“Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.” Proverbs 1:23 (NLT) People love stories about superheroes rescuing citizens or princes in shining armour swooping in to save the day. Perhaps that’s why when facing hardships or unhappy situations, we often comfort ourselves with the hope that someone will rescue us.   Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not making light of those in society who are genuinely in trouble and need rescuing. I’m talking about when we begin thinking, “Someone will stand up to the office bully for me,” “One day, the right partner will make everything wonderful,” or even, “God will rescue me.”   It may surprise you, but there are some things God can’t rescue …

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Philippians 2:5 (MSG) A sense of entitlement leads to a life filled with hurt and disappointment. Today, for example, we have younger generations who feel entitled to the same things it took their parents years to own. That’s a quick trip to deep debt, unhappiness and stress.   Jesus is our perfect example, and He didn’t live or act entitled. When He came to Earth, Philippians 2:6–7 (MSG) says, “he set aside the privileges of deity” and “didn’t claim special privileges.” He went to the cross willingly, never …

“But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.” Genesis 45:5 (NLT)  The minute we let our experiences guide our beliefs instead of Biblical doctrine, we begin developing deadly misbeliefs.   For example, thinking of yourself as a victim is a misbelief with destructive consequences. That’s why how you look at yourself in light of challenging circumstances is crucial.   Years ago, I read a story about a lady who was unfairly incarcerated and suffered untold atrocities in a communist prison for years. After her release, an American psychologist interviewed her. “So, you were a victim of this regime…” he began. She abruptly cut …

“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.” Matthew 6:22 (NLT)  The more we focus on the negative, the more we end up subscribing to certain misbeliefs that cause unhappiness. One of those misbeliefs is thinking that every problem in life is somehow our fault. I don’t know why we seem to love beating up on ourselves! And if we aren’t blaming ourselves for our problems, chances are we’re blaming someone else.   Another misbelief is thinking that a problem in one part of our lives translates to issues in every area. Unfortunately, that only fuels feelings of helplessness and despair.   But a positive focus is just as …

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NLT) Nothing lasts forever on this Earth, not even our problems. Unfortunately, people who constantly focus on the negative often lose sight of that. As a result, they struggle with feeling hopeless and give up more easily.   It reminds me of an experiment that I read about. Scientists took several dogs and divided them into two groups. They placed one group in a cage with no escape route and the other bunch in a cage with a way out if they figured out how. Then they gave both groups mild electric shocks, just enough to …