FIVE IMPORTANT WAYS TO SLOW DOWN.
HOW MANY OF YOU WANNA SLOW DOWN?
RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO OVER-COMMIT AND OVER-EXTEND
YOURSELF.
"WRITE THAT DOWN," SHE SAID, YEAH.
LEARN HOW TO SAY, "NO."
AND UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU SAY, "NO," PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA
LIKE IT.
SO IF YOU'RE GONNA RUN YOUR LIFE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, I CAN
JUST TELL YOU RIGHT NOW YOU MAY HAVE TO MAKE A FEW FOLKS MAD.
BUT IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT YOU TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT, THEN THEY
ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND ANYWAY.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: RESIST SAYING THAT YOU'LL DO THINGS THAT YOU KNOW
IN YOUR HEART THAT YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T DO JUST BECAUSE YOU
DON'T WANNA UPSET A FRIEND.
NOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE--WE ALL HAVE TIMES WHEN WE NEED TO
DO THINGS THAT WE'D MAYBE RATHER NOT DO BECAUSE WE JUST KNOW IT'S
THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
OR BECAUSE IT IS SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD TO US AND WE
WANT TO BLESS THEM.
THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN KNOWING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE PEACE ABOUT
IT, THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING AND GOING
AHEAD AND DOING IT ANYWAY.
I CAN TELL YOU IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU WILL NOT HAVE
A GOOD DAY BECAUSE GOD WILL NOT HELP US DO ANYTHING THAT HE DID
NOT CALL US TO DO.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: SERIOUSLY THINK BEFORE YOU COMMIT TO ANYTHING.
TAKE TIME.
SERIOUSLY THINK WHAT IS THIS REALLY GOING TO TAKE OUT OF ME?
HOW MUCH TIME AM I ACTUALLY REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO PUT
INTO THIS?
YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS CAN SOUND SO EASY ON THE FRONT SIDE.
AND THEN YOU GET INTO IT AND YOU THINK, "WHAT IN THE WORLD HAVE
I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?" WELL, I THINK WE NEED TO CHECK
SOME THINGS OUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
C'MON.
I KNOW, LISTEN, I'VE ABOUT KILLED MYSELF IN THE PAST,
SAYING, "YES," TO FAVORS FOR PEOPLE IN MINISTRY AND TAKING
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE SAID GOD TOLD
THEM I WAS THE ONE THAT HAD TO COME.
AND I FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I'M THINKING,
"WELL, GOD DIDN'T TOLD ME.
UNTIL HE TELLS ME, I'M NOT GOING."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN PEOPLE PULL THE "GOD TOLD ME"
CARD.
WE NEED TO STOP DOING THAT TO PEOPLE.
"WELL, GOD TOLD ME THAT YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO GO."
WELL, IF HE WANTS ME TO DO SOMETHING, HE'S GONNA TELL ME
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE A CONFIRMATION TOGETHER BUT HE'S
NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHAT I SHOULD DO AND THEN ME DO IT WHILE I'M
MISERABLE.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: PAY ATTENTION TO THE PACE OF YOUR LIFE.
I EAT FAST.
OF COURSE, I DO EVERYTHING PRETTY FAST.
BUT I'M LEARNING.
MY GOSH, I HAD A HEALTH DOCTOR TELL ME THAT YOU SHOULD CHEW
EACH BITE OF FOOD 20 TIMES.
I'M THINKING, "LORD, HAVE MERCY.
THERE IS NO WAY.
I MEAN, MY JAW WOULD FALL OFF."
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO CHEW EACH BITE OF FOOD...
WELL, I HOPE I'VE LEARNED MY LESSON.
I THINK GOD'S TRYING TO GET A POINT ACROSS TO ME BECAUSE TWICE
THIS YEAR I HAVE BEEN EATING SO FAST THAT I GOT CHOKED TO
THE POINT WHERE IT ACTUALLY REALLY SCARED ME.
YOU'RE ALL LOOKING AT ME, LIKE...
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: "ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE QUALIFIED TO TEACH US?"
