...like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm
James 1:6
Are you winning or losing most of your spiritual battles? Are you down more than up? Do you feel frustrated? Are you going in circles? Is your experience full of stops and starts, a constant guilt-failure cycle? That's not God's plan for you. You can live a stable, consistent life! But it will require life stabilisers such as decisiveness. Israel wanted to have it both ways: God's blessing, yet the right to disregard His Word; freedom to live like heathen nations, yet be His special people. But Joshua declared it unacceptable. '...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...' (Joshua 24:15 NIV).
The church at Laodicea also wanted it both ways, but God pressed them: '...You are... neither cold nor hot... make up your minds...' (Revelation 3:16,19 CEV). God requires a direction chosen, a goal set, and a mind made up. Wavering classifies you as double-minded and guarantees you will '...[not] receive anything from the Lord...' (James 1:6-8 NIV). To live a stable life, you need faith. You are called a 'believer' because faith must characterise not just some, but every area of your life. 'Without faith it is impossible...' (not unlikely, improbable, difficult) 'to please God...' (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). Faith is not what you study on Sunday morning, it's what you do 24/7! The Bible says, 'My righteous [ones] will live by faith.' You say, 'Where do I get faith?' By meditating on, and living in God's Word (Romans 10:17). Who possesses faith? The spiritually exceptional? No, '...God has dealt to each one a measure of faith' (Romans 12:3 NKJV). That includes you! Faith, not feelings or circumstances, is what makes your life stable!
Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Comments
Its sometimes hard to stop and listen to what He is saying when it feels like life is a roller coaster.
We just finished our week of Waiting on God at church. Sometimes I didn't like what I heard from the Lord but laying it at His feet is the only way though the hard times.
Good devotional Michael. Thanks.
Yes, sometimes it happens to be down more than up. The prayer is essential.