Two construction workers were eating lunch one day. One of them says, “I hope I don’t have another meat loaf sandwich. I’m getting tired of meatloaf.”
The next day the construction worker opens his sandwich for lunch and says, “Meatloaf sandwich again I hate this stuff!”
The third day this guy opens his lunch and says “Oh meatloaf again! I’m getting tired of this every day.” The guy who’s been eating lunch with him every day gets tired of hearing him complain and say, “Hey man why don’t you just get your wife to fix you a different kind of sandwich for lunch?’
The first guys replies, “My wife? What are you talking about? I’m not married I make my own lunch.”
People tend to be this way about life. Everyday they go through the same routines, complaining about the outcome of their day. They never sit back and ask the question, “How can I change things?” Today I want to discover a way to break that pattern. It is a two step process that intertwines with each other; making plans and having faith.
There is a very interesting story told in 2 Kings 4:1-7. Listen as I read it.
One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.”
She has lost her husband. Now she must depend on her sons to care for her. But a creditor is about to enslave them, leaving her defenseless and unable to care for her self. Notice she does not fall apart or just turn to prayer. She devises a plan to seek help from someone she has a relationship with and faith in.
“What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”
“Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.
And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”
So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim!
A plan was presented to her. It required her to participate in the plan by offering what she had available. (The flask of oil.) It required her to seek help from those she had established a relationship with. (Friends and neighbors) It required effort on the part of those in her household. (Her sons) It required privacy. (The shut door)
For people to make changes in their lives they must quit making excuses. For example, “My finances are in such disarray that I will never recover. My education is so lacking that I will never better myself. My life in such shambles that I cannot see my life getting any better.” They must begin making plans to see beyond these hindrances. They must put effort into making a better life for themselves with what is available.
Next, they must have established relationships with friends, neighbors, and family. They must surround themselves with those whom they can share their plans and receive support. Isolation only leads to discouragement.
Also, it must be a private matter as the plan is put in place. If they begin to receive negative reactions to their plans, they must close the door to those comments. Well meaning people can often dash plans by misspoken words. Their comments must be ignored. Plus, people must recognize that there is a creditor who does want to see God’s children prosper. So the whispers of the enemy must be ignored also.
Let’s continue with the story.
“Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons.
“There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing.
When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.”
When the jars ran out, the oil stopped flowing. Her plan had reached fulfillment. Also, not only did her plan save her sons but was abundantly more than she expected. Successful plans when followed will achieve the best results.
This brings up the question, “If making and following plans are so successful then why aren’t people doing so?” The answer is quite simply the lack of faith and fear of failure.
This year there have been 12 shark attacks in the Carolinas. None have resulted in death. Yet, I have heard people declare they will not get back in the ocean anymore. Because of their fear they have lost their faith in the ocean being safe. This fear is in spite of the fact that they have gone into the ocean numerous times without injury.
The chances of a shark encounter are 1 in 3,700,000. I have heard it stated that they will not be the one. With that logic than we should stay out of cars where your chances of being in a wreck are 1in 84. Or pray you do not contact the flu where your chances of not recovering are 1in 63. Room fresheners injured 2,600 Americans last year. We can live without those, right? Well, the next fact may be tougher. 43,000 Americans were injured by toilets. My point is that faith can work for you or against you.
Let’s read Psalm 91:7 “Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.”
Those who are looking for a better life must stop walking in fear. The picture painted here is one of an epidemic. People are dying all around the author of this passage. But he stands with confidence that he will not become a victim. Reality is, however, he may become one of them. His point is that he will not live his life expecting to become one.
Those who strive for a better life must overcome the victim mentality and develop a victorious mentality. They must place their faith in the proper place and not allow it to dwell with fear.
For those of us with children, do you remember the excitement when you first learned that you had a baby on the way? Right away preparations were made to accommodate this new life. No one waits until the day of the birth to prepare the nursery, to have the baby showers, and to buy supplies. Everything is done ahead of time.
2 Corinthians 5:7 states “For we live by believing and not by seeing.” As parents we did wait until we saw the baby. We believed the new life was coming. We put actions behind our belief. Those seeking a better life need to put actions in place in preparation for that new life.
