life from a certain coup. Unfortunately, nobody remembered his contribution to saving the king’s life. One night, King Ahasuerus couldn’t sleep. He ordered his servants to bring him the book of the records from the library. Of all the thousands of books, they picked the one with Mordecai’s story in it. There it was found that Mordecai had saved the king’s life from an assassination plot. It prompted the king to ask, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” They said, “Nothing.” Long story short, it was Mordecai who was honored through the city and his enemy Haman was hung in the gallows. We should never wish evil against our enemies. But rest assured, God knows how to make it up to you. He will never allow you to go through a tough situation without honoring you for it.

Friend, no matter who has done your wrong, today it is time for you to give it up to God. He cannot fight for us as long as we take matters into our own hands. But if we trust him with our troubles, He will do what we cannot do. He will not only reward you but He will make sure that he does it in front of your enemies. Our God is a great equalizer. You’re the head and not the tail. You’re only above and not beneath. He will not cause you to shame.

Today, I challenge you to let go and let God. Like my son Daniel, He will honor you in public. Just like Mordecai, He will bring you to remembrance at the right time. Don’t seek revenge on those who have done you harm. If you release those offenses to God, He will make you soar like an eagle. You’ll go to new heights that you’ve never dreamed of before. I love you and I’m praying for you.

“Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours” (Isaiah 61:7 NLT).

Spread Your Influence: http://www.buildinternational.org

Stay Inspired: https://www.facebook.com/BuildInternationalMinistries

See Your Impact: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125710914@N05/

How to Heal a Broken Relationship

Conflict is inevitable. People hurt us and we do the same to others. Nobody can be perfect 100% of the time. It’s only human to make mistakes. When a relationship is strained, we should take the high road and try to bring healing to the situation.

I find that most people want to repair a severed relationship. However, they don’t always have the tools to bring healing to a conflict. When we intentionally reach out to the other party, it honors God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.” Today, let’s look at a few tools that will help us mend a broken relationship.

Initiate the dialogue. Most people want to repair the damage but they want the other person to initiate things. If we can just swallow our pride, we can see great things coming out of the reconciliation; it doesn’t matter whose fault it was. The person who reaches out first is the bigger person. Be the bigger person.

Allow the anger to settle. When a relationship is damaged, people tend to be extra sensitive. When people are upset, it’s not the right time to make apology. Reaching out too quickly can hinder more than it can advance the cause for peace. Depending on the weight of the offense, it’s generally good to give someone at least 48 hours for things to cool down. People are high strung when they’re emotionally charged. Time doesn’t always heal everything but it can make things easier to deal with.

Don’t make light of the offense. No matter what caused the relationship to break down, understand that the person is still hurting. Right or wrong, people have the right to their feelings. It becomes harder on the person offended if we make light of our action. One of the best things to do is to take ownership of our action. We can say, “I’m sorry that I hurt you. I didn’t mean to. I will make sure that it doesn’t happen again.” Then shut up. Don’t try to explain yourself.

Be gracious to forgive. When people make sincere apology, don’t humiliate them by withholding your forgiveness. It takes a lot of humility and emotional strength to apologize. When people recognize their mistake and try to repair the damage, be a decent human being and minimize the shame. When we keep meddling with the offense and “keep the record straight,” we’re adding fuel to the fire. Never threaten or give ultimatums. He or she may not say the exact words you want to hear but you’re better off accepting the apology instead of dragging him or her through the mud again.

What goes around comes around. We have a tendency to forget that we too need mercy. When we’re being stiff about an offense, we’re hurting ourselves the most. People may not be fair but God is. When we don’t forgive others, God will not forgive us. What we don’t deal with now can haunt us for generations to come. Let’s forgive and bury the hurt. Life is too short to hold on to a grudge.

It may take time. Healing a relationship may not be instantaneous but it is worth it. When we try to hurry the other person, we risk delaying the process. Allow people some space. The bigger the offense the longer it may take to reconcile. Let them process your apology. If they’re big enough, they’ll come back to reconcile with you.

