Recently my oldest son asked me to send him a list of 30 principles or life lessons that summarized what I have learned in life. That was an interesting challenge. On my trip to India I came up with a few more than that. I shared some in a previous blog and will finish the rest here.
19. Enjoy the moment. Live in the moment. It will soon be gone. We can’t slow down or speed up time, we only have the present available to us, not the past or the future.
20. God uses my church and family to mature more than He uses me to mature my church and family!
21. The key to a healthy spiritual life is to spend time connecting with God through Bible reading and prayer each and every day.
22. God often allows us to be in humanly impossible situations to show us our need of Him.
23. Life is a series of stretches, stretching our faith, our love, our patience and out commitment.
24. Don’t spend money you don’t have! Keep your life style within your income. Don’t choose a lifestyle and then try to fund it.
25. Temptations trials, hurts and obstacles in life are really just opportunities to trust God.
26. Planning ahead is absolutely essential, but plans we make must be our servant, not our master.
27. No sin, however seemingly innocent or justified it may seem to be, is ever worth it. Satan baits his traps well, but they are still all traps
28. You can only spend your money once so spend it wisely. Use it for the purpose God has given it to you.
29. Always let your mind explain reality to your emotions. Never determine reality by your emotions.
30. What God forbids us to do is always for our good, not to take away our fun. It gives us freedom, not takes it away. It is like placing markers over landmines which allows us to enjoy the rest of the field as we cross from one side to the other.
31. Prayer is our greatest privilege. It is impossible to pray too much!
32. Never compare how God deals with others with the way He deals with you. A good father has his own unique way of relating to each one of His children. He alone knows what is right and best for each at the time.
33. Forgive others immediately and totally, even if they don’t ask for it, is totally essential to good spiritual and emotional health.
34. Delayed obedience is disobedience – with parents as well as with God.35. God will get you out of your comfort zone to show you there is really only comfort in Him, not in any circumstances.
Hosea 6:6 I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Habakkuk 2:14 The earth ill be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
As you look at the second half of my list of life principles, what would you add? (Please send them to me, I’d like to see and learn from them.) Can you learn anything from them? Which ones sound especially true to you? I’d like your feedback on this.