The Beatitudes in Scripture call us to elevate our values, which in turn, will positively impact the way we live. And living out these Kingdom values will lead to both transformation and reward.

We see in Scripture that God blesses the “poor in spirit.” And we never truly outgrow poverty of spirit. This way, we can allow God to fill us with His righteousness.  

Jesus models a life of freedom by establishing boundaries for His time and priorities. And God warns us to avoid things that distract and even destroy us. In light of this, consider how technology screens hinder you from setting boundaries and ways that you can be more intentional about the amount of time and energy you spend on screens.   

What are your current technology habits, and how much time do you spend on a screen? And consider this: has technology become a platform for elevating yourself above God? With screens at our fingertips both daily and easily, this can happen. Although God’s response to self-elevation is chaos and disunity.

When God reigns in your life, your heart is set on Him, humility becomes blessing, generations are transformed, and you cry out for grace. Consider your own life. Is Jesus the Sovereign King of your heart?  Are you yielding your desires to Him? If not, think about how you can “clean and reorder the garage of your heart.”   

Consider your habits for living under God’s Word.  And then think about this: Your devotion to God’s Word reflects your devotion to God. His Word has many affects on us including convicting, cleansing, and celebrating. With all of this in mind, do you need to adjust your time spent in the Word?  

Trust in God is tested when we face circumstances and personal struggles that we are unable to repair by our own strength. And, in life, we’re going to experience struggle. Knowing and expecting this, it’s important to seek to have an unwavering trust. One way that we express this trust is in an idol-free life, focusing completely on God.

God is omnipresence. He is present, always protecting and providing for His people. And to best see God, we need to let go of our expectations, assume His presence, and look for Him.  

In scripture, God’s calling means His invitation to join Him in something.  In doing so, He interrupts our “good life” to invite us into “something greater.”  Consider your own life.  What has and is God inviting you to join Him in?

Do you have unmet expectations against God? Ways to guard against bitterness are to look for God’s grace, submit to His reign, and trust in His plan.  In doing so, we can better trust in His overall plan for our life.