Going to God Instead of Getting Even

Recently I told a friend to pray for those who persecute you. I didn’t know that a few weeks later I would need to take my own advice. Today I read that we should pray for those who wrong us even if we pray with clenched fists and gritted teeth. Wow, that hit home!

Sometimes we want to hold on to the hurt. We want to roll around in the pain. That isn’t spiritually healthy and may result in our moving away from God.

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. -Matthew 5:44-45

In bad situations we need to pray for self-control. We can’t change the actions of others, but we can change our reaction. It’s easy to fall into a passive aggressive trap of revenge. It’s nothing blatant, just a snide remark here, a sarcastic answer there. We that follow Christ are instructed not to avenge ourselves. We should not look to get even.

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. -Romans 12:17

I’m not sure if this devotion is just for me or if perhaps someone else might need it too. Merry Christmas and thanks for letting me share.

Keep Going and Keep Growing

God values growth. In creation, God commanded us to be fruitful and fill the earth (Genesis 1:28). Jesus Himself grew while here on earth (Luke 2:52). He wants His church to grow deep in the knowledge and graces of the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3:18). He wants His church to grow wide through the preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins to all nations (Luke 24:46-48). He so desires that you would be growing as well. However, growth isn’t always an easy process and often happens amidst adversity (James 1:2-4). Is there an area of your life that needs work? Have you started a process towards growth but just feel like giving up? Where might God be asking you to grow or persevere? Let me encourage you to keep going and keep growing.

Growth can feel like failure at first, but remember, failing to meet a goal is not the same as a failure of the will. The ability to keep going and try again is the mark of person that is growing. They have perseverance, focus, and grit. The thing about growth is that it is hard to notice when it’s happening. It is much easier to see when you look back. You may not notice or feel your progress right now, but don’t give up. The process can be costly, but the cost of stagnation has a much higher price tag.

So, what are you going to see when you look back? Are you going to see a person who let feeling like a failure turn them into failure because they gave up? Or are you going to see someone who realized that the person God wanted them to be was worth the work and determination that growth requires? God doesn’t give up on us. He finishes the work that He starts (Philippians 1:6). Now don’t you give up either. Keep going and keep growing.

Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again… -Proverbs 24:16, NIV

The Beginning of Knowledge

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. -Proverbs 1:7, ESV

If you want to accomplish a task, pursue a goal, or acquire something new, it is helpful to know where you ought to start. If you start in the wrong place, you will be sure to get things all out of whack. For example, if your first step in changing the oil is adding all the new oil to the engine, you would be wasting time and money. Also, you can’t just throw a box of cake mix into the oven and expect a cake to come out. You’d probably be calling the fire department instead. You need to know where to start.

When it comes to gaining knowledge and then also wisdom, the Bible is quite clear where we need to start. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. If you want to understand what is true and how to apply that truth it starts with acknowledging the Lord and taking Him seriously. It is foolishness to despise or reject the Lord. Many know they should tune their hearts to heaven, but instead ignore the Word of the Lord. It shouldn’t be a surprise when we experience pain, hardship, or setback if we have started in the wrong place. Remember the Lord is the beginning.

Are you taking the Lord seriously in your life? Do you acknowledge Him and His word? Get into the Bible. Read it and obey it. Prayerfully lean into God every day. You will gain priceless knowledge and wisdom. If you are in a bind or having a rough time, perhaps it is a sign that you have been starting in the wrong place. Trust God’s promise and His process. If you want to get it right, start with the Lord.

God Loves Us as a Squeaky Wheel

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? -Matthew 6:26

You are loved. God cares for the birds and He cares for the lilies, but He loves us and values us even more. We all have worries and we all get anxious about our circumstances in life. Scripture tells us that God wants to bring every request to Him and talk to Him about our problems. In everyday life we see people being a squeaky wheel and they get the grease first. Many times we don’t bring our requests and problems to God until it is a last resort. We may feel like we are bothering God or why would He listen to little ole me. The scripture tells us to bring every request to Him daily. Talk to God and build the relationship with Him. Be a squeaky wheel.

Imagine never being anxious about anything. It seems like an impossibility. We all have worries on the job, in our homes, at school etc. But Paul’s advice is to turn our worries into prayers. Do you want to worry less? Then pray more. Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray.

God’s peace is different from the world’s peace. True peace is not found in positive thinking, in the absence of conflict, or good feelings. It comes from knowing that God is in control. Our citizenship in Christ’s kingdom is sure, our destiny is set, and we can have victory over sin and our everyday problems. Let God’s peace guard your heart against anxiety.

When we face a challenge and don’t know how it will turn out, we tend to fear the worst. But when we are confident that we are secure in our loving God’s hands, we are assured that He knows what is happening and will use all things for our good. So, Paul tells us that by continually presenting our requests to God in prayer and thanks, we will we experience His peace that transcends understanding. This peace guards our hearts and minds by wrapping everything around Christ Jesus.

So, if you are worrying about something, be a squeaky wheel and present your request to God in prayer. He wants us to talk to Him and take time to listen to His response. It may be an instant response, or it may take a lot of time, but keep asking God. He wants to hear from us. Be a squeaky wheel to God in genuine love.

A Prayer for Today:

God, whenever I experience worry, help me remember to present my requests to you and to give you thanks. Amen.