Victory! (2012) by Gerry James

Of Ravens and Lilies

I want to talk to my FanBox family, my friends and fans and even casual readers today.  I'm going to be very frank about some of my issues and I'm going to look very honestly at some of your issues.  Please keep reading as I do, because I am NOT here today to blame, or discourage or invite gripe sessions.  So don't take my first few paragraphs and run with them.  Some of you are seriously struggling and are discouraged.  I'm here today to ask you to look as honestly as I have at your issues and to consider the solution I bring to you.

IF you've been stressing out over money and worrying about how you're going to make ends meet, I have two words for you today.

         STOP  IT!

That's the short version of Jesus' instructions to us in Luke 12:22,23:  "Take no thought for your life". 

In other words, [my issue] we're not supposed to get all anxious because FanBox acted unfairly by taking away our earning ability in a major area without one shred of legitimate reason to do it.   [your issue] We are not to become discouraged because we worked for 3 or more hours doing our best and got $.79, or even $.02 for our effort and "it's the algorithms".   When you put it in those terms it's easy to see how difficult what Jesus is asking - no, what He is COMMANDING - us to do really is.

When you make a mistake or don't understand some work and do it wrong, when you know YOU failed - it hurts and you're disappointed, but somehow it is easier to chalk it up as something that is not for you and move on.  You work eventually to learn the lessons of your failure and you determine to do it better next time.  But what about when when you are really trying and you believe that you are not the reason for your failure?  When there are things beyond your control...  a misunderstanding, blatant unfairness, the economy?  The world is a mean place.  Even for believers, it's not all sunshine and rainbows.  Life will beat you to your knees if you let it. 

So the main effect of Jesus' command, to me, is that our OUTCOME is going to be in how we REACT, not in how we've been hit.  Okay - you're hit, earnings are down, you're struggling.  If it is factors outside of you, why keep trying?  You can never "win", then, right?

When you put your trust in the Lord is when you'll find that "taking no thought" is possible.  When you remove the power from anyone or anything else except God to determine what happens to you, to your finances, your emotions, your health, whatever it is, you can come back stronger than ever.  Your recovery may take some time, but not eternity.  I suggest to you that your real problem is not that an employer or a friend or relative was "unfair" to you, or that the economy is bad and earnings are almost impossible.  Those things may be "facts", but they are not your Truth.

You all can see my current earnings on FanBox.  A month ago I was making $60, $70 even over $100 a day.  I was a Success Coach.  I taught, and was a friend, to many who don't even come around these days to say hello, much less support me.  So you can't tell me your situation is so bad here and I can't understand.  I understand.  And I know that staying motivated when it seems the deck has been stacked against you is tough.  To take the power away from those things you believe put you in this situation is difficult.  But if you don't get a grasp on the Truth that those things CANNOT put you down - or up - or keep you there, you will never really recover and find success.

Jesus told us, "Take no thought".  But, boy, do we ever take thought!  "No matter what I do I can't seem to earn".  "If you knew what such and such, or so and so, did"! 

We ARE anxious, and worried, and troubled.  How are we going to make it financially?  How are we going to put food on the table and pay the bills?  And the biggie...  What must others think of us!

It's not hard to figure out that if Jesus said over 2000 years ago to take no thought - and He never changes - that if He were standing here today hearing us complaining about why we aren't "making it" He'd look at us and say, "Take no thought.  Don't worry about it.  I supply your needs.  I Am in charge of your