goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

The Elements of Surrender

By Linda Tancs

“I Surrender All” is a popular Christian hymn. As the title implies, you surrender all. But do you? God has a plan for our lives, and surrendering to Him means we set aside our own plans in favor of His—the better plan (Jeremiah 29:11). Think about what you can surrender: your physical well-being, emotional well-being, mental well-being, spiritual well-being, your marriage, your friendships, your family relationships, your retirement plans, your finances, your career goals and ambitions. Are you giving it your all?

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

One Direction

By Linda Tancs

The popular idiom “two steps forward, one step back” is a reminder of times when you make progress but then experience an event that causes you to be further behind than you were when you made progress. For example, maybe you took a “better” job only to be fired months later. It’s frustrating when life seems to be going backwards. But God, the author of life, only operates in one direction: forward (Jeremiah 29:11). Remember that the next time life throws you a curveball.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

You’re Not Taking Up Space

By Linda Tancs

Have you ever felt like you’re just on planet Earth taking up space? It’s easy to succumb to that kind of thinking when you’re feeling powerless, defeated, despondent. Maybe you feel like you haven’t lived up to your expectations or those of others. Consider Jesus’s Parable of the Talents (see, e.g., Matthew 25:14). In that parable, a master puts his servants in charge of his goods while he is away on a trip and, upon his return, he assesses their stewardship. Every servant has a role to play; no one is excluded. In the same way that the master put his servants in charge of his goods, God has entrusted His life to you. In other words, He’s placed His gifts and talents on the inside of you. With such a priceless conveyance, you could never be here just taking up space. You have a mission, a destiny (Jeremiah 29:11). There’s no room for doubt, but there’s plenty of room for you.

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES, Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Your Future is Under Construction

By Linda Tancs

Do you worry about the future? Maybe you have concerns about your future as it relates to your job, your retirement, your health, your family or other things. The only certain thing about the future is that there is one (Proverbs 23:18; Jeremiah 29:11). It’s under construction—by God (Proverbs 16:9). Don’t get in the way of the Master Builder (Deuteronomy 29:29). God’s purpose for your future is in His hands until such time as He decides to reveal it to you. In the meantime, commit your work to Him (Proverbs 16:3) and trust Him (Proverbs 3:5).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES, Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

What Kind of Tree Are You?

By Linda Tancs

Journalist Barbara Walters once asked actress Katharine Hepburn what kind of tree she would be. Hepburn likened herself to an oak tree. Not a bad choice. After all, the oak tree is a symbol of power and strength. And the Bible says that we should be like a tree firmly planted (Psalm 1:3).

Like an oak, a firmly planted tree is stable. So what does stability look like? For starters, it’s properly managing the past, present and future. Leave the past behind (Philippians 3:13). Be confident in God’s promise to provide in your current circumstances (Malachi 3:10). Remain hopeful for the future (Hebrews 6:19; Jeremiah 29:11).

So, what kind of tree are you?

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Sweet Surrender

By Linda Tancs

Waving the white flag. It’s an action many a child undertakes when engaging in a fake war on the playground or in the backyard. It’s a sign of surrender, giving up all rights to the opposing force. Surrendering to God is like that. God has a plan for our lives, and surrendering to Him means we set aside our own plans in favor of His—the better plan (Jeremiah 29:11).

Romans 6:13 says that God demands that you surrender all of yourself; we don’t get to reserve a portion of our life for our own ends, a little corner dedicated to our career interests, ambitions, life goals or luxury goods. Indeed, Jesus said that His followers must deny themselves (Mark 8:34). That’s a complete call to surrender.

Surrendering to the Lord is sweet. It is, like the songwriter John Denver wrote, a life without care. Like a fish in the water. Like a bird in the air. Their needs don’t escape the Lord’s notice. And yours don’t, either (Matthew 6:25-34).

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

Are You Afraid to be Happy?

By Linda Tancs

Does happiness seem elusive to you? Do you go about daily life “waiting for the other shoe to drop”? Like Job, do you fear that something will come upon you (Job 3:25)? You’re not alone. According to a study published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, people across 14 different cultures identified with statements like “having lots of joy and fun causes bad things to happen.” Clearly, there’s a universal need to control bad thoughts. Such thoughts lead to bad words and bad, unhealthy actions. Jesus came so that we might have and enjoy life, not fear it (John 10:10).

So what are some steps you can take to control your thoughts? Second Corinthians lends imagery of taking thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). Imagine taking bad thoughts and banishing them to a prison cell. Envision locking the cell door. Now replace each bad or negative thought with a biblical thought. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God’s plans, or thoughts, are for our welfare. That doesn’t mean we never have a reason to be unhappy; rather, we should look to God to turn our trials into triumphs in due season. What can you focus on that’s pure, lovely, praiseworthy, commendable, honorable or excellent (Philippians 4:8)? Accentuate the positive, as the old song goes. Maintaining a positive focus will renew your mind (Romans 12:2) and bring God’s peace (Romans 8:6). You can’t be both peaceful and unhappy.