Peace In Your Life - Have you Found It?

It’s a yes or no question.
Either you have or have not found peace.

Only you know and there is no way you can fool yourself forever. The sooner you get settled on what you are looking for in your life, the sooner you can begin to really live - at peace and energized.

It's been said there’s a God-shaped hole inside everyone.
You can try to fill it with many things to satisfy yourself and bring you happiness and peace. 

Some try MATERIAL THINGS
They race around collecting cars, houses, boats, clothes and that old faithful—good old cash. They keep a close eye on their stocks. They always know how the market is doing. They love showing their things off to others. You can tell from their conversation that they never stop thinking about what they just bought or are getting ready to buy.

Others go in the direction of RELATIONSHIPS
They put their focus on family and friends - the more the merrier! They have their entire lives built around doing things for and with their family and friends. They can even get self-righteous about it, telling others over and over that nothing is more important than family with the emphasis on how great their’s is.

Another approach is ACTIVITIES
They love going places, doing things - chasing their “bucket list.” The idea being that the more things they have done, the wider the variety, the more unique they are the greater the enjoyment and satisfaction they will have in life. It’s easy to feel like you have never been anywhere or done anything in your life when you talk to them. Anything you mention, they have been there or done that. Super Bowl, World Series, Hawaii, Europe, cruises, skydiving, bungee jumping…there’s no end.

Another widely popular approach is SELF-DEVELOPMENT.
People furiously chase physical fitness. They pursue education. They are always seeking new knowledge, new levels of personal achievement and new challenges. If you get one degree, then go get another. The idea behind this is that the more you develop yourself the more you will be at peace with yourself. Education is the answer to everything.

I’m not criticizing at all! All of these things are valid activities.
They all can add qualities to your life you would not have any other way. They all add value and enjoyment. They keep you active, stimulated and involved with other people in positive ways. In fact, if you have the interest and ability, these are all things you should do. They’ll expand your life and give you a lot enjoyment and satisfaction.

But many realize the satisfaction from these things is only temporary
If you have pursued  many of these and are still unsettled inside, still looking for real peace, maybe its time to look in another direction. Maybe it’s that God shaped vacuum that hasn’t been filled yet. 

There is another long standing choice.
It's one you should not ignore. Its one you need to evaluate for yourself because this is one area that’s too important to trust to other’s judgement. If you do you’ll understand why for over 2000 years millions of people from all over the world have found that their answer for peace has been found in the Prince of Peace. He’s the one who said…

I'm leaving you well and whole. That's my parting gift to you. Peace. I don't leave you the way you're used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don't be upset. Don't be distraught. (John 14:27)

If you haven’t found peace yet, find out about the Lord Jesus Christ.  When you do you’ll learn why only he offers the “peace that passes all understanding."

Inspire or Be Forgotten

People hear the phrase, “There is good, better and best, and the good is the enemy of the best.” And it sounds sensible but they aren’t really sure how it relates to them.

Here’s an example: We all have had and probably will have many teachers, because it seems there is always something new we need to learn. Some people have had dozens and some hundreds of teachers over their lifetime.
Now here is the question: How many do you remember? How many stand out in your memory? How many INSPIRED you?

Bob the Teacher Jenkins in his book, Take Action, Revise Later, opens his introduction with the quote from William Ward that says,

“The mediocre teacher tells
The good teacher explains
The great teacher demonstrates
The great teacher inspires.”

Of the great ocean of teachers you’ve had in your life, how many do you really remember vividly? There’s a good chance they were the ones who INSPIRED you.

So here is the point. If you want to make a lasting impact on those you teach, don’t stop with just telling, explaining and demonstrating. Find ways to reach them on another level, the one that inspires them.

How to do that?
It relates to letting them see how this impacts their lives. Why this information is something they can use to elevate and improve their lives and to make a bigger and better impact in the world.

To be memorable, you must get them to see how they can USE this information to empower themselves to do the things they want to do. This is the real last step in training and educating, to show them how to USE the information in their own lives. Because only when you use the information does it come alive and benefit you. If you don’t do something with it you wasted your time learning it.

The real power and magic comes with seeing what you do after you have mastered it. The great and memorable teachers don’t just teach, they inspire people to go and DO things with the information.

They get them excited about the possiblilities. Want to be remembered as a teacher? Then inspire!