GIVE UP by David Giles

Note: Today's blog is written by my youngest son, David Giles.

God gave me the word “Give up” recently. It was my word of the year, but I didn’t understand it at first.  I asked God what it meant and I told him I would wait a few days to make sure it was really from Him.

 

Two days later, I had a dream. I was running away from something, and I knew I couldn’t make it, so I gave up. I awoke and I felt like God told me, “You need to know when to give up, and when to continue.”

 

I thought about that, and about what else the phrase, “Give up” could mean. Some quotes came to my mind “Better to do right than to be right” and “If you love something enough, let it go. And if it comes back, it was meant to be.”

 

I had my dream on a Saturday night, so when I woke up, it was a Sunday and our house church family was meeting in our home. The first thing that someone shared tied into my word from God: “He who seeks his life will lose it” (Luke 17:33)

I had already planned to share this with the church, but after hearing this I had no doubt that this was from God.

After sharing this, a few other people had words for me:

 

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” - (Philippians 3:8)

 

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” - (Luke 12:32)

 

I think that this new word ("Give up") ties in with last year’s word which was “It’s not about you.”

 

I know that God will continue adding to these words, and make me into who he wants me to be.

 

-David Giles

February, 2014

Permanent Vacation

Do you need a vacation from your life? Are you tired of being tired? Ready to clock out, turn off and escape for a while? I know I am. In fact, I am getting ready to go on that vacation right now.

What I’ve noticed is that getting ready for a vacation can be very therapeutic. That’s because there are two kinds of stress – Eustress and Distress. One is a positive form of stress [Eustress] and the other is a negative form of stress [Distress].

Eustress is the anticipation of a good event. Like waiting for a child to be born, or looking forward to a birthday party, or the arrival of a friend. These are stressful events, because they make us nervous, they create the build-up of energy in our bodies, and they place us in the same mindset as what we experience during Distress [the negative form of stress]. But the difference is obvious. Eustress is anticipation of something we want to happen. Unlike Distress which is a dread of something horrible, Eustress pays off in the end. When it finally comes we are elated. We celebrate. We smile.

I’m in deep Eustress right now. I’m making lists of things I need to accomplish before I set out on vacation. I’m making piles of things I want to remember to take with me on my trip. I’m clearing my desk at work so that everything is out of the way before I head off.

I’m also in a much better mood. I find myself humming and singing to myself. There’s a spring in my step. I’m much nicer to be around.

My heart rate is also a little bit elevated as I imagine myself relaxing with my family. My breathing speeds up when I look at the clock and start counting the minutes until I can leave.

So, what I’ve learned from this experience is that anticipation can be liberating. It allows me to focus on what really needs to be done before I can enjoy myself. It makes me happy. It lifts my spirits. It changes my perspective.

In fact, I think perspective is really what this is all about. If I were dreading this vacation, then I would be experiencing Distress, but since I’m looking forward to it, my attitude brings me a sense of fulfillment.

What if I could live my entire life in anticipation? Just imagine what it would be like to always look forward to something and assume that it’s good? What if I really believed that God loved me? What if I fully accepted that God delighted to give me good things? What if I actually behaved as if God had a plan for my life – a plan to bless and not to curse me? What if I understood that God had lavished such love upon me that I had already been adopted into His family?

The truth is, all of this is the truth. Now, the only question is, will I live my life according to the truth, or will I stress out about all the bad things that will probably never happen to me?

Even more amazing, God’s promise to us is that even if bad things happen to us, He will always find a way to turn into a blessing for us in the end – if we continue to trust Him.

The secret is to look forward, not behind. Good things are in your future. That’s where God has already prepared a feast for you and reserved a seat at the table in your name.

All aboard?

-kg