I.V. Hilliard - Living the Maximized Life: How to Win No Matter Where Youre Starting from

I give honor and thanks to God for His Holy Spirit who is within me, teaching me, and guiding me through awesome projects like Living the Maximized Life.

Thanks to my beautiful wife, Dr. Bridget, for your continued support and dedication throughout the years. My life would not be as fulfilled and rewarding without you, my right hand.

Thanks to my children, Terry and Tina Egans, Jeff and Irishea Lewis, and Preashea Hilliard. You are following the course that God and your parents have developed for you. You make Dad very proud.

To my grandchildren, Ira-Emmanuel, Brionna, Ivan, and JonathanBig Daddy loves you.

Much love to my wonderful congregation of New Light Church World Outreach and Worship Centers in Houston (North, South, and East), Beaumont, and Austin, Texas. We have been through much together and conquered all. I love you all, and you are by far the best church in this world!

And last, but not least, thanks to Alison Howard, who has committed countless hours to make sure her pastors book is nothing short of the very best.

I ts the end of another counseling session, and I never cease to be amazed at the misguided expectations of most people concerning the quality of life in Christ. Quality of life is mostly a matter of choice and not always a matter of birth. Many people have a misconception that those who succeed and do well in life do so because they faced no challenges. The truth is just the opposite. Most people who succeed and experience a high quality of life do so by overcoming tremendous odds. Most of the people we admire have an extraordinary story, a narrative of maximizing life.

Maximizing life is a disciplined and quality choice to approach life with a positive, progressive, persistent attitude. Doing so allows one to overcome handicaps, hardships, and setbacks without bitterness, by choosing to embrace Gods best. I have studied high achievers and observed successful people around me. There are common denominators among those I call maximizers. Maximizers are individuals who possess the strength of character that enables them to keep believing, keep planning, keep thinking, and keep working to experience their full potential despite difficult conditions.

Another amazing misunderstanding many Christians and non-Christians have is about trouble, tragedy, and misfortune. Some believe God sends the troubles, trials, and tribulations we face. Still others believe that if you are a Christian you should be exempt from all trouble. Unfortunately, a small group is in denial about the trouble issue and will say it does not exist. Oddly enough, these extremes are the majority, and very few people understand the true meaning of trouble.

The myths surrounding the trouble issue continue because of the religious taboo about questioning God. It is often said that one should never question God, but I believe that if I can ask God a question that He cannot answer, He cant be God. It is unfortunate that most well-meaning believers in the Christian faith think God is mysterious and operates on earth in mysterious ways. I hold to the position that God is not mysterious and He desires for man to know Him. If God wanted to be shrouded in mystery, why would He have allowed the Bible to be written, a document which tells His plans for the ages? No, my friend, God wants us to understand that He is a God of order. He even submits Himself to the order He has established. Therefore, our relationship with God should be full of confidence and predictability.

The Bible clearly addresses the trouble in life and the adversity questions. One of the greatest breakthroughs I had in my search to understand life was when I discovered that the will of God is not executed automatically on the earth. It requires mans invitation and participation. Thats right! In order for the will of God to come to pass, mankind must be an active participant. Again, traditional religious thinking has been a barrier to sound knowledge, since it has deviated from Scripture. We are taught in the Scripture to reason, to study, and to understand the Word of God.

Here is a simple reasoning exercise to prove that the will of God does not automatically come to pass on the earth:

The Bible teaches in 2 Peter 3:9 that God does not want any people to perish and that all should repent. Further, the Bible teaches in John 3:16 that God sent Jesus to give His life for the whole world so that everyone might be saved. Based on these two passages of Scripture, it is the established and undeniable will of God for every person to be saved. But, will everyone be saved and no one be lost? The Bible clearly teaches that even though it is the will of God for all to be saved, some will not be saved and will unfortunately spend eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). Those who will be lost will only be lost because they refused to receive the salvation and redemption that is so freely offered.

I rest my case. It is the will of God for all to be saved, but all will not be saved unless they do what is necessary to receive salvation. Gods will only comes to pass with mans permission and mans participation.

Lets address the issue of adversity, trials, and troubles from a reasonable Scriptural perspective. As we search the pages of the Bible, we discover quickly that facing times of trouble is simply a part of human existence. The Bible is filled with passages, which demonstrate clearly that all are meant to face trouble in life.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Since trouble seems inescapable, preparation for trouble is extremely important. Being a Christian is not an automatic exemption from trouble, but it is an assurance that we can expect divine help to get us through our trouble. So many biblical characters who lived faithful and righteous lives still faced times of trouble and adversity. But because of their decisions to overcome the difficulties, they received supernatural (though not always spectacular) help and assistance from God. The following passages show us that God is committed to help His covenant people when trouble comes:

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. (Psalm 34:19)

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:14-15)

Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (Psalm 107:19-20)

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 2)

Christians must face the scriptural reality that life in Christ is not an automatic exemption from difficulties, hardships, and handicaps. When we face difficult, distasteful, disastrous times, we must choose to overcome them through faith in God. The maximized life is the life of the overcomer. This is one who faces the less-than-optimal situations in life, and instead of throwing in the towel or buckling under and quitting, works through them to realize his dreams and full potential.

Careful study of those whom we admire in life reveals their success in overcoming tough situations. The biblical characters whom we hold in high esteem are those who maximized lifes circumstances and lived life to the fullest.