Get ready to start a journey…a journey through the pages of the Bible and the pages of your life.
The human heart is caught in a contradiction. On one hand, God has placed eternity in our hearts, leaving us with a God-shaped hole. We suffer from an inward famine. We are starving for God. On the other hand, we want to be our own god, call our own shots, be in control of our lives. We are afraid to surrender.
The search for a life of confidence is on. Some move from relationship to relationship looking for a sense of peace in a person. Some try to find something to soothe their soul in a bottle, needle, or pill. The recipients of today’s passage must have been putting their trust in the “Almighty Dollar”—the other god. The writer tells them to steer clear of money worship and learn contentment.
What happens when we die? Do we enter the grave in a sort of soul sleep until Jesus returns? Do we live as spirits forever? Will we be able to recognize each other? Let’s consider these questions.
What do you need to do the thing that God is calling you to do? What’s holding you back? What’s causing spiritual paralysis? What’s causing you to run from God? What’s the one thing you need to make you feel sufficient to follow hard after God?
Whatever God calls us to do, he gives us the “can do.” Whatever the situation, we can do what God wants us to do through his strength. Ability does not come from positive thinking. It comes from the power of the Spirit who lives in us. In every situation, God provides his strength.
God’s instruction on worry is not “Get ahold of yourself.” Rather, God wants us to get ahold of him. Worry is the reminder to take our fears to God. Tell him that you’re scared. Confess your doubts. Pour out your dread. Let him know your reservations. Thank God that he hears you and promises to meet you right where you are.