Daily Stop & Thinks

STOP AND THINK – Life is the sum of your choices. (Albert Camus, 20th century French Nobel Prize-winning author)

We’ve heard it many times, haven’t we? There are few things in life that we can control. Attitude is one, and making choices is another. We can’t blame others or circumstances for a lot of our problems. Most of them are likely the result of our own poor choices. On the other hand, making good choices regularly will result in joy for us and the benefit of others.

The righteous choose their friends carefully. (Proverbs 12:6)

STOP AND THINK – Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact. (William James, 19th-20th century American philosopher)

Some people seem to go around with a sad expression and disposition, thinking that there is nothing good to find in life. How sad! Life does have its difficulties, but always thinking the worst almost guarantees dissatisfaction. Better to create a more positive attitude that will enable you to see the brighter side. Life will become much more pleasant.

You were taught . . . to put off your old self . . . [and] to be made new in the attitude of your minds. (Ephesians 4:22-23)

STOP AND THINK – Forgiveness is healing others by using their offenses as a means of expressing love to them. (paraphrased from Bill Gothard, Christian speaker and writer)

It’s always difficult to forgive someone who has hurt us deeply, and Gothard’s suggestion is also difficult but helpful. If we can somehow determine the reason behind the act that has offended us, we may be able to turn the situation around and act in the best interest of the one who hurt us. That should go a long way not only to forgiveness but reconciliation.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love . . . Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other. (Ephesians 4:2, 32)

STOP AND THINK – No amount of practice will do much good unless the player is trying to accomplish something definite. (Ben Hogan, late professional golfing great)

“Practice makes perfect,” says the old adage. Actually, that’s not true. Rather, practice makes permanent. Practicing bad habits will chain you to those habits, and there will be no improvement. So, we need to establish good practice habits with, as Hogan suggests, a clear objective. Then, continual practice will produce good results.

The Apostle Paul: “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9)

STOP AND THINK – Too many, I fear, never pray at all, or they only rattle over a few hurried words morning and evening without thinking what they do. (Author unknown)

The unknown writer of those words was listing reasons for sickness. But the words may be applied far more widely. To many, prayer has become the mere recitation of memorized phrases, as if they were a formula for getting what you want. But prayer is a more intimate, personal communication based on a relationship with the only one who can change things.

Lord, hear my prayer . . . in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. (Psalm 143:1) For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer. (1 Peter 3:12)

STOP AND THINK – Ability may get you to the top but it takes character to keep you there. (John Wooden, renowned American basketball coach)

Coach Wooden was known, not only for his basketball playing and coaching skills, but also for his teaching and motivational abilities. He reached the pinnacle of success in collegiate coaching, but those who knew him best pay tribute to his character and integrity, which he successfully passed on to generations of young players.

The integrity of the upright guides them. (Proverbs 11:3) May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you. (Psalm 25:21)

STOP AND THINK – In times like these, it helps to remember that there have always been times like these. (Paul Harvey, late American radio broadcaster)

When things get tough, we seem to think world conditions and our particular circumstances are unique. We moan about the way things are, forgetting that such conditions and circumstances are not new. We’ve had “times like these” before. There isn’t much new in the world, so have we learned anything from the past that will help us face today and the future?

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. (2 Timothy 3:1) Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

STOP AND THINK – I wish to do something Great and Wonderful, But I must start by doing the little things like they were Great and Wonderful. (Albert Einstein, 20th century German-born physicist)

Just about everyone wants to accomplish some great feat, both for the benefit of humankind and for personal recognition. And Einstein certain did. Yet, he expressed a profound truth. It all begins with the little things. Take responsibility for them, and the opportunity may well arise for you to do something much larger.

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. (Luke 16:10)

STOP AND THINK – People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. (John C. Maxwell, Christian author and speaker)

Trying to influence people by displaying your wide knowledge on some particular subject is usually ineffective unless you’ve built some kind of relationship with them. Even when you try to help someone in need, unless you have created some connection with that person, he may hesitate to accept your help. You have to show that you really care.

Be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. (1 Peter 3:8)

STOP AND THINK – To be happy, don’t do whatever you like; like whatever you do. (Antoine de Saint Exupery, 20th century French writer)

Many people seem to think that happiness comes from having the freedom to do whatever you want to do. But the people who follow that thinking don’t really seem to be happy. More often, it’s the people who adjust to life’s circumstances and learn to find contentment in whatever they are called upon to do who have true joy.

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. (Philippians 4:12)

STOP AND THINK – The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly:–’Tis dearness only that gives everything its value. (Thomas Paine, 18th-19th century American revolutionary author)

It’s hard to imagine the pain, deprivation, and suffering that the armies of the American Revolution endured to bring about the creation of the American nation. But Paine’s observation about the glory of victory illustrates well the principle that the value of any accomplishment is determined by the price of its achievement.

… if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory . . . I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us . . . (Romans 8:17, 18)

STOP AND THINK – Pearls are the product of pain—precious, tiny jewels conceived through irritation, born of adversity, nursed by adjustment. (Charles Swindoll, American pastor and author)

Here’s another lesson to be learned from nature. When we look at pearls, we probably don’t think of how they were created. Instead, we might note the setting in the ring or the brooch, or the order of the string of pearls on the chain. We give no thought to how the pearls were created. The analogy to life is clear: Life’s successes are often gained through adversity.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)