Doing the Right Thing

Sometimes doing the right thing is the last thing we feel like doing. When that happens how exactly are we supposed to do the right thing and not feel weary or have a bad attitude? Doing what is right occasionally, or for a short while, is usually not hard, but Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:13, we must continue in doing the right thing without losing heart.

That means all the time, no matter how long the time is or how we feel during that time. Doing what is right even when we seem to be getting only wrong results is difficult at best. We feel discouraged and weary, but what we "feel" has nothing to do with what we should be doing.

One of Satan's favorite things to do to us is to try and make us give up because of how we feel. Once our feelings start to quit on us, there he is to whisper in our ear that it's just not worth the effort. However, God tells us it is. He shows us how to endure, persist, continue on, and finish. He teaches us to be long-suffering, patient, determined, and steadfast, just as He is.

I am reminded again and again that I have to do the right thing with a right attitude for a long time before I get the right results. So, what do we do when we feel low on the "right attitude"? We must go to God and wait on Him to give us fresh strength so that through His unlimited grace we are able to press on until the end.

God wants us to be spiritually mature. Spiritual maturity is the ability to live beyond how we feel. It is being in control of our feelings instead of our feelings controlling us. We should live by decisions based on God's word, and not on how we feel about something or someone. Galatians 6:9 states:

Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up.

So let us pray that the God of unlimited resources, will supply us all with strength and grace to continue to do good even when we don't feel like it. We all want to see what a glorious harvest it will be! So let us not give up! Keep on, keeping on!

Praying During Difficult Times

Have you ever considered how God wants us to pray during difficult times?  Many times I find myself praying for deliverance or praying that the hardship doesn’t last long or praying to just change something about the hardship I am going through.  But is that really how God wants me to pray?

Colossians 1:11 states that the Apostle Paul prayed for the church to attain every kind of patience and endurance with joy.  Paul wasn’t praying for the church to be delivered from the hardships, but to be strengthened with joy.  It is the joy that only Christ can bring to us during difficult and challenging times when we rely on Him to sustain us.

I believe God is more interested in changing us than in changing our circumstances.  He does not delight in watching us suffer or have a hard time, but He does delight in our spiritual growth.  If we are honest, we must admit that most of our spiritual growth comes during the hard times in our lives, not the easy times.

Difficult times stretch our faith, and those times teach us not to trust in ourselves to solve the problem or change the situation, but to rely on God alone.  It also gives us compassion towards others who are going through difficult times too.

Sometimes we are so focused on the difficult times or the immense problems we are facing, that we cannot see or understand what it is we are supposed to be learning.  As Romans 8:28 says God works all things for the good of those who love Him.  So, since He is working the hard times for our good then we should pray to be strengthened with joy instead of only praying to be delivered.

It is difficult to not pray to be delivered, but possibly if we pray to be strengthened with joy then we may catch a glimpse of the lesson we are to learn and the spiritual maturity we will then gain.

Something Better than Money

There are many of us who I’m sure could use a little extra money. Money has value. It can make things happen, help us acquire what we need, and settle our debts. As valuable as money may be, there are some things that are simply better. There are certain things we need to prioritize above making another dollar. These are things that money can’t buy. Listen to the wisdom from Proverbs 15:16-17 (ESV),

16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

Gain and use your money wisely, but never chase it at the expense of our relationship with God and love for others. Remember having a reverence for God is better than great riches. Jesus said it like this in Mark 8:36,

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

You can have the best that money can buy, but those things find more value when you have someone to share them with. Big houses, fast cars, and fancy food aren’t nearly as precious as love. If you have a loving family and people that truly care about you, you are blessed. You can’t buy that at Walmart or on Amazon. It doesn’t have a price tag.

Take some time today to recalibrate what really makes a person blessed. It’s the presence of the Lord and love. If you have those, no matter how much money is in your bank account, you are rich. Don’t trade them for money, and don’t lose sight of them in the pursuit of money. Money is a wonderful blessing but always remember there is something better than money.

Roll Your Work Your Work to the Lord

There is a sure-fire way to make sure that work we do in this life will last and have a good foundation. It all has to do with our goal and aim. People live for all sorts of things like themselves, money, power, or popularity. However, the Bible teaches us that if we put God first and commit our work to Him, we can do something that really lasts. Consider Proverbs 16:3 (ESV),

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

What are you working on in life? What kind of plans are you making?  What is your aim? Have you included the Lord? We are called to entrust whatever we are doing to the Lord. We are to make the Lord our aim and destination. Glorifying Him is our purpose and loving Him is our duty. He should be the foundation for all our work, hopes, and dreams especially if we want it to last.

Interestingly, the verb “commit” from our verse can often be translated “to roll”. You could say roll your work to the Lord and your plans will be established. Picture this. You have a wonderful Radio Flyer wagon. In it you put all things you are working on. Maybe you’re working on improving finances, mending a relationship, or starting something new. The main goal is not just to get them into the wagon and work on them. The main goal is to roll that wagon filled with everything you are working on towards God.

Committing or rolling your work to the Lord is making Him our goal. For example, I don’t work to make money. Instead, as I work and make money my goal is to glorify God. I put my finances in the wagon and roll it towards God. What direction is your wagon rolling? Make sure you are heading in God’s direction. If you can do that, your plans will be established to the glory of God.