Personal Righteousness Convictions/Choices

[mongoose]

It has been stated in the other Righteousness thread that each person's battles for righteousness are their own individual things. They'll be different for each person. Thus the question, "What areas has God led you to focus on?" I don't expect that everyone is supposed to focus on each of these areas. I've never paid much attention to choosing my friends, for instance. It's just not an issue for me, one way or another. People who would be bad friends to have don't tend to like me anyway, and we just never become friends to begin with. It's not an issue. I have, however, as I mentioned elsewhere, focused on my language and on the content of my speech. Not that I have a problem with it so much as that it's just very important to me. So what's most important to you, in terms of specific behaviors and choices, AND/OR what behaviors and choices are you working to improve in your life?

[rwley]

Time is my issue. I waste too much of it doing things that are basically worthless. I don't spend enough time seeking out God's wisdom, words, guidance, etc. I piddle a lot and I get convicted of it. I have to admit I have a basically lazy nature and even though it seems to other people that I get a lot accomplished and that I do many things, it's my time at home away from everyone else that suffers. I could use it much more effectively and much more obediently. A work in progress. Still. After all these years. And there have been many.

Robi

[Spokane Flyboy]

For me, if I had to pick four off the top of my head. It's my language - you do not want to be in a car with me during rush hour - and then there's the matter of spending time to study, which for the past three weeks I've been averaging about 6 chapters a day now (funny how struggles tend to make you read more, especially when you can't sleep).

Then I find difficulty in witnessing, mostly because so much of my past I've kinda hidden from those around me to the point that only those with which I did the bad things actually know that I've ever done them. My mom to this day still thinks I'm a virgin, as do most of my friends just because I've never told anyone unless they've asked. It's hard from me to say, this is who I was then and this is what God has done when your instinct is to sweep the whole thing under the rug and forget about it.

Then I also basically have struggled with the trust issue. I've liked this girl for a few months, and the past several weeks my admiration for her was getting to a point that it was taking away my peace as I found myself wanting to maybe make it more than just a friendship but I didn't know if she liked me in the same regard. Basically, I worked myself into a frenzy just mulling things over in my mind to the point I was getting restless and having difficulty sleeping or eating for about a week. I've finally, as of the past 2 days, come to a point where I feel God has told me I just need to trust that he's working for my good. Basically "shut up, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10, Spokane Flyboy Translation ;D)

[The Blue Collared Philosopher]

I think i need to work on kindness and love, which i noticed wasn't on there. Because i am really dry and perhaps a bit cold. I state things very plainly and a little too honestly. I need to talk less, (smile) but i don't talk much anyway (i don't think), so maybe i should say, i need to choose my words more carefully.

Robi, i also waste my time, every time i do it, i just want to kick myself.

[mongoose]

*smiles* I don't know y'all, or where you're coming from, so I speak in a general sense here. Although I do believe we need to watch how we spend our time (I did put it on the list), I think that many people are too hard on themselves about this. I know the enemy usually works in a couple of ways. First he convinces us that it's okay to do something, or to refrain from doing something, and then he kicks us for sinning. Sometimes we participate in the kicking with him, and then we're that much worse off, feeling guilty and ashamed, and not wanting to expose ourselves to God's holiness. At least, that happens far too often with far too many people.

Here in America, even us younger folk who allegedly lack a work ethic often think we have to be busy doing something all of the time. That, I believe, is a lie from the enemy, or resulting from our sinful natures. Yeah, we should work, study, etc. but there's also a time and place in our lives for meditation, silence, solitude, stillness, and rest. God rested with 1/7th of his time, and commanded us to do likewise. Myself, I used to spend that day of rest working at church, or working on job stuff, or working on something. I've learned the error in that, and now I make a point of doing nothing that is not restful and/or recreational on Saturdays (could be any day of the week, I believe). I go back to work at church on Sundays, and then work at a job the other five days of the week. But I never plan more than 4 major activities in a day, and when I've done those 4, I stop, regardless of what else might "need" to be done.

But what about Bible study and prayer, those disciplines that we so often neglect? I used to beat myself up if I didn't read a minimum number of chapters a day, and spend a solid hour in prayer. It didn't help. I went a while without spending time in prayer or study, and God still used me! Now, I study maybe every other or every third day, and pray off and on throughout the day, and I'm finally finding where I think God wants me to be as far as the time and energy I'm spending seeking Him. I want Him more, and to spend more time with Him, and I'm sure he feels the same way, but I also believe He understands and is glad for the time and energy I do give Him.

[The Blue Collared Philosopher]

Mongoose, i believe you are right on several of the matters. Yes i think we should rest and take time to relax, and yet still work when the need arises. But i find that i do the "fun" things then neglect the work. But, i must say in defence of myself and the youth i hang out with, we do a lot of work. It is more that do SO much that i get tired of work and "play" or act lazy when work needs to get done.

In fact, this year i have desicion, which i light of life is relitively small, but at the moment is big, it is: i need to decide of i'm going to play football. I love the sport, but i play in a band, love to write stories, and have a lot of school to do, then being the oldest of soon to be seven kids takes a lot of time. So, i don't know if i'm going to do it.

I should have said that i need to be more conciderate of how and what i spend my time doing. Hm, life is busy, which to add to that, there is God. But i have said it before, if you follow God, everything else will fall into place. I don't know how it is done, but just try it, seek God and everything will work out even if it seems like the world is falling apart at the moment.