TAKE THE INITIATIVE
For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and
of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
One of the important principles for connecting with people
is this: Be courageous and take the initiative! Don't wait on somebody else to
connect with you. You must take the initiative to connect with them. This often
takes courage. Why? Because when we're full of fear and anxiety, we don't get
close to each other. In fact, we back off from each other. We're afraid of
being rejected, manipulated, hurt or used.
Fear does three terrible things to relationships:
•
Our fears make us defensive. We're afraid to
reveal ourselves. When people point out our weaknesses, we retaliate and defend
ourselves.
•
Our fears keep us distant. We don't let people
get close to us. We want to withdraw and hide our emotions. We don't want to be
open and honest.
•
Our fears make us demanding. The more insecure
we are the more we try to control or dominate things. We try to have the last
word in a relationship. It's always a symptom of fear and insecurity.
Where do you get the courage for taking the first step in
connecting with someone? You get it from God's Spirit in you. The Holy Spirit
makes you courageous in your relationships. When you are filled with the Holy
Spirit, you love people. You enjoy being with them. You're not afraid of them
because God's Spirit is with you. The Bible says "God is love" (1
John 4:16) and "Love casts out all fear" (1 John 4:18). The more of
God you have in your life, the less fear you'll have in your life.
From today, determine to always take the initiative to
connect with people and share the Gospel with them.
Prayer: Lord, I ask for the grace and boldness to connect
with others. Guide me and give me success in all my human interactions.
Scriptural Reading: 2 Timothy 1:1-12
