Sit down for a second
and write down your three closest friends incomes, add their numbers up and
then divide them by 3. Does this equal how much you're making?
People often wonder why
they can't have great relationships, don't make any money, and why they're not
growing spiritually. What we naturally do is begin blaming someone or something
for who we are, but we never examine who is influencing us.
Did you ever notice that
the people you're closest with have similar interests as you, and are in the
same stages of life? I guarantee if you’re single you don't have a
bunch of married friends, and I bet if you’re in college you don't have friends
with real paying jobs.
Being around certain
people is going to
shape who you're. I can tell exactly who you're by the people you hang out with
and what you read. If you want to flourish whether that is in academia,
marriage, faith and etc you need to be around people with the same values and
goals as you.
One crucial aspect of my
life that I guard religiously is who I associate myself with. Are they going to
be people who encourage me, tell me the truth and help me walk closer to where
I think God is calling me? Or are they hindering me and I need to let them go?
I know it sounds difficult but some of you need
to walk away from your friends who are holding you back from your walk with
Christ, or anything else; whether that be going to school, making a difference
or to stop playing video games. As Pastor Rick Warren put it, "moving on
doesn't mean you don't care, it just means you can't change
anything"
Here are some questions
to ask yourself of the current community of people you're surrounding yourself
with.
1) Do the
people I hang out with care about me? Have you ever had that
friend who seemed to only take from you? It's draining isn't it? It’s crucial
to have people around you that love you enough to tell you the truth, but also
encourage you to keep walking in the direction where they believe God is
calling you. The big question to ask is if something were to happen to you
would they be there for you, or would they not care?
2) Am I
growing? The people that are dearest to you must be pushing you to
grow, or else they're hindering you. Surround yourself with people who
challenge you to grow day in and day out. If they're OK with where you're at
and don't see who you could be and motivating you to that, it’s time to move
on.
3) Do they
have the same goals as you? It’s important to be around people who have
the same mindset, faith and values. If you surround yourself with people who
have the same values, goals and beliefs you will find yourself achieving your
goals much easier.
Let’s take some examples; If you’re broke and one day you want to have enough money to
support a family, would you hang out with broke people? Or if you want to be a
pastor one day, would you be hanging out with people who are lukewarm in their
faith?
When it boils down to
it, be extremely cautious of who you hang out with, because you will find that
you will become more and more like them with every hour spent.
Now you might be in the
same situation as me, looking around and seeing that most of the people you
currently know don't have the same calling or don't motivate you to where you
think your life is projecting. Here are some techniques I use to fuel my
personal calling
1) listen to
people and read books whom you admire: If you want to grow in your
faith then begin digesting books about the Christian faith and learn from the
experts. If your desire is to be a great business leader then read and listen
to the best business leaders. Reading a book is the same thing as sitting down
and having an interview with the author.
2) Serve other people: If the people you're currently around
don't seem like your crowd don't hide from them! But instead begin serving
them, and try to influence their lives so they can grow. "No one cares
what you know until they know that you care", if you want to be changed
help others change.
3) Walk with God: When you have no one who you want to be
like then continue to walk with the Lord, be in his word daily. He will never
leave you, and he will always tell you the truth and encourage you in all parts
of your life. I see God as my best friend who calls us to something greater
than what we can achieve, which motivates me to grow.
The Crucial step is to begin taking some action! Separate yourself from people who are bringing
you down, and lovingly walk away knowing that God has better plans in store for
you. This is difficult and some people will
guilt trip you, but if you know what you have to do then don't hesitate!
My Story
===>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrepJUBr2SM
Twitter ==>> https://twitter.com/svetnazarov
