God chooses to exalt whoever He wills. He rules in the affairs of men. Anything that has somehow become like an idol (something highly regarded and prioritised above God) to man will be brought to nothing in the end. So, don’t let what you have deceive you into thinking that there’s no God.
You have what you have because God gave it or inspired others to give it to you. So, don’t let that thing make you proud. Exercise humility in relating to people regardless of their states of life. Remain humble under God’s mighty hand, so He will keep lifting you in glory.
When you trust something or somebody to do something for you, and things mess up, that is when your patience will be subjected to a test. Why? Because things may not go as fast as you want them to, and you’ll be forced to go and pray as you wear the cloak of endurance.
In Romans 12:3, Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote that as a believer in Christ, you should not think of yourself more highly than you ought to but rather think of yourself with sober judgement. My emphasis is on the word “sober.” To be sober means to be moderate, solemn, or of sound mind. That composure in the mindset prevents you from talking pridefully or thinking you are more important than others in this life, even if your status in society is somehow elevated.
Have you not realised that many people get into trouble only after they do bad things? Yes, upright living is meant for your own good, although not everyone will side with you in such a lifestyle.
Choices are more powerful than statistics. You can choose to live upright before God and pursue the vision He has given you, even if the masses are against you. Will it be easy? Of course not. You have to be strong so that the influence of the masses doesn’t get into drifting your attention from what God has told you to do.
Sometimes, God doesn’t remove the issue but rather empowers us to go through it. If Jesus never promised us a problem-free life, then surely it’s not every issue you’ll tell Him to remove from your life that He’ll listen to you. As a matter of fact, some are needed for your growth.
The prodigal son thought he could live without his father, but he later realised he needed to return. In the same way, no matter how much you have sinned, God is always ready to forgive you. If you have turned away from God, come back to Him today. He is waiting for you with love and grace.
You can live in harmony with others because God’s Spirit in you doesn’t foster interpersonal relationship problems. You can relate well with all manner of people because God has given you both wisdom and tenacity to handle people. But you need to humble yourself under God’s mighty hand to live as you ought to in the Lord, even as you put the sinful flesh under subjection.
According to Romans 12:8, some people have that divine gift to show mercy to people with cheerfulness in their hearts, Wow! That’s interesting. Usually, when it comes to showing mercy to someone, it’s about making the person go scot-free for his wrong actions. People who do that usually do it out of sympathy, not cheerfulness. But the Bible says you can have that gift.
When I read Ephesians 3:8, I felt a great depth of humility in Paul’s statement. He didn’t say, “I was the least of all the saints.” No. He said, “…who am less than the least of all the saints …”. That means despite all the exploits he has wrought on the face of this Earth for the sake of Christ, he still counted himself as the least of the saints. What a statement of humility. Can you, as a preacher, say this about yourself?
Partial trust in God brings partial results. However, complete surrender unlocks the fullness of His power in your life. He’s waiting in the secret place, ready to be not just a part of your life but your very foundation. Are you prepared to let go of every other foundation and make Him your only source? Today, take that step. Release those backup plans, lay down those false securities, and watch how God moves when He becomes your first and only choice.
