Ever wondered why you can’t seem to get ahead?
Surrendering to God’s agenda in and through us requires a clear view of the agendas we have prescribed for ourselves.
Most people’s lists of things they consider important would include personal peace, happiness, comfort, prosperity, security, friends, good health, fulfilling experiences, and reaching their full potential.
The above list should make the need for our surrender obvious, for those plans often conflict or ignore God’s plan for us.
It’s true that God may and often does provide for us measures of peace, prosperity, position, fulfillment, and other things on our lists, but our surrender to God’s plan is a statement that we will not live for these things (emphasis mine).
They are not the things that drive us, but are simply side benefits that come through the sovereign pleasure of God.
Let’s never forget the great benefit to God’s glory and kingdom that has come through the lives of thousands of people who have surrendered to agendas beyond their own.
Some have gone to faraway lands as missionaries. Mothers have surrendered careers and opportunities for significance to teach their children God’s truth.
Fathers have changed careers or turned down promotions that conflicted with God’s will for them or their families.
Are you tired of going through it? Does It seem as though you’ll never move beyond your obstacles?
Here are 4 Reasons Why You Can’t Seem to Get Ahead…
You Aren’t Willing to Sacrifice
Sometimes we’re trying our hardest to hold on to things, when God is clearly telling us to let them go.
I remember when my husband and I decided to buy our house. It seemed like it was going to be easy. But no matter how hard we tried, we could not manage to save for the down payment and other expenses.
We finally made the hard decision to move in with my parents for 6 months in order to lighten the load and take some stress off of the both of us.
Well 6 months turned into a year. It was a hard year to say the least. My husband and I slept on the couch while my 2 little ones shared the spare bedroom right next to my parents’ room. We had absolutely no privacy.
We were totally out of our comfort zone, but in the end the sacrifice is what allowed us to purchase our first home.
Are you tired of going through it? Does It seem as though you’ll never move beyond your obstacles?
Here are 4 Reasons Why You Can’t Seem to Get Ahead…
You Aren’t Willing to Commit
What’s the #1 secret to financial success? Commitment. If you are looking to get ahead financially, you truly have to commit to it long-term.
A big part of being committed financially means being able to say no to things that may tempt you along the way.
Just like with anything, commitment is hard. Likely, failure or stumbles at some point are inevitable.
The key to committing to your finances is acknowledging that every small financial decision you make today affects your future. That’s how you can finally get ahead financially.
You Try to Keep Up With the Joneses
Galatians 6:4, “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else”
We live in a society that tells us that we are not good enough. We look on the television, read magazines, and see people who appear to look thinner, smarter, and more successful than us.
Since sin has entered the world, it has been focused and driven by comparing oneself with the next best thing or keeping up with the joneses.
The first account if we look back actually starts all the way in the book of Genesis with Adam and Eve’s first born Cain and Abel (Genesis 4).
As we look into this chapter we see Cain and Abel bringing their first offerings to the Lord. Cain brought fruits and Abel brought fat portions from his firstborn of his flock.
The Lord had favor on Abel and his offering, but not on Cain’s. Cain began to compare his offering with his brother’s and wondered why he did not receive favor from the Lord.
He grew angry and this resulted in him killing his brother in the field.
This chain of events is often happening in the world we currently live in. People are full of pride, have no understanding of their own personal value, and compare themselves to others.
Selfishness
In its simplest form, selfishness is the holding to one’s self that which he has power to righteously share.
There is no happiness in selfishness; it is a sin. Its product is misery and loneliness, and it alienates companions and develops enmity in human relationships.
Selfishness and greed, put into the heart of Cain by Satan, caused our first parents, Adam and Eve, to mourn before the Lord for him and his brethren. It was Cain’s selfishness that caused him to bind himself up to Satan, to get gain, and murder his brother Abel.
Selfishness debased the children of Israel as they drank and played and corrupted themselves around the idol of the golden calf.
And only selfishness could have induced Judas to betray the holy, selfless Lord.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James 4:3)