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: LISTEN, THE BEST WAY I KNOW TO TEACH PEOPLE IS TO BE
HONEST WITH 'EM, AMEN?
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: NOW, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE BUSY AND HAVE A LOT TO
DO AND HAVE A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY, I MEAN, YOU
CAN'T JUST GO THROUGH LIFE...
BUT YOU GOTTA FIND A HEALTHY BALANCE.
I THINK THIS IS THE GUIDELINE.
WHATEVER GOD'S CALLED YOU TO DO, HE'S BUILT YOU FOR IT.
AND SOME PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GONNA MOVE FASTER THAN OTHER PEOPLE
BUT WHEN IT STARTS STRESSING YOU OUT, AND YOU START NOT ENJOYING
LIFE BECAUSE OF IT AND YOU START DOING REALLY DUMB AND SOMETIMES
DANGEROUS THINGS BECAUSE YOU'RE IN TOO BIG OF A HURRY, C'MON,
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER DONE SOMETHING REALLY ALMOST
DANGEROUS JUST FROM BEING IN TOO BIG OF A HURRY?
OKAY, WELL, I HAVE A FRIEND WHO MOVES RATHER SLOWLY.
AND IT DOESN'T REALLY DO MUCH GOOD TRY TO GET THIS PERSON
TO HURRY 'CAUSE THEY'RE JUST NOT GONNA.
AND I LOVE THIS PERSON BUT I'LL TELL YOU THE TRUTH, SOMETIMES I
JUST GET ANNOYED.
IT'S, LIKE...
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: I USED TO THINK THAT GOD WANTED HER TO SPEED UP BUT
NOW I'VE FINALLY FIGURED OUT HE WANTS ME TO SLOW DOWN.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES GOD WILL PUT YOU
WITH PEOPLE THAT MAYBE, MAYBE EVEN THOUGH THEY IRRITATE YOU,
MAYBE YOU NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE LIKE THEM?
I DUNNO, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS GOT A FEW PEOPLE IN MY LIFE THAT
ARE JUST REALLY SUPER SWEET.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: I MEAN, LIKE, DRIPPING WITH SWEETNESS.
THANK YOU, HONEY.
YES, DEAR.
COULD YOU PLEASE--I'VE CHANGED.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: I MEAN, WHEN GOD JUST KEEPS SHOVING THE SAME THING IN
YOUR FACE OVER AND OVER AND OVER FOR 25 YEARS, FINALLY YOU
GET IT.
HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT?
THAT GOD'LL PUT YOU AROUND PEOPLE THAT JUST--THEY'RE JUST
THERE TO BE THIS SWEET LITTLE NICE EXAMPLE TO YOU?
OH, DAVE IS SO PATIENT.
HE IS SO PATIENT THAT IT JUST ANNOYS ME SOMETIMES.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: IT'S, LIKE, I MEAN, I'M TELLING YOU THE
HONEST-TO-GOD'S TRUTH, I'VE BEEN MARRIED TO THE MAN 50 YEARS AND
IN 50 YEARS I'VE HEARD HIM SAY 2 TIMES HE DIDN'T LIKE SOMEBODY.
NOW, YOU KNOW, THAT IS NOT NORMAL.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: I COULD COME UP WITH TWO A DAY.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: OH, I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THE WORD OF GOD.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO IF I DIDN'T GET TO PREACH 'CAUSE,
SEE, NOW I GOTTA STUDY ALL THE TIME.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: OH MY GOSH, GOD HAS CHANGED ME SO MUCH.
HE HAS CHANGED ME SO MUCH, I'M ACTUALLY REALLY NICE NOW.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: WELL, I HOPE THE SAME THING HAPPENS TO SOME OF YOU.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: OKAY, LISTEN.
HOW MANY OF YOU MOVE REAL FAST AND YOU'RE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH
SOMEBODY THAT'S SLOW?
C'MON, WE'RE ABOUT TO MAKE A POINT HERE.
