James 4:7-10
So let God work his will in you.
Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to
God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your
inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out.
The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on
your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
Do you know someone who has
“hit bottom” in a particular area of his/her life? For some, this is a
dramatic, earth-shaking experience…the doctor tells you that you will
die if you don’t stop smoking or drinking – immediately! You find
yourself in an abusive relationship and realize that your very life
might be in danger if you don’t seek help - and quickly! Someone you
love dearly dies, and you are left feeling abandoned and empty – and
wondering which direction to go and what to do next. You lose your job
due to downsizing and/or outsourcing – or you fail that all-important
college entrance exam or final licensing test. You lose a long-awaited
baby…or the doctor tells you that you will never give birth to the child
you long for so desperately.
Any of these experiences can rattle
even the most solid Christian…and those whose faith wavers on a good
day might experience some real challenges. But I know from personal
experience with “hitting bottom” encounters that God can use these to
reconnect with us…to grow our faith and fellowship with Him…and to push
the devil farther away. Because, you see, when we “hit bottom,” this
delights Satan. He would love nothing more than to see us stay there
and wallow…to pull away from God and say, “If He really loved me and
cared about me, God would NEVER allow this to happen!” And God says,
“Nothing could be further from the truth. I’m right here with you…just
take my hand and I will pull you to safety.”
You may be in a
“hitting bottom” situation today…or things may actually be running along
pretty smoothly for the moment. Either way, this is the perfect time
to “draw near to God”, as the scriptures remind us…to reinforce your
fellowship with Him by spending some time in prayer and reflection.
Open your Bible and let God’s word speak to you…sit quietly and listen
for His voice…feel His presence and His profound love and care. Push
the devil to the curb…and leave him there as you move closer to God.
Make
this a day when you get down on your knees and then rise to your feet
with a renewed courage and hope. Say a quiet “Yes” to God today…and feel
Him work His will in you.
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label hitting rock bottom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hitting rock bottom. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for March 20, 2012
James 4:7-10
So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I once knew a high school student who was involved in more than a half dozen school activities. He maintained an incredibly hectic schedule of attending this practice or meeting… actual events and competitions. Additionally, he was a member of his church youth choir and participated in other activities with his congregation. I lovingly mentioned to him one day that I was concerned… and feared he was headed for an early burnout. I suggested he pick out one or two activities that he enjoyed the most… maybe ones in which he particularly excelled… and focus on being the best participant possible in those events. He protested… “But I love all of them. How could I ever choose?” He had also been told that getting involved in a lot of different activities would present him as “well-rounded” when he applied for colleges.
It saddens me to say that the pressure to keep up such a lofty schedule caught up with this person, and he ultimately (and reluctantly) did give up a few of the activities. The demands of trying to keep up with so much led to poor choices and even poorer decisions… and he eventually “hit rock bottom,” so to speak. I am happy to say that he did not stay there. In fact, he got serious… really serious, as this scripture says. He coupled wonderful support from family and friends with a renewed dedication to following God’s will. And today, he is thriving.
You and I are really no different from this student. We may not be busy with too many school activities. School may even be a distant memory for some of us. But we all have distractions and temptations… and it’s easy to fall into the trap of “playing the field” and spreading ourselves too thinly. We may try everything from self-help programs to the latest “hot” evangelist and his/her teachings. We may get so caught up in work or a hobby, possessions… or even another person or group of people… and we may let our focus on God take a back seat.
My prayer is that we won’t have to “hit rock bottom” or experience something that “pulls the rug out from under us” before we get serious about our relationship with God and raise it to the very forefront of our daily existence. I love how The Message says that we have to shout at the devil to get him to go away… but all we have to offer God is a gentle whisper, and He shows up immediately. We can rely on the devil to be persistent… but we can rely on God to keep His promises and truly meet our needs.
Aren’t you ready to send the devil and his distractions packing for good? Is today the day you shout and scream and kick him to the curb? God is waiting to set you on your feet… to restore you according to His will for your life. Will this be the day you fall to your knees and whisper His name? Are you ready to get really serious about God?
©2012 Debbie Robus
So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I once knew a high school student who was involved in more than a half dozen school activities. He maintained an incredibly hectic schedule of attending this practice or meeting… actual events and competitions. Additionally, he was a member of his church youth choir and participated in other activities with his congregation. I lovingly mentioned to him one day that I was concerned… and feared he was headed for an early burnout. I suggested he pick out one or two activities that he enjoyed the most… maybe ones in which he particularly excelled… and focus on being the best participant possible in those events. He protested… “But I love all of them. How could I ever choose?” He had also been told that getting involved in a lot of different activities would present him as “well-rounded” when he applied for colleges.
It saddens me to say that the pressure to keep up such a lofty schedule caught up with this person, and he ultimately (and reluctantly) did give up a few of the activities. The demands of trying to keep up with so much led to poor choices and even poorer decisions… and he eventually “hit rock bottom,” so to speak. I am happy to say that he did not stay there. In fact, he got serious… really serious, as this scripture says. He coupled wonderful support from family and friends with a renewed dedication to following God’s will. And today, he is thriving.
You and I are really no different from this student. We may not be busy with too many school activities. School may even be a distant memory for some of us. But we all have distractions and temptations… and it’s easy to fall into the trap of “playing the field” and spreading ourselves too thinly. We may try everything from self-help programs to the latest “hot” evangelist and his/her teachings. We may get so caught up in work or a hobby, possessions… or even another person or group of people… and we may let our focus on God take a back seat.
My prayer is that we won’t have to “hit rock bottom” or experience something that “pulls the rug out from under us” before we get serious about our relationship with God and raise it to the very forefront of our daily existence. I love how The Message says that we have to shout at the devil to get him to go away… but all we have to offer God is a gentle whisper, and He shows up immediately. We can rely on the devil to be persistent… but we can rely on God to keep His promises and truly meet our needs.
Aren’t you ready to send the devil and his distractions packing for good? Is today the day you shout and scream and kick him to the curb? God is waiting to set you on your feet… to restore you according to His will for your life. Will this be the day you fall to your knees and whisper His name? Are you ready to get really serious about God?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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