3WaysToSelfPreserve (1) UnderstandYourParameters

“He must increase that I may decrease” John said. (Copy and tweet).  What sort of mission statement is that? This saying was to culminate his life works. The baptism of Jesus in Jordan by John was the end of John’s ministry as dictated by the Spirit. John was an individual who understood the parameters in which he was called to operate and did so. Could it be that many have gone over their parameters and are suffering as a result? Knowing when to and not to is a sign that you understand your strengths, abilities and weaknesses. Is the job, career path, relationship, belief and even your lifestyle within the parameters God has called you to?

The challenge for most people is to accept that not everything is within their parameters even though they might have what it takes. (Copy and tweet). Everyone desire to live long yet how many truly do so? We encumber our lives with things that really don’t matter to us so much that by the time we are aware, it’s too late. God created each one with an ability that must be allowed to shine through the process of time. (Copy and tweet). Any smart person who desires longevity both in expression of gifts, abilities or talents and even in life understands their parameters. They also understand the various gifts and calling on others and are prepared to let them take the centre stage when the time demands. Too many of us want to be everything whilst watching our other gifts go waste. You can’t be everything!How are you going to stand for something if you’re everything?

What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are you good at? What are others better at than you?  Over the years everything I have learnt has this standing out- you can’t always insist on your rights. Whenever a person always fights to keep their rights, they become a prisoner to the dictates of their opponents. (Copy and tweet).  You’ll exert so much effort to get your insistence accepted and by the time you realise, not much would have been achieved. Your parameters define your character and attitude. It’s what defines your doings. Within the confines of your character and attitude, lies your uniqueness that determines the way you act towards others. Staying within the confines of your parameters also teaches you how to empathize with the weaknesses of others whilst adulating their strengths. (Copy and tweet). If you desire to be relevant for a long time to come, watch how you manage your parameters.

Jesus displayed the knowledge of his parameters when he sent the disciples in two to cast out devils, heal disease, raise the dead and a host of other things. He had all power because God had anointed him for such a feat. So how come he let others shine? Simply because he understood the power of self-preservation. If you stay within your parameters, there is a godly chance that you will live longer for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Copy and tweet).  Countless who allowed the spirit of God to teach them how to stay within their parameters enjoyed the provision, protection and prosperity of God. 

Think Aloud :-

a. What are your parameters

b. Do you sometimes go over?

Yours 

Joe Akuoko II

#My10CommandmentsOfRelationships ~ (4) HAVE A COMMON VISION!!

Adam, where are you…a question posed by God when He couldn’t find him? Adam had missed a meeting at their chosen rendezvous. God and Adam had a common platform for the vision they had for the earth He had created. (Click here and tweet this). Unfortunately, something happened and the common platform for their relationship was destroyed. 

Perhaps the most important question to ask after you have gone for what you NEED is whether if you have a commonality in vision. This “vision” becomes an unshakable platform on which you are building your relationship. Where there is no vision the people perish! Just taking the relationship as it comes along isn’t going to bring the desired results you have in mind. (Click here and tweet this). It will only exacerbate your fears because your beliefs for the relationship will not be solidly grounded. The only time you will know of a surety that you are in the right in relating to something or someone will be when your common vision is in place.

There’s got to be something why you want to relate to that individual…It cannot be just a like or a preference. I doubt if you like something, a place or someone because of everything they bring to the table. God created us such that there is a longing for satisfaction in everyone. (Click here and tweet this). Funny enough, He places the answer to that longing in something or someone. This “something” should push you to work out a vision for yourselves on how to conduct your relationship and be successful in it. Mind you every relationship is different. Thus, you cannot apply a principle that work for another in yours. If you tend to follow the pattern of others without due recognition for yours, you are heading for trouble. When you understand the vision for the relationship that you are part of, define the tools, parameters and principles needed for success. (Click here and tweet this).

When you are young and happy, anything seems to go when it comes to a relationship with your environment, a person or thought pattern. However maturing both in age and understanding should push you to have a well-defined vision for wanting to relate to someone or something. (Click here and tweet this). Without that, you might end up in one of those wasted efforts.  What commonality due you share with the associate, environment or person in the relationship? I ask because I have seen too many people relating without a common vision.

I doubt if many actually take time in spelling out a common vision for their relationship.  In business relationships, each party and their investment percentages are represented by an agreed form of by- laws and principles. Thus one cannot feel disenfranchised.  Sadly in everyday relationship, many never bother to underwrite or spell out such rules and regulations to help ameliorate the relationship when it hits dire.  Any relationship that has a common platform for its vision tends to survive the nudges of life and grows from strength to strength. (Click here and tweet this).

Once the vision is spelt out, it also calls for responsibility.  When a person is made responsible for a shared vision they step up to the call. Adam was missing at the platform himself and God shared thus God has to shout looking for him. The word “In one accord” as recorded in the book Acts represents a gathering of individual with a common platform with a shared vision. The Holy Spirit of God descended because they had a commonality in vision. Have a deliberately created commonality in vision.  It should be agreed, accepted and determined platform for the vision of why you believe you need to relate. Great value is seen in a relationship that is built on a platform of a shared vision. (Click here and tweet this).

Questions: Do you have a common platform that serves your relationship? Have you benefitted from it? What were the downsides or benefits? Kindly leave your comments on the blog!

Yours In His Service

Joe Akuoko II