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.
Mercy In The Mess
Brokenness abounds in a sinful world. Every corner we turn, we can observe broken relationships, shattered hopes, crushed self-esteem, messy lives, etc. Having a broken relationship with God, fallen humans lack the capacity to love perfectly and live in holiness, thus multiplying the brokenness in the world. Yet, the living God still works within the mess, to demonstrate His mercy. God’s people may not be perfect but they are redeemable. If we look to Him in our brokenness, He can ultimately turn our pains into praise.
Discipline for the Loved, Grace for the Unloved
God’s love is holistic and comes to us just the way we need it. When we are on the wrong path, God’s love is shown through His discipline, so that we can follow Him in the right way again. Yet, when we are disappointed in life and feel as if we are forgotten, unloved, inferior, God comes to us with His awesome grace to comfort us and lift us up. We may feel our lives are not at the ideal state yet, but God is progressively fulfilling His good work and promises to us. Let us find strength in His unfailing love!
“Surely The Lord Is In This Place, And I Did Not Know It”
One great promise of God to His people is “I am with you”. This promise can strengthen our heart and give it rest, whenever we believe. Yet, the truth that “God is with us” is also one that is hard for us to be conscious of moment by moment. For we are more often preoccupied with things in front of us – the immediate pleasures, deadlines, things to do, persons we are facing, etc, than to be mindful of God’s presence. Have you ever encountered God personally? He is with you right where you are, even in your ordinary and mundane circumstances. Open your spiritual eyes to see Him now and find rest in following Him!
Are We Getting Too Comfortable With Worldliness?
As Christians living in a sinful world, are you feeling more and more comfortable with the culture, values and happenings that emerge in our world? Or are you sensing more and more tension as you see the increasing godlessness? The devil likes to take us captive little by little. If we do not pay attention to what we are loving or pursuing in our heart, we will be totally entrapped before we realise it. Although it is not easy to live set apart lives in a tempting world, may the good God help us when we seek to please Him sincerely.
Human Weakness Cannot Thwart God’s Plan
Are Christians all of worthy and holy character? People expect them to be. Yet, when we look at the Bible, we may be surprised that many of God’s chosen and blessed people also fall short of a godly character. Today, as with ancient people of faith, we also have many lingering weaknesses even after believing in God. Thankfully, God remains faithful to fulfil His promises in spite of human failings. By His grace, His chosen people will both be blessed as promised but also be disciplined for not fully trusting and obeying Him.
