Exclusion is the process of adding to your life by subtraction.
Wait a minute… that doesn’t make mathematical sense.
Add to your life by subtracting?
Yep, bad math but great life practice. See if this rings a bell…
You wake up to your Saturday morning to do list. You have to grocery shop, do laundry, cut the grass, clean the house and so much more.
But first… you’re going to check your Facebook really fast (yeah right).
An hour later you look up and you’re still on your computer. You had to Twitter your Facebook and Facebook your Twitter.
Then you had to read a gazillion forwarded emails and cute stories. They touched you so much that you shed a tear and felt compelled to share them on Facebook because you didn’t want anybody to miss them. Another hour is gone.
Dealing With Suckers
Did you know that Twitter and Facebook are merging? They’re going to call it “Twit-face.” This is about what I feel like at the end of that long hour, a.k.a. time waster.
How does that happen? Little foxes spoil the vine. (Song of Solomon 2:15)
I did a talk called, “Dealing with Suckers.” It dealt with those things that suck energy, time and emotion out of our lives and how to identify them so we can eliminate them.
In order to go to the next level and get our 10,000 hours of focus on the talents we want to develop, we have to extract those things. We need to subtract certain things from our life so we can grow and multiply in the areas that God wants us to.
To win the contest you must deny yourselves many things that would keep you from doing your best. –1 Corinthians 9:25 (TLB)
People Too
Sometimes those things we are supposed to exclude, change, and deny are not just things but certain people.
The people we hang around are the people that we are going to be like.
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” –1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)
If we are going to progress in life then we should assess time suckers, emotion suckers, drama mongers, trouble makers, and those who want to make their bad decisions your problem by asking ourselves if these are who we aspire to be.
God is calling you to go to the next level, but you can’t climb a ladder with somebody else on your back. Sometimes we’re afraid and think, “God, but they’re my friends. I’m not going to have anybody else.”
But God is whispering, “If you would just climb the ladder, I have new mentors, new friends, new people to speak into your life up here. Just be willing to follow My plan and I will give you new.”
God has a calling on your life. Follow it. Trust Him. Be willing to give up those things that are holding you back. You will be able to run so much faster without all that weight.
Your Turn
It’s your turn. Share with us about a time when letting go of something or someone was the right thing for the plan God had for your life. Was it difficult at first? Was it right?
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5 comments
Loosing my best friend three years ago was very hard on me because me and my friend were so close with each other I knew I had to let go of loosing her in order for god’s plan for me to work. I think letting go of loosing my friend was the right thing to do because I now can move foward in my life. Yes it was hard at first loosing her but, with god’s help I was able to get through the loss of her. God does great things and he has a great plan in life for me I just know he does. there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss my friend but I realized that life goes on and I have to let loosing my friend go. I was able to move on with my life. God has done such great things in my life and I couldn’t be happier with what he has done for me
Cheryl,
Sometimes in life separations are made before we are ready for them. This is one of those times. God loves you. And He loves your friend that is waiting for you in heaven.
Missing friends that have gone before us is ok. Remembering them is great! It is good that you do that!
Know in the meantime that God has GREAT plans for your life! He knew that this would happen and has friendships in line in your life waiting to bloom.
I can’t wait to see all that God has for you!
Thank you pastor Nicole
I have had to cut many ties over the years. An abusive boyfriend. A best friend that took kindness for weakness. It was very difficult, but it was so, so right. Both of them are still dragging others down while my family & I are soaring high. God brought us to Faith church right after that. How blessed are we? 😉
Heather,
So glad to see the good that has come with following God into the higher relationships He has in your life! Leaving those relationships has yielded you happiness!!!!!