Who are the Monsters in Your Life?

Monsters. We all have them. Monsters that steal our joy. Monsters that rob us of peace of mind. Monsters that lie and say, "You can't do that." "What you do doesn't matter." "You can't make a difference so don't even try." "You don't deserve it." "No one really cares anyway." "What makes you think you can succeed this time?" What Monster is whispering in your ears these days?

During our first ever Market Mentorship Project (MMP) Celebration Brunch, we ate, we laughed, we remembered, we cared for and we shared in the celebration of each individual's success. This was a time to celebrate and to encourage one another, to drive stakes securely in the ground so that when we lose our footing, we have something to grab and hold on to, keeping us moving forward and in the right direction.

As our celebration came to a close (just a few weeks before Halloween), it seemed like the perfect opportunity to ask them, "Who are the monsters that knock on their door, whisper in their ears and asks if they can come in and stay a while?"

Is it the 'Monster' of negative self talk? The one that tells you that you can't change,  you don't deserve it and even if you do take positive steps forward, no one cares so don't bother." This monster talks to us daily. Even the most positive individuals I know deal with the 'Monster of the Mind' on a daily basis.

Or will it be the 'Monster' of greed that deceives them? Encouraging them to get 'more stuff' and then they will be truly happy. Although this monster can be convincing, the accumulation of stuff only weighs one down. Individuals, rich and poor, may have lots of stuff but 'more stuff' never makes one happy. These days I do my best to make choices in light of eternity. Building relationships always trump doing tasks or getting more stuff. To quote Francis Chan, “Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.” Seeds of Grace recently said goodbye to a dearly loved client and a retired volunteer reminding us that it's relationships that matter! Choose this day to do things in 'light of eternity' and you will not be disappointed.

And last but not least, would it be the 'Monster' of pride that will hold them back from achieving their God-given dreams? The pride monster says, "I can do it all on my own. I don't need anyone's help. I don't have time to pursue God or the plans he has for me Jeremiah 29:11. I am doing just fine thank you. I can handle life on my own."  But we celebrated and took pride in a job well done that day because this team of mentees completed this project as a team, not on their own and each one did so to the best of their ability. But when all is said and done, will the 'Monster' of pride take over and demand that they do life solo, without God and without those who care and expect them to live life to the best of their ability?

Although the monsters of negative self talk, greed and deceptive pride can be a very real distraction in life, we don't have to fear their demands when we walk in Truth. 2 Timothy 1:7 We can be ready when we see them sneaking around us, ready to devour who we are now and what God wants us to one day become. 1 Peter 5:8

Over the years, a few of my friends and acquaintances may think that I 'do' good things to earn brownie points with God, to get to heaven or that I 'do' things out of fear of God. But nothing can be farther from the truth. I DO things out of a love for God, who first loved us, and what he has DONE for us on the cross. John 3:16-17

HE>I,
Twila

2 Timothy 1:7 - For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.