(14) Four Steps To Success

Scripture:

Psalm 37:3-7
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Thoughts:
Inside this verse are the four steps to success, of a spiritual sort for sure, and consider them for all the other situations of life as well.

They are:

Trust
Delight
Commit
Rest

Take these four steps, and think about how you can apply them to your pattern of doing things in life. Think of how much stress would be neutralized, what a positive person you could be if you lived with this plan of action. I like the reality check it includes: the wicked are going to be busy carrying out their schemes… and they might appear to be getting ahead while doing so, but let God take the helm of your life and rest in Him to take care of your matters. Let your light shine, and take delight in the relationship you have with God and what He is doing in your life. God promises to work it out to your good, all in due time.

If you consider Joseph in the Christmas story, you can see how he exemplified each step. When an angel appeared to him in a dream he trusted God and took Mary as his wife. He delighted to follow God’s leading, responding quickly, and found it saved him and the holy family from many threats. He committed his future to God, even traveling into Egypt, a country foreign to him. His example is of waiting on God’s leading to return only when given command to do so indicates a life of patient obedience in a treacherous time. Joseph’s actions made the difference for the wellbeing and safety of Jesus in his earliest life and thwarted all the enemies attempts to derail the most important mission of all: Christ’s salvation of mankind.

Ornament: the full sun symbol

Carol: “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen”