The Good vs. the Excellent

by, Bertina Smelser

 

Do you ever find yourself just too busy?  Running here and there, never enough time or resources, not enough space for things we own? Emphasizing things that are not our real priorities? Sometimes we feel we need to fill every hour of every day with things to do and fill every space with things to own. Most of us have probably felt this way at some point.  What is the answer?

 

When we say yes to something, we are inherently saying no to something else.  We overcommit, overconsume. One way to look at our lives is to consider which directions are neutral, bad, good or excellent.  Ask yourself which category something falls into before committing.  Obviously, a bad decision should be avoided, but what about the neutral or good.  The neutral and good are not necessarily negative choices, but are they keeping us from the excellent?  Consider what your priorities are and remove things that hinder you from doing the excellent.

 

How can we obtain wisdom to discern what is good and what is excellent?  In Psalm 119:105, the Bible is called a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.  If you’ve ever gone camping or even gotten up at home in the middle of the night, you know how valuable a flash light is!  Instead of stumbling through life, we can use the word of God to shine light on the way we should go! 

 

God expects us to use discernment in our decisions. He expects us to apply the word to our lives.  We can get out of balance. For example, in Matthew 6:31 Jesus tells us not to worry about money, but in 2  Thessalonians 3:10 the word tells us to work so that we have money for food. Which is it?  It’s a balance between these two concepts.  If we are putting too much emphasis on money, we need to stop worrying about money to focus on other aspects of life, especially on the spiritual food of God’s word.  Matthew 4:4 says that man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  On the other hand, if we are not trying to provide for ourselves if we are able, we need to take responsibility to earn money and provide for ourselves and those for whom we are responsible.

 

God has given us minds to discern these things. Take notice of whether you are truly spending time and thought on what is excellent.  What about mind space? In Philippians 4:8, Paul tells us to focus on what is true, noble, excellent, pure, admirable and praiseworthy.  Let us use discernment on what we dwell upon.  Our minds can become out of balance as well.

 

The book of Proverbs in the Bible is a book of bite-size nuggets of wisdom.  If you are looking for some good life lessons, try it out!  It is great fodder for discussion for a group, as well as a great flashlight for our own paths.   The book of James in the Bible, sometimes called the Proverbs of the New Testament is also full of wisdom for daily life. God’s word will shine a light on your path so that you can proceed to get your life in balance.

 

An excellent New Year’s resolution would be to decide to spend time consuming God’s word on a regular basis. Fill your mind with the excellent, which will help you prioritize your days.  God’s word can help get your Life in Balance! 
 

 

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​You are invited to:

Weekly - Fridays - 10 AM to 11 AM Bible Study: 
Proverbs Ladies’ Meetup

@ Capital City Christians (non-denominational church)

1500 S. 2nd Street (corner of 2nd and Reily)
3rd Floor (elevator provided)
Harrisburg, PA  17102

* Free parking in lot behind the building

* We meet most weeks which are confirmed by emailing: bertina.smelser@gmail.com

* This study is for ladies, and there are other studies for men and co-ed.
We hope you join us soon!
Blessings!