One dark night outside a small town, a fire started inside the local chemical plant. Before long it exploded into flames and an alarm went out to fire departments from miles around. After fighting the fire for over an hour, the chemical company president approached the fire chief and said, "All of our secret formulas are in the vault in the center of the plant. They must be saved! I will give $50,000 to the engine company that brings them out safely!"
As soon as the chief heard this, he ordered the firemen to strengthen their attack on the blaze. After two more hours of attacking the fire, the president of the company offered $100,000 to the engine company that could bring out the company’s secret files.
From the distance, a long siren was heard and another fire truck came into sight. It was a local volunteer fire company composed entirely of men over 65. To everyone’s amazement, the little fire engine raced through the chemical plant gates and drove straight into the middle of the inferno.
In the distance the other firemen watched as the old timers hopped off of their rig and began to fight the fire with an effort that they had never seen before. After an hour of intense fighting, the volunteer company had extinguished the fire and saved the secret formulas.
Joyous, the chemical company president announced that he would double the reward to $200,000 and walked over to personally thank each of the volunteers. After thanking each of the old men individually, the president asked the group what they intended to do with the reward money. The fire truck driver looked him right in the eye and said, "The first thing we’re going to do is fix the brakes on that truck!"
Like these elderly gentlemen those seeking a better life need to begin planning on how they will live this new life that will be given them.
Again as parents we realize that once we get the news that we have a child on the way, we do not retrieve it the next day at the baby store. We have to wait for the child to develop and be able to sustain life before they arrive. We have to be patient.
So it is with seeking a better life. A better life does not develop over night. Those seeking it must be patient.
James 5:7 reads “Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.”
If you ever planted a seed than you know what this passage is speaking about. I planted a row of radishes in my garden this year. I was excited to see the first sprout come up through the dirt. As it grew, leaves begin to develop. Everyday the plants got bigger. One day I noticed a red ball pushing itself free from the dirt. I began to harvest my crop of radishes.
Those seeking a better life should plant the seed and begin watching for developments. It may take a while but with patience that better life will sprout. As it grows it will grow stronger and more noticeable. This stage will increase the excitement of knowing that the fruit of their efforts is about to come through. One day they will discover the better life has developed and is now ready to be fully enjoyed.
My radish harvest was so plentiful that I planted another crop of radishes to harvest. The better life can get better. We should never settle.
Those who are parents, do you remember when you first began to plan on having a child? You had a deep belief that one day it would become true. Than you discovered that you were going to be parents and knew it was going to happen. To believe means to feel sure of the truth of. To expect means having or showing an excited feeling that something is about to happen. Those seeking a better life must have both of these factors at work.
Let’s look at Hebrews 11:6 “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
Those who are seeking a better life must approach God with the belief that He is able to give them a better life. They must believe God’s desire is for them to live more joyously than they are. They must believe that God’s desire for them is to be more prosperous than they are. They must believe God’s desire is for them to be less worried than they are. Whatever their struggle in life is they must believe that God’s desire is for them to have a better life.
Next they must approach him with the expectancy of knowing that something is about to happen. That He will reward them for sincerely seeking him. Now faith is involved. Just as a baby is developing in the womb, so is God’s plan for their better life developing in his plan.
Only one thing can side rail God’s plans for someone to have a better life. That is the lack of faith. Without faith we cannot win God’s favor. We cannot please him. Lack of faith in God’s ability to better our lives destroys belief and expectancy.
When someone decides that God is unable or unwilling to give them a better life, it is like a pregnancy being terminated. The new life that was to be born has been destroyed. What is left is depression and a sense of loss. And the better life becomes a less than desirable life.
Perhaps you are that person we have talked about today. Perhaps you desire a better life. Well, I have good news for you today.
1 Corinthians 2:9 “That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.’”
Your eyes have not seen the better life God has for you. Your ears have not heard the peacefulness that will surround you in your better life. Your mind cannot begin to imagine the better life prepared for you. A life filled with joy, peace, and love.
However, this better life has been prepared for those who love God. You will never find peace in your life or within yourself until you surrender your present life to God.
The Old Testament refers to God as a potter and our lives as clay. God’s desire is not to destroy your old life but to reshape your life into something better and more useful for him. Jesus said “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.” That’s where it begins.
Are you ready for a better life? Than give God your old one. Let him begin to reshape and redo those things in your life that are harmful. Come to him with expectancy, knowing He can create a much better life for you. Be willing to participate by obeying him. Embrace your new life today.
