I have realised that God uses some situations to test our faithfulness to him.
Do we give up easily as soon as something doesn’t go our way? How about you were faithful all year and God didn’t bless you with the car you wanted, or you didn’t get the raise you were praying for OR you are now in more debt than before because of an unplanned situation.
I can imagine it would put a spoke in your wheel and your faith may waver, but can we look at Faith for a minute?
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
The assurance of things hoped for
Even though the evidence is not there. The thing is, our faith should never be based on what we can see because that is what faith is all about, can you even see faith? Absolutely not.
I was reading Isaiah 1 KJV this morning and these verses jumped out. Verse 21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! It was full of judgement, righteousness lodged in it but now murderers.
Verse 23 Thy princes are rebellious and companions of thieves: everyone loveth gifts and followeth after rewards. Now these verses are from Isaiah the prophet speaking the words God had given him to the Israelites on their behaviour. I took away something from it and applied it to our everyday life.
Those two verses convicted me because it is true, some of us start off walking righteously and then we become caught up with receiving the reward and all the gifts that God’s hand can provide for us.
We lose sight, we forget our faith.
We become so caught up in being faithful or participating in “spiritual things” so that we can receive something for what we have done. It doesn’t work that way, thankfully God is good regardless. However, we need to learn to worship God, learn from him and walk in humility because he is Good not so that we can receive things. Isn’t that using him for his hand?
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, let’s regift our focus to serving you because you are good, because you died on the cross for our sinful nature that would have easily carried us to death and destruction if not for your sacrifice. Let us focus on telling others about you, living in the freedom and love you have freely given us and walk in obedience to you a loving father. Let us walk in purpose and love rather than walking this walk in hopes that you would see an effort we made and repay us. We repent of this ideology and ask that we walk faithfully before not for what your hand can do but for who you are. In Jesus’ name amen.
Remember this, even if no one else sees God sees. Be faithful to him because you love him.