1. Stop following your own lead. Follow God instead. We were made to worship and serve God. When we serve and worship the created instead of the creator, we find emptiness and hopelessness become the fruit of our lives. We certainly can be fruitful without following God’s lead. He has made us so wonderfully fruitful that we will prosper without his guidance. Even so, to prosper outside of God’s will is to fill a lonely house with empty, meaningless things.

We were created to follow God’s lead. We run best on God’s fuel. A life surrendered to God is an abundant life, producing everlasting fruit, joy, peace, and love. Abandon your own path and pursue God’s path today. It will save your life.

2. Stop wasting your money, energy and time on yourself. We were created to be vessels of God’s glory. As vessels, we are filled up and poured out. Resources are given to us, so that we can give them away. Good things come our way, so that we can share them. There is nothing worse than wasting your best time, money, energy and resources on yourself.

There is absolutely no correlation between the size of one’s house, the cost of one’s car and the contentment of one’s life. Give it away, share it with someone else, use the resources God has given you to bless others. Stop wasting everything on yourself. God will provide what you need, so open your heart and give your best to someone other than yourself. It will save your life.

3. Stop justifying your sin. Start apologizing. Say you’re sorry. You mess up every day of your life. Everyone knows this about you. Don’t you think it’s about time you were in agreement with everyone else? Start apologizing when you do it wrong. Apologize quickly, sincerely and often.

Don’t apologize out of fear or low self worth. Apologize because it will set you free. Ask for forgiveness and be forgiven. God dearly loves us. Jesus Christ has made us worthy and righteous through the cross. Stop defending your sins. Stop defending your sinful actions. Learn to apologize daily. It will save your life.

4. Stop condemning people. Start forgiving everyone who sins against you. The message of the cross of Jesus Christ is a message of love, grace, and forgiveness. God loved us so much that he took our sins upon himself. He took our sins and our punishment to the cross. Therefore, we are no longer condemned. Instead, we have been set free through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We have been given the gift of the forgiveness of our sins. We have been set free and made righteous through Christ’s sacrifice.

In response to our freedom, we do our best to bring others freedom. Our assignment is to bring people to the foot of the cross. When we forgive, we entrust people into the hands of God. We point them to the cross. God is the judge and he will judge rightly. Our assignment is to walk in the freedom for which Christ has set us free. Start forgiving people. It is a commandment from God, and it will set you free. In fact, it will save your life.

5. Stop living for things that rust, corrode, and fade away. Learn to live for the eternal. You have God given relationships that have been entrusted to your care. You have people God has placed in you path for the express purpose of being loved by you. Where have you been? They are waiting for your love.

There is a broken woman, waiting for you at Bible study. She needs your guidance, but you have disappeared. There is a troubled young man who needs your lead, but you are working on the lawn. There is a son who needs you more than the raise you’re working for. There is a daughter who is incredibly confused about her existence. She needs you to put down your hobby and make her the most important assignment of the day. There are so many people looking for you to turn and start loving them.

Learn to love the people entrusted to your care. Learn to move beyond your comfort zone into a world of broken and hurting people. What will remain of your life when you are gone? What has eternal value and consequences? Learn to live for the eternal. It will save your life.

6. Stop. Just stop and take a breath. Look at the world around you. Is this God’s desire for your life? If not, then do whatever it takes to get back on the right path. It will save your life.

“Live from Seattle with Doug Bursch” can be heard 4-6 p.m. weekdays on KGNW 820 AM. Doug Bursch also pastors Evergreen Foursquare Church. Evergreen meets at 10 a.m. Sundays at 2407 M St. SE next to Pioneer Elementary School. He can be reached at www.fairlyspiritual.org or doug@fairlyspiritual.org.