Daily Stop & Thinks

STOP AND THINK – Dreams aren’t located on a highway, but on a toll way. If a dream doesn’t cost much then it isn’t worth much. (Kary Oberbrunner, motivational speaker and author)

We all have dreams, ambitions we’d like to fulfill, improvements we want to make, goals to achieve. But, as in any worthy project, the cost must be analyzed, and we must be willing to meet those costs, whether monetary, physical, or emotional. If the dream is of real value, then it’s worth paying the cost.

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? (Luke 14:28)

STOP AND THINK – Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen. (Oswald Chambers, 20th century Scottish evangelist and teacher)

Perseverance is a desirable virtue. Many of us give up too easily, whether it’s a diet we should follow or completing an unpleasant task. Perhaps we would stick to it better if we were just more confident that the ultimate goal would be achieved: the diet would be effective or the unpleasant task would accomplish a good end.

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:4)

STOP AND THINK – Almost all unhappiness in life comes from the tendency to blame someone else. (Brian Tracey, motivational speaker and author)

When we don’t achieve what we had hoped to, how do we respond? Do we consider our planning, our approach to the task, and our perseverance? Or, do we look for someone to blame? That may be the easy way out, but it doesn’t help to accomplish our goal. And, what’s worse, it may diminish our own sense of self-worth.

Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me. (Matthew 11:6)

STOP AND THINK – The first requisite of a truly sound swing is simplicity. (Robert Jones, champion American amateur golfer)

Jones was speaking, of course, of a golf swing, that elusive element of golf that plays a major role in how well the competitor plays the game. But the principle of simplicity may well be applied to many facets of life. We often make things more difficult by complicating the process, the rules, or the instructions. “Keep it simple” might be a good motto to follow.

Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:21)

STOP AND THINK – The future gets better if you invest in it. (Investment company advertisement)

Think about investing not as a device for making more money but as an opportunity to give yourself. Give your time and talents to a project or cause that works for the improvement of society or to assist the under-privileged gain a foothold in life. The future will not only be brighter for others but for yourself in the satisfaction of a worthy endeavor.

Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. (Psalm 37:37)

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)