At Oscar time, Hollywood hands out awards to the best actor, producer, director, editor, costume designer, etc. But the Screen Actors Guild knows there would be no place for big stars and best movies without the supporting cast and the contributions of technical and artistic crews. The Oscars remind us that the brightest lights can only shine because of the lesser lights that go unrecognised. Scripture tells us that God also has a supporting cast; people who are happy to work behind the scenes. They’re the ones who go about their business at home, at work, and at church, serving quietly, gladly, and faithfully. Families are raised, nations are strengthened, businesses prosper, and churches grow, thanks to those who do the little things that make all the difference. The Bible is filled with behind-the-scenes people, like the unnamed ‘man carrying a pitcher of water’ who led Peter and John to the upper room for Jesus’ eve-of-crucifixion meeting with His disciples. Or people like ‘James the less’ (Mark 15:40 KJV), a relatively unknown disciple, often overlooked by men – but never by God! Whatever you do, no matter how small, take this promise to heart: ‘God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love which you have shown towards His name’ (Hebrews 6:10 NKJV). So, stay faithful. Jesus said, ‘Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be’ (Revelation 22:12 KJV). The truth is that God is planning His own Oscar ceremony – and you can be part of it!

Gone are the days when gun-shy theologians bowed to the god of science. Reliable scientists are now affirming how ingenious God is and how His principles hold up under the piercing light of scientific scrutiny. Neuroscientist Andrew Newberg, MD, who studies the relationship between spiritual phenomena and the brain, has demonstrated that we were designed physically and mentally to interact with God through prayer and Scripture. It’s a known fact that there are centres in the human brain that respond positively to prayer, reading and meditating on God’s Word, group worship, hymn singing, and empathy for other people. And Dr Newberg believes that practising a personal religious faith is the most powerful way to maintain a healthy brain. The brain’s frontal lobe is used in focusing attention, rational thinking, and decision-making. It responds to prayer and meditation by helping to reduce stress, strengthen our immune system, enhance memory, and increase our capacity for compassion. It helps us ward off age-related brain deterioration and live longer! Newberg’s research indicates that praying for at least twelve minutes a day slows age-related brain decline. Prayer and reading Scripture also deactivates areas in the brain associated with anger, guilt, anxiety, depression, fear, resentment, and pessimism. It seems that finally twenty-first-century science has joined ancient Scripture in echoing what the psalmist said: ‘Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous’ (Psalm 139:14 NLT). Can you think of a better reason to ‘let the word of Christ dwell in you richly’ (Colossians 3:16 KJV)?

Trials, disagreeable people, and frustrating circumstances are potentially upsetting – and the bad news is, they’re not going away anytime soon. However, the good news is, they’re not your problem! The fact is, it’s not what happens to you that determines your mood; it’s what happens in you! We imagine life would immediately change for the better if we could alter people and circumstances, but there would be new people and circumstances to deal with, right? Solomon had it right; it’s not about controlling the world on the outside – it’s controlling the world on the inside. Proverbs tells us, ‘A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls’; in other words, a city that’s open to attack. The only way to guarantee your security is to forget about controlling people and things, and to focus on maintaining your protective walls. ‘But people and circumstances can make me feel inadequate and vulnerable,’ you say. The Bible tells us that ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble’ (1 Peter 5:5 NRSV). In fact, recognising your own inadequacies is step one on the journey to wholeness. Step two is accepting that only God can empower you with self-control (see Philippians 2:13). Step three lies in understanding that self-control doesn’t come from teeth-gritting determination; it’s a product of the Holy Spirit – a fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). When you submit to the Spirit who lives in you, He will strengthen your walls and empower you to stand strong against the enemy.

When you’re anxious about the future, stop and remind yourself that two of God’s names are ‘Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end’ (Revelation 22:13 KJV). Where you’re going – God already is! Jesus said, ‘The sheep hear his voice…he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice’ (John 10:3-4 NKJV). How do sheep get to know the shepherd’s voice? By spending time with him! Notice ‘he goes before them’, which means as long as you’re moving forward, God can direct you. Each time you reach a breaking point, it’s a test: you will either give up or persevere through to victory. Long-distance runners use the expression ‘hitting the wall’. When they’re exhausted and feel like giving up, they know if they push through the pain, they will get their second wind and it will carry them over the finish line. Are you taking on responsibilities that aren’t yours? Learn to establish healthy boundaries for your own sake and the sake of those who depend on you. And if you’re not sure what’s appropriate, ask God to show you how much to get involved in the lives of your friends and family. If the burden isn’t yours, set it down. If it’s too heavy, give it to God! Stand on His promise: ‘He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there’ (Psalm 22:24 MSG). Bottom line: the more you trust God, the more you lower your anxiety level.

When we’re stressed, the surge of negative emotions can be overwhelming. And unless you unburden your soul before God, it’s easy to make wrong decisions, succumb to wrong impulses, move in the wrong direction, and explode at the wrong people. The psalmist addresses this: ‘Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you.’ The extent to which you consciously lean on God, drawing strength from Him, is the extent to which you will lower your anxiety level. It’s no coincidence that many of the psalms start with David crying out to God for help and end with him rejoicing because he vented his frustrations to the right person – God! The truth is, life is 10 per cent what happens to you and 90 per cent how you respond to it. Your job, your finances, your marriage, your children, your health, and your future are all sources of anxiety, so you will never be totally free from angst. But you can lower your anxiety level by following Paul’s advice: ‘All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus…Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so…we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times…but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort – we get a full measure of that, too’ (2 Corinthians 1:3-5 MSG). To quote a well-known pastor: ‘The more you pray, the less you’ll panic. The more you worship, the less you worry.’

