For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
-- Jeremiah 29:11
Whole-heartedly following after God can be such an adventure! God doesn’t want you to live a mediocre life. He wants you to claim the wonderful promises He has given you… promises for a hope and a future.
Now, when you do choose to whole-heartedly follow the Lord, you will face battles in your life. You will face some opposition. But rest assured… with God’s help, you can overcome it!
The first opposition you may face when you follow after Christ is the opposition thrown at you by your friends. They may tell you, “You can’t do it” or “It’s not worth it.” Some friends might even doubt you. But some friends will stand with you… which is why it is so important to choose your friends wisely.
Time is another obstacle to overcome when following after God. It can be so hard waiting on the Lord, but you have to remember that His timing is perfect.
God could be delaying the delivery of His promise to you in order to strengthen and grow your faith and commitment to Him. He knows when you will be ready! Isaiah 40:31 is a great reminder of the strength that comes in waiting on the Lord: “But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
It’s my prayer you will decide today to follow whole-heartedly after God. And as you do, remember that every obstacle is an opportunity for you to grow more like Christ. And remember that if you keep your eyes focused on the promises and purposes that God has for your life, you can overcome anything through Him!
Every obstacle you face as a Christian is an opportunity for you to grow more like Christ.
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.”
Luke 24:50–51
As Christians we have received the greatest blessing possible in salvation through Jesus Christ. But God’s love is so amazing that He offers us far more. David, who experienced great blessings throughout his life wrote, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. He that is our God is the God of salvation, and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death” (Psalm 68:19-20).
We do not receive scanty blessings from the abundant resources of God. He loads us down with good things—good things which we do not deserve. A Christian who cannot find much for which to be thankful is simply not paying attention. We are surrounded by blessings every day. The fact that we often are not grateful is not a testimony to God’s lack of provision and blessing, but our lack of appreciation. Where would we be if God charged us for air, or there was a fee each time our hearts beat? How would we function if we had to create all the resources we need rather than using what God already created?
Charles Spurgeon said, “God’s goodness to us is not merely bene volens, in which He wishes us well, but it is beneficence of good doing. His gifts and benefits are deeds of goodness, acts of goodness. He doeth to us that which is good. He doth not only wish us well, and speak to us well, and direct us well, but He doeth well unto us.” Though God is gracious and patient, it must break His heart when we take His blessings for granted, or even worse, when we complain because we don’t have more.
Today’s Growth Principle:
Let us never fail to be grateful for the daily benefits we receive because of God’s grace.
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