We often get weary in doing good for others, but as we walk in God’s will for our involvement, we shall reap if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9). Our true strength to serve comes to us only through Christ in us (Philippians 4:13), and by following His peace in our spirit.
When we grudgingly offer to help someone, or we volunteer when it is not God’s will for us at the time, we are simply spinning our wheels. Also, if we serve out of duty, and not out of love for God and others, then we waste our time (1 Corinthians 16:14). Our guiding light is to follow God’s peace in all our thoughts, words, and actions.
This is not impossible, and it does take some concentration and time, but we simply listen with our spiritual ears and hear our spirit’s response regardless of what our soul – our human thoughts, emotions, and choices – is advising us to do.
Only discerning God’s peace or a lack of His peace in our spirit can guide us perfectly. If we feel total peace in our spirit, even if our soul is reacting negatively, then we go with God’s peace. We gain wisdom, experience, and preferences as we get older, but these aspects cannot decide our course of action for us.
Jesus already experienced and gained the victory over every circumstance similar to the trials we experience (John 16:33). We can trust Jesus with all our cares because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). We simply humble our self under His mighty hand, and He will bless us in His way and time (1 Peter 5:6).
We wait for God’s will in our life regardless of how long it takes – whether a moment or a quarter of a century (Genesis 17:4, 21:5). We hope in what we do not see with our human understanding, and we trust in God’s goodness and care for us (Romans 8:25). He fights our battles for us, and no one or nothing can ever overcome His peace in our spirit unless we allow it to do so (Romans 8:31).
Prayer:
Father God, Your unconditional love inspires our charity to others and is the perfect bond that keeps us dependent on You (Colossians 3:14). Thank you for delivering us out of bondage from the prince of the power of the air, which even now works in everyone who walks in disobedience to Your precepts. We are so grateful that we are no longer under the rule of the passions of our flesh, or of living as a person deserving Your wrath (Ephesians 2:2-5). We fear no evil as long as we trust in You alone.
Your rich mercy and great love for us, even while we were still slaves to sin (Romans 5:8), saved us by Your grace and made our spirit alive together with Jesus. We never want to take You for granted or to ignore Your presence within us. We are so glad we walk with You in the present moment, so we do not have to fear that we may forget You until we are in some type of overwhelming situation (1 John 4:9-12). Remind us to pray with thanksgiving in our heart for all You already did for us and for what you do for us each day (Philippians 4:6).
Thoughts for the Day:
Although we have not yet seen God with our physical eyes, we respond to His Spirit that abides within us. We rest in His presence and wait patiently on His timing – resisting the temptation to rush ahead in our human wisdom or because we are jealous of those who seem to have more of His blessings than we do.
- Psalm 37:7-9