HOW MANY OF YOU ARE A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, MORE MOUTHY
AND HARSH AND YOU'RE MARRIED TO SOMEBODY THAT'S KIND OF
QUIET AND REAL SWEET?
HOW MANY OF YOU ARE IMPATIENT AND YOU'RE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH
SOMEBODY THAT'S JUST, LIKE, SO PATIENT THEY ABOUT DRIVE YOU
BONKERS?
OKAY, DOES EVERYBODY SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?
DOES ANYBODY IN THE BUILDING SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?
GOD WANTS US TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER.
THAT'S WHY HE DOESN'T GIVE US PEOPLE--I MEAN, HOW CAN WE LEARN
TO LOVE EVERYBODY--OKAY, I'M GONNA MOVE ON.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: NOW, JUST IN CASE YOU WONDER IF I'M JUST MAKING A LOT
OF THIS UP.
THE BIBLE'S FULL OF SCRIPTURES ABOUT NOT HURRYING.
PROVERBS 19:2: "DESIRE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE IS NOT GOOD, AND TO BE
OVERHASTY IS TO SIN AND MISS THE MARK."
WOW!
BOY, DO WE MAKE SOME BIG MISTAKES WHEN WE GET IN
A BIG HURRY.
PROVERBS 14:29: "HE WHO IS SLOW TO ANGER HAS GREAT
UNDERSTANDING, BUT HE WHO IS HASTY OF SPIRIT EXPOSES
AND EXALTS HIS FOLLY."
PROVERBS 18:13: "HE WHO ANSWERS A MATTER BEFORE HE HEARS
THE FACTS--IT'S FOLLY TO HIM," WHICH MEANS FOOLISHNESS.
1 CORINTHIANS 4:5: "SO DO NOT MAKE ANY HASTY OR PREMATURE
JUDGMENTS BEFORE THE TIME COMES WHEN THE LORD COMES [AGAIN]."
LET'S RENEW OUR COMMITMENT TO BE REALLY LED AND GUIDED BY
THE HOLY SPIRIT.
HONESTLY, IF WE'LL FOLLOW THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,
WE CAN AVOID SOME REAL PROBLEMS.
I REMEMBER JUST AN EXAMPLE THAT I'LL SHARE WITH YOU 'CAUSE I
LIKE PRACTICAL EXAMPLES.
I WAS OUT SHOPPING ONE TIME AND I WAS GETTING REALLY TIRED.
BUT I HAD NOT DONE EVERYTHING I WANTED TO DO.
I KNEW IN MY HEART I SHOULD GO HOME BECAUSE THE STUFF WOULD BE
THERE ANOTHER DAY BUT I WAS DETERMINED I WAS GONNA GET
IT DONE.
SO I IGNORED THE PROMPTINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
JUST KEPT SHOPPING.
ENDED UP GETTING SO TIRED THAT I GOT GROUCHY.
THEN WHEN I WENT HOME I STARTED MISTREATING PEOPLE BECAUSE I WAS
TIRED AND I WAS GROUCHY.
AND THEN WHEN THEY SAID, "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?"
I WAS, LIKE, "WELL, I'M TIRED."
WELL, WHOSE FAULT WAS IT THAT I WAS TIRED?
IT WAS MY FAULT THAT I WAS TIRED.
THEN AFTER BEING GROUCHY AND CRANKY, THEN I STARTED FEELING
GUILTY BECAUSE I WAS GROUCHY AND CRANKY.
C'MON, DO WE SEE THE PIT WE'RE CRAWLING INTO HERE?
WHEN THE WHOLE THING COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, IF I WOULD HAVE
SIMPLY FOLLOWED WHAT THE HOLY SPIRIT
WAS SAYING TO ME AND JUST USED WISDOM AND SAID,
"YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M REALLY GETTING TIRED.
I KNOW I NEED TO GO HOME."
IS ANYBODY IN THIS BUILDING HEARING ME TONIGHT?
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: SO I HAD A BAD EVENING THAT I COULD HAVE AVOIDED.
STAY IN CONTROL OF YOUR TIME.
DO WHAT LEADS TO PEACE.