God’s
promises to us are positive and guaranteed (2 Corinthians 1:20). He tells us to ask
and we will receive (John
15:7, 16:24).
One of the favorite verses in today’s Christian ranks is that God will give us
a hopeful future, that He has our best interest at heart and that He wants us
to prosper (Jeremiah
29:11).
Due
to this fact, many Bible teachers counsel people to stand on God’s Word. Of
course, it is a good idea to read and pray God’s Word. The Spirit uses God’s
Word to anoint our spirit, to encourage our soul – our mind, choices and
emotions – and to strengthen our body.
However,
many people will point to a verse in the Bible, hold the book up in God’s face
and demand that He provide us with the humanistic fulfillment, which we
interpret the verse to say. We take the verse out of the context of the rest of
the verses around it, and we do not consider who the verse’s author is talking
to when he wrote it.
Rather
than demanding that God provide what we want, we can sit quietly in His
presence and receive from Him what He chooses to give us. We praise and thank
Him, even if His answer is hardship and suffering. We can give thanks to God
for His love and generosity in the most dire circumstance, which life throws at
us (1 Thessalonians
5:18).
God’s
presence in our life is a more valuable treasure than any earthly, carnal
provision we expect. Even if we are homeless, dying in a hospital bed or
falsely accused and in prison, we can rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4-9). All of God’s promises
come to us through Christ’s atoning work; and we give God the glory for whatever
He provides for us (2
Corinthians 1:20).
Prayer:
Father
God, trials are not a sign of Your rejection of us, our lack of faith or our
immature spirituality. In this world, Jesus had tribulation, and we are not
more privileged than our Lord (John 13:16). Help us to see the seed for a miracle in
every trial You allow into our life (Job 1:8; 2:3). Thank You for teaching us submission
to Your will, appreciation for Your blessings, and for molding us into the
image of Christ through the things that we suffer (Hebrews 5:8).
You
are our provision and protection, and our heart trusts in You and Your supply;
we will sing songs to You, because our heart greatly rejoices in Your loving
presence in our life (Psalm
28:7). Rather
than demanding, grabbing or insisting on Your blessings, we will sit quietly in
Your presence and surrender to Your will for our life.
Thought
for the Day:
As
we change our focus from temporal to eternal aspects of life, things of this
earth will fade in their importance to us. - 2 Corinthians 4:18
