Lesson 6: Go beyond the limits

2 Timothy 1:7 

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 

Esther 4:16 

 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” 

Ruth 1:16-17 

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 

LESSON #6.

If you want to change the world

sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first.

Most of us had learned that religion was a set of rigid rules, without space for audacity. Others had known a religion that worshipped comfort and prosperity. But when we read the Bible, we learn a different story.
We learn that a godly life is not meant to be easy, boring or predictable. Obedience to God’s Word is more exciting and dangerous than we suspect. Submission is challenging and requires courage and boldness.
Have you ever been lucid enough to know when you have to do something crazy, and crazy enough to do it? It is only possible with the power of the Holy Spirit!


See the introduction to the 10 Life Lessons From SEAL Training and watch the video!

Lesson 5: Trials and failures make you stronger

Revelation 2:10

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. 

2 Corinthians 1:5-7

For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Romans 5:3-5

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

LESSON #5.

But if you want to change the world,

don’t be afraid of the circuses.

Sometimes I pray for an easier life. I’m very thankful for mine. I have all I need. That includes all the challenges I need to grow strong and mature, but I’d be happy to skip that part!
If there is something about suffering I have to be thankful for, it is the inner strength it has developed in me. I don’t get anxious frequently, but when I do, I know that it won’t last forever, no matter how bad the situation looks like.
It is not natural in me though. Trials, problems and afflictions force me to adapt and to be as strong as I can be. As a result, I’ve learned to depend on God, to hold on to the hope I have in His Word, and to trust.


See the introduction to the 10 Life Lessons From SEAL Training and watch the video!

Lesson 4: Keep moving forward.

Philippians 3:12-14 

 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 32:3-7

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. 

LESSON #4. 

“If you want to change the world
get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.” 

One of the most deceitful thoughts is this: to fail is equal to BE a failure. That’s a destructive pattern; it keeps us from having hope. No matter how hard we try, we can’t control everything and we will certainly not succeed in everything. We will fail again and again, and things will get ugly more frequently than we wish. 

Our lives in this broken world are imperfect and we can’t change it, but we can choose that our imperfections won’t make us miserable. We can get over our past mistakes, not allowing them to determine our future. 

Being perfectionist and fearing exposure are enemies of the soul. In our minds there are insecurities and fears, most of them worse than reality. The humble heart is protected from those traps. When we accept our shortcomings, we allow God’s power and perfection to be sufficient for us. 

See the introduction to the 10 Life Lessons From SEAL Training and watch the video!

Lesson 3: Stop judging by mere appearances.

John 7:24

Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.

1 Samuel 16:7

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 17:41-42, 45-47

Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David.  He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him.  

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.  All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

LESSON #3. 

“If you want to change the world,
measure a person by the size of their heart,
not the size of their flippers.” 

It’s easy to be impressed by appearances and to measure a person’s spirituality or attractiveness for their leadership skills and outgoing personality.
I’ve found out that the most loving persons are those who want to love, not those with more experience or knowledge. I’ve also discovered wonderful friends when I forgot all my misconceptions and decided to accept people the way they are.


See the introduction to the 10 Life Lessons From SEAL Training and watch the video!

Lesson 2: With a little help from my friends

John 13:34-35

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Galatians 5:13 

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

LESSON #2. 

“If you want to change the world, 

find someone to help you paddle.”

The church is not a mere list of names. It is a body, and it needs to work as a body. If we want to change the lives of people, if we want to reach the lost, we need to work together. Ephesians 4:1-16 explains it better. We are meant to grow in maturity in the same measure we grow in unity. That might be scary if we look around and see other disciples being either very strong or very weak. But that’s the challenge: we have to learn to depend on each other.
I need to rely on other people. I don’t like it and prefer to be alone. This thought; however, is stupid and against God’s Word, which tells us to love each other. No one is self- sufficient, no matter how hard they try. Therefore, no one can paddle alone.

See the introduction to the 10 Life Lessons From SEAL Training and watch the video!

Lesson 1: The first decision of the day

Mark 1:35 

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Proverbs 31:15, 22 

She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family 

She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

LESSON #1. 

“If you want to change the world, 

start off by making your bed.”

Making the bed is a simple task. It might not seem very important and it will certainly not be noticed by many people. But it is a powerful encouragement. Some of us want to bring glory to God by doing great things, and it is good, but we can start with the smallest job and do it well. Another little decision can be also to wake up early, when the alarm clock rings and not 20 minutes later. Those 20 minutes extra sleep are not worth the pain of starting the day in a hurry.

When I don’t have the energy to do a lot of stuff, I just do what I have to do, one task at a time. It has a healing effect on my mood. For me, a daily quiet time is more satisfying than having my bed done. If everything else fails, I still feel loved and connected to the Lord. Prayer and Bible study help me stay positive.

See the introduction to the 10 Life Lessons From SEAL Training and watch the video!  

Admiral McRaven's 10 life lessons from SEAL training

I’ve recently seen a video in internet, a speech from Adm. William McRaven: “My 10 life lessons from SEAL training”. The more I analyze it, the more inspiring it gets. Admiral McRaven stated that the SEAL training had two purposes: to put away the weak ones and to strengthen the strong ones. It is designed to prove and improve the resistance of bodies and minds. 
Sometimes life seems to be tougher than SEAL training! Being a follower of Jesus is like being a Marine, but it has a much bigger reward and honor. In our walk with Jesus we will face trials that will separate the faithful from the unfaithful, and strengthen the faith of those who are willing to obey. A faithful believer could be weak but God promises to give us the strength and protection we need. The trials have a double purpose: to test our trust in God and to increase it. 

May I tell you a secret? 

When I entered the Worship Ministry, the first thing I had to do was not to sing a hymn, but to clean the toilet! To clean a toilet is not difficult, but it exposes the heart, especially when you’re asked to do it in a house that’s not yours! That experience gave me a healthy sense of humility and a better appreciation of God’s call for my life. 
It was not because of my talent that I was in the worship ministry, but because of God’s grace. It’s not about me, I’m not important; I’m just an instrument that has to be polished and calibrated, and it requires discipline. It might seem discouraging at times, but the outcome is a refined faith and a mature character. 

My favorite part is when Admiral McRaven tells how our decisions can influence the life of others. If we understand it, we can change the world. God has given us that purpose! 
That’s why I loved that speech! 

In my next posts I'll be talking about what I've learned from every one of those life lessons. 

Romans 5:3-5 

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."