Viewing Forgiveness as a Gift, Part 2 (TMF:2345)

Friday, May 03, 2024
Peace to Live By: Viewing Forgiveness as a Gift, Part 2 (TMF:2345) - Daniel Litton
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       Nonetheless, all this being said, we can note that unforgiveness really is hurting us more than it is hurting the person or group of people we are being unforgiving toward.
I have no doubt that unforgiveness does hurt the person we are mad at. Our minds are powerful, and all of those unforgiving thoughts float around from us in the spiritual realm. That’s one reason God really can’t fellowship with us when we are unforgiving. That negative energy emitted by us blocks the presence of God in our lives, or in our prayer time. It’s like when Peter talked about the husband’s prayers being blocked when he is mad at his wife. Well, it’s no different in our fellowship with God and unforgivness. The truth is that no one on the face of the earth deserves our forgiveness. Did you ever think about that? Likewise, no one on the face of the earth should, in reality, have to forgive us. That being said, we know that because of the world we currently live in, offense is going to occur. We know that we each have accumulated a huge deficit in front of God. We have offended God greatly, in many ways.

Viewing Forgiveness as a Gift, Part 1 (TMF:2344)

Thursday, May 02, 2024
Peace to Live By: Viewing Forgiveness as a Gift, Part 1 (TMF:2344) - Daniel Litton
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       Being unforgiving toward others simply isn’t worth it. Really, two reasons we can cite right off the bat have to do with our minds. People who are unforgiving are certainly tormented in their minds. They have thoughts labeled under the cloak of ‘righteous indignation,’ where they feel justified in holding anger or resentment toward others because the other person acted so badly. This is a real trap, and I think it is one that is hard to get away from because in some Christian circles righteousness is highly emphasized, in the belief that others should act ‘righteously.’ So, as an event replays over and over in one’s mind, and is never let go, this causes the person to relive the offense over and over again. This causes mental turmoil. And it may even be a whole series of events that are lived over. Nonetheless, all this being said, we can note that unforgiveness really is hurting us more than it is hurting the person or group of people we are being unforgiving toward.

Not Allowing Interruptions, Part 3 (TMF:2343)

Wednesday, May 01, 2024
Peace to Live By: Not Allowing Interruptions, Part 3 (TMF:2343) - Daniel Litton
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       I think the less steps the better. The point in not looking at notifications as the come to our phones is to optimize our focus. If we read the message, our attention will be split from what we are working on to whatever the person who has texted us is saying. And, we could start up a new conversation that will hurt our current work. But it’s not just our smartphones that can get us. Working at home also can be an issue for some people. If your family or roommates are around, they can distract you from doing what you need to do. So, perhaps it is best to have a room or an area where one focuses on getting things done. And one could say to themselves, “I will not leave this room until I get done what I need to get done.” It’s all about self-discipline. The Scriptures repeatedly tell us to be self-controlled. All of this is part of having good self-control, of being good stewards with whatever work God has given us to do. We can’t be talking with people and working at the same time. We can’t be tending to family needs and trying to work. There needs to be fine lines in these matters, and only you can establish them.

Not Allowing Interruptions, Part 2 (TMF:2342)

Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Peace to Live By: Not Allowing Interruptions, Part 2 (TMF:2342) - Daniel Litton
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       One thing I do is that when I am working on writing, for instance, I will not look at or read any text messages that come my way until my writing session is over. “How can you do that?” someone might ask. “I could never do that.” Well, it’s a matter of training your brain so that you are not lured in by the temptation to check. The thing is, our brains tell us that we need to check the message. There is a ‘high’ from checking that message. But we need to learn not to check it. The brain will lie to us and tell us we better check it because someone could need our help. There could be an emergency. But, experientially, I find that that is hardly ever the case. The brain just wants us to worry that might be the case so that we’ll check and get that checking high. I suppose someone could eliminate the temptation altogether. Perhaps a person would put their phone in airplane mode, or put it in a desk door until the working time is passed. Really, though, I think it is better for one to train oneself to just not give into the temptation if possible. By changing your setting on your phone, or moving it out of sight, one could forget to change it back or forget it altogether. It involves doing more which is probably going to become a burden in and of itself. I think the less steps the better. The point in not looking at notifications as the come to our phones is to optimize our focus. If we read the message, our attention will be split from what we are working on to whatever the person who has texted us is saying.

Not Allowing Interruptions, Part 1 (TMF:2341)

Monday, April 29, 2024
Peace to Live By: Not Allowing Interruptions, Part 1 (TMF:2341) - Daniel Litton
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       It’s a rather simple truth that our progress slows down and our attention is split when we allow things to interrupt us. This is why when you go to church, or go to the movie theater, or a play, that you silence your smartphone before it starts. This is why you’re doing that. You don’t want to be interrupted in whatever it is your participating in, and you don’t want to be a distraction to those around you who are trying to have a peaceful time. Our smartphones are great. I love smartphones. However, they also put us in an easy to reach place, a place where anyone can try to get our attention at no moments notice. And not just that, but we can be tempted to check our email, social media, or our favorite shopping app for the latest things on sale. It isn’t just others, it’s ourselves also. One thing I do is that when I am working on writing, for instance, I will not look at or read any text messages that come my way until my writing session is over. “How can you do that?” someone might ask. “I could never do that.” Well, it’s a matter of training your brain so that you are not lured in by the temptation to check.

