by Michelle Winder
AUTHOR, SPEAKER, BUSINESS CONSULTANT, & COACH
Is it just me? Has anyone else noticed a ‘Guru-Mania’ lately? Does it seem that some people spend more time going to Conferences than they do doing anything? I woke up this morning with this on my mind, as I’m designing my Rock YOUR Red-Carpet Retreat. My purpose is always to lead & guide people into truth. I’m passionate about them being the best possible version of themselves, living their true purpose. As I thought about this conference fever, it reminded me of a quote from an article I wrote recently: “always learning and never coming to the knowledge of the truth.” 2Timothy 3 What is the draw? What are they seeking that they’re not finding?
Now I’m not saying that conferences are bad. I speak at them regularly. They’re a great way for speakers to get their message out to a lot of people at once. But I am wondering how many people test the messages they hear. And that concerns me. I’ll talk about that in a minute.
I remember Mike MacIntosh, my first pastor, years ago saying, “trash in, trash out” so I’m very careful about what I allow to take up space in my brain. In those days, neuroscience had not yet proven that we re-wire our brains by how we think & what we say. Pastor Mike got it directly from his Daily Instruction Manual (DIM) which said it clearly- (almost 2000 years ago) Naturally, I want my brain wired for love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness & self-control! SO, as I said, I’m careful whom I listen to.
So back to testing the messages you hear. There are a lot of counterfeits out there. They spin the truth, twisting foundational principles of God into systems & formulas that you can follow, supposing to make you smart, beautiful, rich. And many people are attracted to these systems & schemes, as they appear to work, in part at least, for others. But they’re never quite satisfying; never quite live up to how they’re sold. Oh, says the guru, that’s because you need the next new thing… and you invest even more of your valuable time & resources, praying to ‘The Universe’ to have your back.
This morning, as I was reading my DIM, I read this:
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their desires, because they have itching ears, they will head up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Itching ears. Interesting concept. I see it in conference junkies. I see it in my clients when they first come to me. They want more info. More input. More advice. More mystique. More intrigue. More secrets. Not facts. Not data. Definitely NOT the truth.
As I ponder this, I think of ALL the gurus springing up every day- their marketing geared toward FOMO (Fear of Missing Out- for those of you who’ve missed out on trending acronyms) They attract thousands of people from all over the globe. Naturally, everyone, everywhere, wants to know the latest secret.
It suddenly hits me as I’m writing this: Most people prefer emotion overthinking. That is the reason we have so much division today. People have stopped thinking. They live in an emotional state based on another people’s thinking. That scares me.
Yet, I can’t help but notice the other end of the spectrum. People, often those same conference junkies, ask me, “So what’s your secret? How do you live with no fear, no stress, no worries?” As I’ve contemplated this, I’m relieved. I realized people ARE searching for truth, it just seems to be harder to come by than the counterfeit.
So, here is my ‘secret’- which isn’t a secret at all- it’s written in the DIM- which I read, uh, daily:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Then, and only then, you will find Wisdom and gain Understanding; You will gain: health, strong bones, provision, direction, walk safely, no fear, sweet sleep, mercy, happiness, long life, truth, riches, honor, peace, no strife, no stress, grace, glory, a blessed home, favor, promotion, LIFE! Proverbs 3-4 Not only do I teach this; I LIVE it! Warning:
Never follow gurus who don’t live what they teach.
The problem with the counterfeit is that, well, it’s just that: counterfeit. ‘Close, but no cigar’ as they say. So, while you may enjoy some of the principles with which God formed the world, if you don’t have a relationship with Him, which is the KEY, you’ll never achieve the fullness you were created for. That longing will never be fulfilled. I have bad news, the universe does NOT have your back- but the GOOD news is, God does! Once you accept His relentless love for you, you too will live the abundant life you were designed for. Then all the promises of God will be yours! ~ Michele Winder
LinkedIn: Michelle Winder
Michelle Winder is an engaging author, coach and speaker who is authentic and entertaining. Her life experiences, including being raised from the dead, provide a wealth of wisdom for her dynamic, informative, speaking topics. She’s the first to tell you that TIME is not Money. TIME is LIFE- and we cannot waste it as though it’s loose change!
Michelle believes too many people waste their lives watching other people and she’s passionate about showing people how to make the most of their own stage. She demonstrates how to walk through the challenges we all face, head on, without fear. She emphasizes that YOU are the LEAD on YOUR Stage in Life- she’ll show you how so you can Rock YOUR Red Carpet!
MEET MICHELLE WINDER
☆CELEBRITY MAKER☆
She’ll take you from watching other people’s lives to participating in your own so YOU can Rock YOUR Red Carpet!
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