If a person were going to plan out a robbery what is it that they would plan to go after? A robber comes to not take junk but things of value correct? The greater to value the greater their desire to steal it.
The greatest thieves of passion and joy are self-pity and worry. These two thieves like to steal our joy and our state of mind. They do this by making a person think more on their troubles and the outward circumstances of their life and worrying, stewing over those things in the past or things the can not change rather than focusing on their purpose in life and their passions and what they could fulfill right now today.
Self-pity looks at life's circumstances and surroundings and says I'm unable to do anything, saying life isn't fair, and has an attitude that brings people down. Self pity destroys initiative and saps self-confidence. It compares, always making the person in self pity not pretty enough or good enough, not educated enough, and never getting enough breaks in life. Does any of this sound familiar?
The Bible says do not compare yourselves among yourselves in doing this you are not wise. so we are not to compare ourselves and get in self-pity we need to do what is placed in our path.
2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Any and all self comparison should be exactly that, with yourself. Judge yourself based on your progress against your previous progress or efforts. Are you doing better than you had before. Are you living up to the goals that you have set for yourself?
That's the real comparison.
The person who knows their destiny and God-given assignment, has decided and is determined to fulfill their purpose in life, has no room for self-pity.
We must start right now, right here, where we are, and be willing and passionate about the things that we can do and contribute to that on a daily basis.
Worry is an even more prevalent joy and passion robber.
When we were born into this world as infants, we cried and made noises when we needed something. When you cried you had an adult that checked your diaper gave you food, cuddled you , took care of your needs, at least for the most part. You didn't have to worry about if someone was going to come, they just did. We grew up physically, and as we grew so did the mental state of our being, we acquired different coping mechanisms and learned different things from our environment. Worry was not an inborn trait we acquired it. Worry is a mental habit that we have taken from other people. It is a learned behavior.
The good news is because worry is a habit, habits can be broken. It has been said that if you're trying to change a habit and you do something different for 30 days it becomes a new habit. So if we are aware that we have a worrying problem and when we start to feel that we are worrying about something, we exchange the thoughts of worry and replace them with positive affirmations, like reading through your note cards thoughts that have your dreams written on them or think toward your purpose and passion in life. (note cards, writing your vision is in my book)
When you know God has ordered your steps and you are on the path that He has lined out for you there should be no worry.
God placed in you everything you will ever need to carry out and accomplish all that He has destined for you. He wouldn't have let you come this far, to find out all these wonderful things inside of you only to let you fail. It is the thieves that are trying to take away your joy.
Most people have a challenge going to the next step. They allow these thieves of passion, people and life circumstances steal their future.
DONT LET THAT BE YOU!
