Waste of Energy - a message about feeling sorry for yourself

One of the things I wish we were not born with would be the ability to be selfish. I consider myself about as bad in this area as the average person. Too often I am thinking of myself in a situation - and the situations vary. Regardless of the variances, it still funnels down to I'm thinking of me. There are likely times when you would have to admit you tend to be like this, also to various degrees.

For some it could be "I want" and they may not receive. For others, it may be a sense of idealism in expecting people to react a certain way. No matter how you spin it the end result comes down to variances of selfishness.

An outcome of selfishness can be "feeling sorry for yourself." When this happens it can entrap us into a sentence we should not have to serve. This brings us to this week's quote...

Feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition, is not only a waste of energy but the worst habit you could possibly have. ~ Dale Carnegie

During the times I have served the sentence of "feeling sorry for myself," looking back I would easily say that I was wasting my time. Like a millstone tied to someone and dropped into the ocean, to feel sorry for yourself simply drowns your life from being able to accomplish much.

Think back to the moments that you have wasted in feeling sorry for yourself. Someone once said that time is something you cannot get back. That statement is very true. Once we've spent time we cannot make it up, it is spent. Let us spend our time more wisely and not waste it on times like feeling sorry for yourself.

Now it's your turn...what have you learned from wasting time and energy in feeling sorry for yourself?

Biggest Loser: Losing "ME"

We live in a world full of "ME"s.  I was looking at someone's Facebook page yesterday and they had a cartoon on their "links" page that was supposed to say "America" at the top, but all the letters were on the bottom of the cartoon except for M & E.  I thought that it hit the nail about yesterday's message regarding the need to lose the "ME" weight.

As this series is about "losing 'weight' for a better life", to lose the "ME" weight is vital to having a healthier life.  "ME" tends to get in our way or weigh us down in several areas.  Some of these areas will be expanded on in later sermons.  However, if "ME" is in your way, you are probably being prevented from doing some really amazing things!

As we used Matthew 19:16-24, about the Rich Young Ruler, as a springboard, here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

1. Examine where the "ME"s are the biggest ~ You are going to have areas in your life that "ME" will be more prominent.  What may be in the way for you, may not be for someone else.  So, don't compare your life to someone else.  See where the "ME"s are in your life that you must work on getting rid of them to have a better life.
2. Refrain from "I can't" ~ Obviously the negative points back to the subject.  One author once said that he never wrote a book, he just wrote chapters.  Looking at something that is "mountain" in comparison, can be overwhelming and cause us to quit.  However, achieving small goals will help us attain the larger goals.
3. Take a step ~ Staying put gets us nowhere.  Taking a step allows us to move forward.  Is someone asking to do something that may seem uncomfortable?  Take a step and go forward - you may find it fulfilling.  Is there something that you could use your talents in, but aren't sure how?  Take a step and see how God uses the opportunity.  Have you been wanting to meet that neighbor that you continually drive by?  Take a step and go out the door to shake hands and simply say "Welcome to the neighborhood!"
4. Look Up/Forward ~ Studies say that a person who consistently looks downward when they walk shows a lack of self-esteem.  If you are looking up and forward, you may see the potentials that are around you and you may develop a greater self-esteem in the process.

Your "ME" may not be allowing you to see what you can do with life or it may be weighing on you, preventing you from making the progress you could be making.  It won't be an easy process, but what "weight" loss ever is?

Life has too much baggage...let's get rid of the "ME" so we can be more healthy!




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