Next time you’re at a supermarket checkout, notice the magazine covers. Airbrushed faces, toned bodies – ads for diets and products that promise you can look that way too. Now, there is nothing wrong with looking your best and taking care of your body. After all, it’s the temple of the Holy Spirit and you are responsible for maintaining it. But there is much more to you than clothes and a hairstyle. It’s a mistake to focus on the outside and not appreciate and cultivate the inner qualities God has given you. The Bible says, ‘Beauty is […not lasting]’ (Proverbs 31:30 AMPC). When God made you, He didn’t just decorate the outside; He gave you ‘inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind…God delights in’ (1 Peter 3:4 MSG). In fact, Paul reminds us ‘the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal’ (2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV), a gentle reminder that what Mother Nature giveth, Father Time taketh away! The truth is, Paul is not remembered for his good looks. His enemies said, ‘His bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible’ (2 Corinthians 10:10 NKJV). But what he will be remembered for are these words: ‘I have fought the good fight…finished the race…kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing’ (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NKJV). So, the word for today is – focus on the inward instead of the outward.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus said the seed fell into four kinds of soil. Here is one of them: ‘The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are…people who hear the message. But they start worrying about the needs of this life. They are fooled by the desire to get rich and to have all kinds of other things. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything’ (vv. 18-19 CEV). Observe what keeps God’s Word from working effectively in your life: 1) Worrying that God won’t take care of you. 2) Thinking if you had more money, a bigger house, a better car, or a more attractive appearance, you would be happier. Here is the question: do you remember when you thought your career, the house you live in, and the financial portfolio you acquire would make all your worries disappear? But it doesn’t work that way, does it? The more ‘things’ you have, the more you have to lose, protect, maintain, and be concerned about. Worrying about material things can ‘choke’ the life out of you! Peace and happiness come from trusting God for what you need; knowing if something is right for you, He will provide it, and if it’s not, He will give you something better. An amazing thing happens when you meditate on God’s promises. Your worries shrink, your mind and attitude are reprogrammed, and you enjoy life more. Jesus said, ‘Seek the Kingdom of God above all else…live righteously, and he will give you everything you need’ (Matthew 6:33 NLT). So today, put prayer and Bible reading at the top of your to-do list.

Patience is born of trust. David said, ‘Trust the LORD and live right! The land will be yours, and you will be safe. Do what the LORD wants, and he will give you your heart’s desire’ (vv. 3-4 CEV). God has a plan for your life. It includes things you can’t have today that you will be able to enjoy tomorrow. When spring comes, the grass grows on its own. So, stop struggling to accomplish something now that will be easy when the time is right. When you refuse to give a toddler something that’s not good for him, he stamps his foot and cries, ‘I want it now!’ So, do you give in to him? No, because he is not ready for it yet. Paul writes, ‘Patience […has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper]’ (Colossians 3:12 AMPC). Not only is God teaching you how to wait but how to have a good attitude while you’re doing it. James writes, ‘Don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature’ (James 1:4 MSG). God permits certain things to happen in life to teach us important principles like 1) maintaining our faith when times get tough, 2) showing grace under pressure by controlling our responses, and 3) developing new skills and better ways of thinking. The truth is, God is developing qualities in you right now that can’t be developed any other way. When He’s finished, you will have the maturity to handle what He has in mind for you. So, don’t let the enemy rattle you or the circumstances put you into overdrive. ‘Be patient and trust the LORD.’

When others don’t see your potential, Jesus does. In common fishermen, He saw the capacity to change the world. Here is something you may not have considered: there are two sides to following Jesus – you believe in Him, and He believes in you. Jesus told Simon Peter and Andrew, ‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to…’ Do you doubt that? So did Nathanael. When he was invited to meet Jesus, he said, ‘Can…any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see’ (John 1:46 KJV). Even after three years of witnessing Jesus’ miracles, His disciples still had doubts. Notice how often He said to them, ‘O ye of little faith’; ‘Still you do not believe’; and ‘If you believed, you would see’. Knowing they were anxious about what would happen when He left them and went back to heaven, Jesus said, ‘I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever’ (John 14:16 KJV). The Greek word for comforter is parakletos, meaning ‘one who comes alongside to help you’. The truth is, there will never be a day when you don’t need God’s help or when it isn’t available to you. Maybe you still have doubts. If so, take heart! Jesus loves doubters. Didn’t he handpick Thomas? Maybe you think you have too many weaknesses. So did Peter – but Jesus made him the head of the church. Just come as you are, and let His presence rub off on you. What do you have to lose? If you have tried it your way and it’s not working, come, give Jesus a chance!

When you struggle with a sense of rejection, it will manifest itself in things like these: 1) Perfectionism. But it doesn’t work, because other people’s needs and expectations vary so much that it’s impossible to make everybody happy. 2) Settling for less. You put up with neglect and abuse because you think it’s what you deserve. Or you’re concerned this may be your only chance at ‘love’. 3) Becoming aggressive. Rejection can feel like you’re being attacked when you’re not, so you put on your boxing gloves and come out swinging. 4) Putting up a tough front. You tell yourself, ‘I can handle it…Who needs other people anyway?’ As a result, you shut yourself off from others and your physical, spiritual, and emotional needs go unmet and you feel lonely. 5) Vowing never again to let anyone get close enough to hurt you. That sounds good in theory, but by closing people out, you close yourself in and all your relationships suffer. 6) Attracting the wrong people. As long as you behave with a diminished sense of self-worth, you will keep attracting the wrong people. The truth is, when your self-worth is based on any opinion other than God’s, you will always be vulnerable to rejection. Criticism will diminish you, failing will keep you from trying again, and what’s worse, you will never discover the unique and wonderful person God made you to be. So, what’s the answer? John tells us, ‘Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are’ (v. 1 CEV). Overcoming rejection starts with understanding and accepting how much God loves and values us.