Me: Howdy, Prodigal What are you doing?
Prodigal: I am thinking about joining the “rat race”
Me: Prodigal, I don’t think you understand what we mean when people say “rat race”.
Prodigal: It doesn’t mean start hanging out with rats?
Me: Not exactly. Here Dr. James Gills in his book The Prayerful Spirit Passion for God Compassion for People he explains this is detail.
When we are aligned with God, our priorities are in line with His will, and we feel loved and protected. When we get away from God, we can start to feel sorry for ourselves when times get rough. We begin to believe we aren’t getting the love or recognition we deserve.
When we align ourselves with the pull of worldly influences, we are no longer controlled by the Lord. We find ourselves being selfish, covetous proud, and uncaring. Then we become irrational and start making bad decisions based on worry or fear. We worry that we’re not getting ahead quickly enough in our careers or in the accumulation of worldly possessions. We’re afraid of what others might say or think of us. We buy into the world’s view of success and join the “rat race.” We base our decisions and actions on pleasing others.
We should love others and that is different than pleasing others. We should be in the world and not let the world control us. When I am too focused on the world, I become selfish, uncaring. I get negative. I get ungrateful.
You know what makes everything change. I don’t go shopping and get better things. I go to the bible and I start praising Him. How amazing it is that I have a place to sleep! How amazing it is that someone will tell me they love me today. How amazing it is that I can see God’s creation of a red flower that was designed by God himself! How amazing that this morning God allowed my heart to beat and he allowed me to breathe.
Now it is your turn!
James 3:16 “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
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