We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 3 (TMF:2340)

Friday, April 26, 2024
Peace to Live By: We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 3 (TMF:2340) - Daniel Litton
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       No matter what I say, there will be a person who doesn’t get it, or someone who disagrees with it. So, in light of that, I might as well just say what I want to say and cast the care on God. I might as well be free in my speech instead of attempting to please everyone. And, obviously, it’s not just what we say that can be misunderstood. But perhaps even more than what we say, we will be misunderstood at times in our actions. Probably the easiest example of this is the politician. A politician will make choices that seem to many to be incorrect or wrong. The person may be called dumb and stupid, or a traitor or going against something said in the past. What we common folk don’t realize though, is that the politician can see things we cannot see. He or she is around people we are not around. He or she has to balance out the powers that be. We usually don’t understand these things from the sidelines. And so it is with any leader, or with us, as everyday average individuals. We can make decisions, big or small, and our friends may not understand.

We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 2 (TMF:2339)

Thursday, April 25, 2024
Peace to Live By: We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 2 (TMF:2339) - Daniel Litton
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       That meant that no long explanation was going to perfectly cover everything that could be misunderstood either. And a person who wants you to be wrong can usually make you out to be wrong, but that’s a whole other topic altogether. It took me a while, years actually, where I felt comfortable in not being precise and thorough, trying to cover all the bases. It was just wearing me out trying to be perfect in everything I said. So, I gave it up. There was tremendous freedom in that. Once I understood that no matter how perfect I said anything, there would be people who would misunderstand it, and that I didn’t need to try to be perfect anymore, that allowed me to just say what I wanted to say and not worry about the consequences. No matter what I say, there will be a person who doesn’t get it, or someone who disagrees with it. So, in light of that, I might as well just say what I want to say and cast the care on God. I might as well be free in my speech instead of attempting to please everyone.

We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 1 (TMF:2338)

Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Peace to Live By: We Will Be Misunderstood, Part 1 (TMF:2338) - Daniel Litton
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       When I first started preaching, some seven years ago now, I didn’t have a firm grasp on this happiness point. I thought that whatever I said, people would just naturally get it. I thought that I wouldn’t have to explain or elaborate on anything. The thing is, people have different perspectives in how they approach the same information. One person can hear one thing, and another person can see something totally different from the same thing. That’s just the way it works. We all take our background experiences and apply them to the new information that we receive. Depending on what that background is, what one has been taught, what life experiences, either good or bad, a person has had up to that point will determine how someone processes the information. In the beginning, I didn’t understand why there were some who thought I was saying something different than I really was, or than I really meant. And I started to realize that no matter how clearly and precisely I try to present something, there may be a person or two who misunderstands. It’s not their fault, and usually it’s not my fault either. It’s just the way the world works. That meant that no long explanation was going to perfectly cover everything that could be misunderstood either. And a person who wants you to be wrong can usually make you out to be wrong, but that’s a whole other topic altogether.

Keeping Track of Past Victories, Part 3 (TMF:2337)

Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Peace to Live By: Keeping Track of Past Victories, Part 3 (TMF:2337) - Daniel Litton
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       It would be nice if we didn’t need these types of reassurances, if we could always live a maximum faith level. But, unfortunately, we just know that this usually isn’t the case. We need encouragement from time to time. I would have to say that this practice of keeping track of past victories has probably been one of the most beneficial things I have put into practice in my own life. It simply just bears a lot of fruit. It means that I never really have to be down. I can always go to take a gander at that list and know that, even if things aren’t happening right now, they will get better for me. I wish my mind didn’t easily forget about the good things, but unfortunately it has at times. Especially the smaller things. And your experience I’m sure he been the same. So, it is good to get those things permanently noted before they disappear in the past never to be remembered, to be lost in time, and for us to have to experience a victory all over again with no hope to encourage us.

Keeping Track of Past Victories, Part 2 (TMF:2336)

Monday, April 22, 2024
Peace to Live By: Keeping Track of Past Victories, Part 2 (TMF:2336) - Daniel Litton
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       We may find a week or two into it that whatever it is has worked out for us. He have gained a positive advantage in our lives. So, we make note of that and then that will always be there for us to see in the future. Even if a small victory, it is a victory that can give us encouragement at any time. Yes, this is what you are going to want to do when nothing good seems to happening for you. You are going to want to go back through your list of positive things that have happened so that you can instantly increase your happiness in the moment and give yourself hope for the future. If good things in the past happened, they can happen now or later. As a matter of fact, we can be pretty much certain that they will. It encourages us to see, “Well, God heard my prayer in the past and answered it, so he must be hearing me now and is going to answer it.” It would be nice if we didn’t need these types of reassurances, if we could always live a maximum faith level. But, unfortunately, we just know that this usually isn’t the case. We need encouragement from time to time.