The Red Car Experiment:
To understand the Red Car Theory, let’s start with a simple experiment. Ask yourself this question: “How many red cars have you noticed today?” If you’re like most people, your answer might be, “I don’t remember seeing any.” Now, here’s the interesting part: take a moment to actively focus on finding red cars. You’ll soon realize that they are everywhere, seemingly appearing out of thin air.
Do you ever get caught up wrestling with negative thoughts when you really don’t have to?
I often forget to keep the main thing the main thing, and for me, the main thing is that I am here at this time for a reason, and that’s the reason to leave every team, space, and situation better than I found it.
Negative thoughts like fear, worry, and anxiety often get in the way of my purpose, and I have to wrestle with my thoughts, but the wrestling match is worth it.
Our thoughts become things, and if we intentionally think about and focus on what is really important, those thoughts will drive our actions.
When we focus on negative things, we often see and receive negative things, and when we find the good and focus on positive things, that is what we often receive.
The story of Jacob in the Bible demonstrates this. Before Jacob was born, God had already blessed him, but because he couldn’t see it, he spent his entire life fighting for it - something that was already his.
Jacob was the second-born son of Isaac, the son of Abraham - The Father of Many Nations whom God himself said he was going make a blessing and who was going to be a blessing to others.
When Jacob was in his mother Rebecca’s womb, God said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger (Genesis 25:23).”
Before Jacob was even born, He had already received the blessing from God, but from his birth, Jacob hurt the people around him time and time again. Instead of trusting God, he schemes and tries to steal the blessing and abundance for himself.
When he was born, his brother Esau was the first to come out of his mother’s womb, but Jacob grabbed Esau’s heel on the way out, marking the first time he tried to hurt someone close to him - his own twin brother.
As the boys grew, Esau became a skillful hunter and a man of the field, and Jacob was described as a mild man, dwelling in tents. Their dad Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but their mother Rebekah loved Jacob.
One day, Esau came in from the field exhausted, hungry, and needing food, and Jacob told him if Esau sold him his birthright, he would give him food, and Esau did. In their world, the oldest son received the birthright as a blessing from their father, but God already promised the blessing to go to Jacob. Because of Jacob’s lack of faith, he didn’t believe he would receive this blessing, so Jacob spent his entire life fighting for something that was already his.
The fight culminated in a wrestling match with God.
In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestles with God all night and says, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” God said back, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed, and God blessed him then; a promise and blessing he was already given before he was born.
We often wrestle with things we don’t have to wrestle with - fear, worry, doubt, and anxiety. The thief, the devil, comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus came so that we can have and enjoy life, to the full, until it overflows.
All we have to do is pray, work hard, and try to do the right thing as often as possible and enjoy everyday life while God takes care of the rest.
What you see and focus on is what you get. Look for The Red Cars - the positive blessings in you, around you, and flowing through you.
SOMETHING(s) TO THINK ABOUT
1 - What is something you are wrestling with right now?
2 - Have you done everything you can to be successful? If not, what more can you do so you don’t feel like you have to wrestle?
3 - If you have done everything you can, why are you still wrestling with it? What can you do to overcome this feeling?
For a PDF version of this devo, click here: Jacob Wrestles with God
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