Who Knows What Is Good For A Person?
We tend to struggle over bad things happening in our lives. When good things happen, we will be happy, but when bad things happen, we doubt God and grumble against Him. But in fact, how can we be sure what exactly is good or not good? When we ponder on the wisdom given us through the Bible, we realise that in God, even the “bad” can be made to work for our good and His glory; but outside of Him, even the “good” may not benefit us. Blessed are those who put their trust in the God who knows good and brings about good!
Go Back To The Lord!
In our Christian walk, we may come to a point where we are not as excited or interested about God like before. Perhaps the word of God starts to sound boring, or we feel very tired of serving, or the world seems more attractive to us than ever. We need to purify our lives from any idols, beliefs, pursuits, selfish desires, etc, that are ‘foreign’ to the Christian faith. Like Jacob, we all have our “Bethel moment” with God, where we encountered Him in a very real and intimate sense. May God help us find back our first love for Him and enjoy walking sweetly with Him again.
Crisis Arising From Not Obeying God Fully
Some people may think that partial obedience is good enough, at least it is better than not obeying at all. Compared to the accusations that arise from outright disobedience, partial obedience can make us battle less with whatever is displeasing to God, because we won’t feel as guilty after obeying a little and we think it is enough to satisfy God. Yet, partial obedience is still disobedience. We give the devil a foothold when our obedience is incomplete. God will also discipline His people who do not obey Him fully, so as to bring them back to His wonderful plan and love.
Restoring A Sense Of Security
People all yearn for security, and they often try to find security from how much money or assets they have, how many people love them, how safe a place they are living in, etc. Sadly, these things are impermanent and beyond human control. Money may be on hand today but gone tomorrow; people may love us today but leave us tomorrow; our success may be achieved today but replaced by another person tomorrow. If our sense of security is founded on these, then we will only remain insecure and filled with worries.The truth is, perfect security cannot be found outside of God.
Reconciliation Of Brothers
Relationship is a huge part of human life and a broken relationship always pains us. How do you usually deal with tensions in relationships? Whether we are the offending or offended party, what does God tell us about seeking reconciliation and extending forgiveness?
Wrestle With God and Prevail
What do you usually do in your moments of fears and doubts? Do you rely more on your own strength, or sink into helpless lament, or do your problems drive you to draw closer to God, who has all the answers and power? Is prayer your last resort after all other options were exhausted and failed? Or is prayer your first response in handling life situations and problems? In your prayers, do you struggle in order to ask God to accede to your requests, or do you wrestle so that you can eventually submit to His will?
When We Can’t Find God
Sometimes, we may feel nothing after reading the Bible or attending church, or we have no mood to pray, or the more we listen to the word of God, the more accused we feel. To be honest, sometimes, we don’t seem to be able to feel the presence of God. Particularly, when we are hit with life problems such as the pandemic that has been with us for so long, or when faced with job uncertainty, or a lingering illness, or so on, we find it harder to sense God’s presence and work. Why does God seem to hide from us, and why can’t man find God? May we get encouragement from this short devotion.
Go Back To The Promised Land
Even if we know God is good, many hurdles stand between us and God as we seek to follow Him. The world is always offering attractive deals, or conversely, threats, to keep us far from God. Thus, God is constantly beckoning those whom He loves to go back to Him, to return to His promises and plan for them. Sometimes, both faith and fear dwell within a believer. On the one hand, we trust that God is good, yet on the other hand, we fear that if we do not do things our way or the world’s way, we may lose out. The more we confirm God’s faithful protection over us, the more our faith can outweigh our fears.
God’s Unconventional Blessings
We often have a fixated idea of what constitutes a good life and what blessings mean. We may also have a rigid mindset of how blessings should come, preferably in an easy, comfortable, painless and quick way. Yet sometimes, God breaks our typical expectations, only to surprise us with His unconventional blessings. Indeed, what God has prepared for those who love Him are “what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” <1 Co 2:9>.
Be Child-Like, Yet Not Childish
The Bible urges us to have childlike faith, but also to put the ways of childhood behind us and grow up and become spiritually mature. How can we reconcile the seemingly conflicting ideas of being childlike and mature? Especially in the current tough times during the pandemic, may we not fall into childish faith but restore a childlike faith in God.
