God has got a plan for you. He has a destiny for you to fulfill. He wants to maximize who you are. He wants the gifts that He has placed inside of you to reach their full potential.
I believe real life is where all of our needs are met and we can focus on others. This keeps us from being self-focused. As we’re others and outward-focused we’re drawing from the giftings on the inside of us and actually God Himself on the inside of us and giving that out to others. As givers we’re much more satisfied than if we’re on the take.
An interesting illustration of this was something my dad taught me when I was young, about being nervous in front of an audience. You see, I had a problem with that: when I was in fifth grade me and three of my buddies had to get up in front of class and give a presentation on something(I don’t remember the topic just the hell that ensued).
When it came my turn to speak I got nervous, my mind went blank, everybody was staring at me then I realized that the right side of my upper lip was quivering violently and I don’t mean a slight unnoticable quiver, I’m talking at least a 1/2 inch or more back and forth. I looked at my buddy next to me and he had this look of fear on his face like something was tragically wrong with me – I can’t remember if I started to cry or what happened. I don’t know how we got out of that situation. What a terrible childhood memory, yet it has a pleasant ending:
My dad told me, he said, “If you ever get nervous when you are talking in front of an audience you are being selfish. You are more concerned about yourself than the people you are supposed to be helping.”
As I pondered his words I realized that he was right. I started thinking about what the people needed and how what I was telling them was going to help them. I got my thinking turned around all the way to the point where now I am more comfortable in front of an audience than in an audience. When I had several opportunities to teach at Living Word (where we attended for training) I spoke in front of thousands of people without getting nervous at all. When you’re focused on giving you’re not nervous about getting. People can tell when you’re there for yourself or there for them.
So real life is giving not taking(and it can keep your lip from quivering violently).
I hope this helps you.
Joe
Joseph Barlow 
Harry,God has an answer for you! Don’t let this cause you to hide in shame. You can overcome this. If you are a Christian, you can use the word of God that says in Isaiah 53:5 that by the stripes of Jesus we are healed. Heavenly Father, I pray for Harry, for complete healing to his lip. Lord, give Harry the wisdom about how to handle this. In Jesus’ name.
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Hello pastor, i am happy to have read your post about the quivering right-upper-lip problem… i used to be the friendly person roaming around school with a smile on my face. i used to be confident in delivering a presentation in front of my class in college and never in my life have i ever experienced this problem until when it suddenly started in my graduating year (5th year). Now every time i meet a new person (even my friend), i just can’t smile while talking because it triggers this right-upper-lip quivering problem.. even just smiling without talking.. i kept on praying about it and i have great faith in Jesus. Now being there for more than a year, i’m thinking as if it is a curse or disease that’s not curable. i don’t know what to do anymore… what did i do to deserve this… i feel like i want to rip that upper right lip out to end this nightmare.. i can’t even go to a job interview because of the fear of it to start when i meet the employer.. huhuhuhuhu… it’s so horrible.. please help……
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great words pastor joe. my pastor has recently ended a few of his sermons with the piercing question: “are you passionate about anything other than yourself?”great reminder to make our concern about others!
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