Skip to main content

“If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn’t need motivation to speed up. He needs to stop, reflect, and change course.”

A thought by John C. Maxwell, (2012-10-02) from his book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential (p. 55). Center Street. Kindle Edition.

I wonder how many of us would have seen that we were headed in the wrong direction if we would have just stopped and spent some time to think and to evaluate?  The problem was we didn’t think we had the time.  And that can be dangerous.

Margaret and I have made some major changes in our life in the last 18 months.  We have lived in New York, Florida and now California.  At one point in our time in Florida it looked like Margaret’s job was going through a major change and if we would have stayed doing what we were doing we would have been in a very difficult situation.

One day we were traveling to a horse show about two hours north of where we lived in Seminole, Florida and we decided to spend some time in reflection.  That two hour trip brought us to some changes that brought us to Pasadena, California and a tremendous opportunity for Margaret and our being within four hours of both our kids.  We didn’t need to just work harder in Florida, that wasn’t going to change the circumstance but to make some necessary changes that have made a difference in the direction of our life.

Times of reflection and evaluation need to be placed at key times in our lives.  They can make a major difference in the quality and growth in our lives.  Just working harder isn't always the answer, sometimes there just needs to be a change of direction and that comes by just stopping to reflect.

Have you done that lately?    

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

“Hurry and love are incompatible.”

A thought by John Mark Comer from his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (p. 23). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Wow, pretty strong thought isn’t it? John says, “All my worst moments as a father, a husband, and a pastor, even as a human being, are when I’m in a hurry—late for an appointment, behind on my unrealistic to-do list, trying to cram too much into my day. I ooze anger, tension, a critical nagging—the antitheses of love. If you don’t believe me, next time you’re trying to get your type B wife and three young, easily distracted children out of the house and you’re running late (a subject on which I have a wealth of experience), just pay attention to how you relate to them. Does it look and feel like love? Or is it far more in the vein of agitation, anger, a biting comment, a rough glare? Hurry and love are oil and water: they simply do not mix.” He goes on, “Hence, in the apostle P...

"Lie 2: The more you worry about it, the better your odds of avoiding it."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book,   Winning the War on Worry    (p. 5). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is another lie that the Enemy uses with us. And Louie says, "This is a tricky lie. Yes, we often have cause for concern and preparation. But the Enemy wants you to believe that if you worry or fret over a certain outcome long enough, you can keep something bad from happening." But this is so important to realize. He says, "The reality is worrying has never once prevented something negative from happening. Planning might. Prayer has. But worry never will." He continues, "The Enemy tells you that by worrying about a situation (or every situation) you can make your tomorrow better. Really, worry just robs you of today. Jesus implored us: 'I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body mor...

“The gospel is good news, not good advice.”

A thought by Timothy Keller (2016-10-25) from his book, Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ (p. 21). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I’m glad you stopped to catch a glimpse of what this thought really means. Tim says, “Advice is counsel about what you must do. News is a report about what has already been done. Advice urges you to make something happen. News urges you to recognize something that has already happened and to respond to it. Advice says it is all up to you to act. News says someone else has acted.” He then gives an illustration, “Let’s say there is an invading army coming toward a town. What that town needs is military advisers; it needs advice. Someone should explain that the earthworks and trenches should go over there, the marksmen go up there, and the tanks must go down there.”   That’s advice He goes on, “However, if a great king has intercepted and ...