Be at peace with yourself. Some people will never forgive you no matter what you do to mend a relationship. If you don’t get a response after repeated attempts, let it go. You cannot force people to reconcile. Just do your part and allow God to vindicate you. Go on with your life.

Friend, no matter how it started, a restored relationship is divine. You have the right to be sour and bitter against people who have hurt you but it is not right to allow poison to take root in your heart. You can either get bitter or get better. Make that call to apologize today. Send a card. Give a gift. Write that email. When we live life as a healer, we’re being like Jesus.

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother” (Matthew 18:15 ESV).

Let’s Change the World: www.buildinternational.org

Invite Sandy Anderson to Speak: Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

Stay Inspired: http://www.facebook.com/pages/BUILD-International-Ministries/113937368637778?ref=hl

Pick Your Battle Wisely

Much of our productivity time is wasted on unproductive conflicts. When we’re not intentional about the battles we fight every day, we can easily be sucked into minor things that drain major energy out of us.

Every day when we wake up, God gives us fresh energy, enthusiasm, faith and courage for that day. They don’t come in unlimited supplies because God wants us to trust Him in a fresh new way every day. When we depart from the purpose God put in our heart each day, we can run around in circles without making an impact. God wants us to be effective and productive with our emotional resources. If we’re getting frustrated, angry, and jealous and pouting over small things, we will not be prepared for a real battle that counts. What battle we pick will determine how big of a giant-slayer we will be.

At home it is easy to get frustrated about kids leaving their dirty socks in the middle of the living room. We can easily get upset if the lights are not turned off or a drawer is left open and the key to the car is always missing. It is easy to nag about the messy closet. It’s doesn’t take much to complain about the traffic. At work, we can be upset about the boss, incomplete project or false accusation. But really, in the big scheme of life, none of this matter. Peace, joy and harmony in the house is much more valuable than paying $10 extra for lights left on. It is better to just shut the drawer close than to make a big deal about it. A house where there is love, respect, honor and laughter is much more valuable than a sparkling clean house with full of strife. Pick your battle wisely so that you can enjoy the peace and tranquility in life.

Before we get all bent out of shape over a minor issue we should always consider how it affects our destiny and of others. If it’s a five minute problem, ignore it. If it’s a fiver hour problem, take note of it. If it’s a five year problem, invest time, effort and energy to fix it. I spent my whole life fighting small battles and it kept me from my destiny. Since I’ve learnt to choose my battles wisely, I have more energy and efficiency left to win the war. The more I let go of the small stuff the more God promotes me to bigger destiny.

In the Bible, when David was wondering around as a guerilla fighter, his men were protecting a rich man’s herd by the name of Nabal. In David’s time of need he sent for his messengers to request Nabal for help and give David and his men whatever he could for food and drink. Nabal means fool. He insulted David’s messengers and sent them back empty-handed. When David heard Nabal’s response, he was furious. He took four hundred men and set out on a vengeance to kill Nabal and all his men. In the meantime, Nabal’s wife Abigail heard from her servants how her husband had insulted David. Being smart, witty and long-sighted, she got on her horse with food, wine and supplies and met David on the way. Immediately she fell on her face, addressed David as Lord and calmed his anger. She then reminded David of his destiny as the King of Israel. Abigail brought sense to David and helped him to cease from anger and choose his battle wisely. Later, Nabal died and Abigail became David’s wife. (I Samuel 25). What’s the point of this story? Choose your battle wisely. David could have easily overrun Nabal and his men but that would have kept him from fulfilling his destiny as the King of Israel.

Friend, you can give people a piece of your mind and dish out evil for evil. It will make your flesh feel good, your ego get bigger but it will rob you of your destiny. Don’t be a fool like Nabal and say what you think or feel like doing. Think before you act. Choose your battles wisely. Peace is better than being right and winning arguments. Fight battles that will bring you spoils of war. Fight for your marriage. Fight for your children. Fight for your family. Fight for a just cause. Fight for world missions. Give up the low life. You don’t have to answer to every critic and win every argument. Be a bigger person. Take the high road. Choose your battle wisely.

“Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city” (Proverbs 16:32 NLT).

Click Here to Spread the Message of Hope: www.buildinternational.org

Book Sandy Anderson as Speaker: Call 972 800 4346, Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

Stay Inspired: http://www.facebook.com/pages/BUILD-International-Ministries/113937368637778?ref=hl

How to Resolve Conflict

Conflicts are inevitable. No matter how hard we try we’ll eventually run into someone who will disappoint, hurt or betray us. If we don’t have the right tools to deal with conflict we can be crippled for a long time.

Husbands and wives get their feelings hurt because their spouse said something, did something or didn’t do what they’re expected to do. Friends get offended because they felt neglected. Internal conflicts can be detrimental to your company morale and business productivity. Having the skills to resolve conflict is vital to our success. Let’s look at a few ideas that can help us resolve conflict in everyday situation.

1. Your opinion is as important as theirs. The root of all conflicts is our belief system. When we have differences of opinions, it is easy to get all rattled up because the other person sees things differently than us. If we want to resolve conflict we should be able to respect the opinion of others. To accept the differences of opinion is not the same as believing the same way as they do. Human beings have much more in common than our differences. Focus on what you can agree on. Seek first to understand before you can be understood.

2. Be secure in God. I used to be extremely insecure. I was surrounded by people but due to my childhood issues, I’d developed an attitude. I used to be very opinionated and I didn’t hesitate to cut people down if I felt threatened by them. As I sought help and matured, I realized that I can be secure in myself without having to contradict others. When we’re secure in God we can be secure with people. That is what Jesus did! When we’re secure in ourselves, we’re able to accept others. You’re here not to prove anything. You don’t have to teach anybody. You don’t have to change the other person until he/she wants to change. Rest in God’s peace!

3. Reach out to reconcile. It’s miserable to carry on a day with a grudge against your spouse, kids, friend or a co-worker. You can live in the tense situation or you can be the bigger person and try to resolve the conflict. Don’t try to resolve issues when people are still running on high emotions. Give people some space. It is humbling to be the first one to have to reach out but if you do, the rewards will be great. Most of the time, the other person is feeling as bad as you. You can say something simple like, “Hey, that didn’t come out the way I wanted to. Can we start over again?” A genuine gesture of care and concern can go a long way in resolving conflict.

4. Start with “I feel” statement. No matter how bad you feel, don’t accuse people. Most conflicts take place because of misunderstanding and miscommunication. Instead of saying you this or you that start with “I feel.” Your feelings are personal. No one can tell you what you’re feeling is wrong. When you start by “I feel” statement you take the edge off the accusation. Then try to understand the feelings of the other person in return. When you hash out your feelings in a civil way it will be easy to resolve conflict. Your feelings matter but so does the feelings of others.

5. Forgive quickly. People will do us wrong. The only way to get over that is to forgive them. Forgiveness is a big idea. It does more for you than the offender. When you forgive you’re letting a prisoner out – that prisoner is you! We can sulk, hurt or contemplate revenge or we can just forgive and let it go. The Bible teaches God forgives us in direct proportion to the way we forgive. Let’s learn to forgive quickly.

Friend, let’s give up the low life and learn to live in peace with one another. God’s promise is to pour down His blessing where there is unity of hearts, minds and souls. You don’t always have to agree with everybody but you can accept everybody just the way they are. Maturity is to acknowledge others without compromising your own conviction. Let’s live a conflict-free life so that we can be better producers in life! I’m praying for you and I believe in you!

“As much as it is possible, live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18 God’s Word).

Click Here to Spread the Message of Hope: www.buildinternational.org

Book Sandy Anderson as Speaker: Call 972 800 4346, Email: buildinternational@sbcglobal.net 

Stay Inspired: http://www.facebook.com/pages/BUILD-International-Ministries/113937368637778?ref=hl