Blog Entries tagged 'trust'

What Have I Done Wrong

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Allan said that at these times it's really easy to ask God, 'What have I done wrong?'

Luke 5:1-39

Reference: v.5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." (NIV Bible)

Explore: Recently I heard Allan Meyer, pastor and co-founder of Careforce Lifekeys, speak about some difficult times in his ministry. He spoke of when he first became the pastor of Careforce Church and wanted to begin a building program. The church had already received a permit from the council to build however it had lapsed and so the church went back to the council for it to be renewed. The outcry from the rest of the community was huge. There were over a hundred people who went to the council expressing their opposition to the building permit. Allan said that at these times it's really easy to ask God, 'What have I done wrong? Why is this happening? Is this divine retribution for me not doing the right thing in the past?' The church leadership decided not to pursue the building program at that time. However, as time went along they had the opportunity to start a ministry in India. Due to the church not being locked up in a building program they were able to pour more time and resources into the Indian ministries. "By 2005, more that 3500 churches had been planted along with more than 1700 children being cared for in a number of orphanages. More than 250,000 people have been won to Christ and embraced in an ever expanding circle of village churches," writes Phil Baker (for more, see Allan Meyer link above). While it seemed that God was not opening the way for Careforce in their building program, He was actually opening a floodgate of ministry through them in India.

Application: Simon, from our passage in Luke, had been out fishing all night and not caught anything. How disheartening to work all night for no reward. Maybe as Simon was washing his nets he was questioning his career as a fisherman. Maybe he was evaluating the effectiveness of his nets and assessing the location of his fishing spot on the lake. It's important to step back every now and again to evaluate what we are doing. Often it takes a difficult time for us to stop and think about what we are doing. But when Jesus gave a clear instruction to Simon he was obedient, left the shore and went back out. And the floodgates were opened. When we go through difficult times it can be really painful. However, if we stay faithful to God He will open up other opportunities for us that we would never have entertained if we were still back on the shore.

Prayer: Lord, going through difficult times can be so painful. May we stay faithful to You and trust that You have more in store for us in the future. Amen.

When have you felt like you were at a dead end? What doors (or floodgates!) opened up for you?

Be Delighted in Your Enemy's Failures

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

It's not like I wanted them to get hit by a bus or anything but I did feel great delight everytime their favourite football team lost.

Proverbs 24:1-34

Reference: v.17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice (NIV Bible)

Explore: I often amaze myself at how petty I can get when I am hurt. There was someone I used to attend church with who hurt me by totally breaking my trust in them. From then on, just within my heart, I always wished bad for them. It's not like I wanted them to get hit by a bus or anything but I did feel great delight everytime their favourite football team lost. Every little bit of pain they experienced I felt was justified because they had hurt me.

Application: When Jesus was instructing his disciples it will come to no surprise to you to know that He did not say, "Be delighted in your enemy's failures". In fact he said that we were to love our enemies. I guess that rules out rejoicing when their footy team loses! Often when we are hurt we easily slip into petty behaviours. The wisdom given to us from the Old Testament and the New Testament instructs us not to do so. It explains that God is to be the judge, not us. While that does not stop us from feeling hurt, it does hold us accountable for our behaviour as we respond to that hurt.

Prayer: Lord, when you walked this earth you were rejected by everyone. You understand what it is to be hurt. May we look to You as we strive to act in a Godly way towards those who hurt us. Amen.

Are you rejoicing over someone else's failure?

Hell In The Hallway

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

We live in the hope that God is with us and will not forsake us but those times of waiting can be terrible!

1 Kings 17.1-24

Reference: v.7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. (NIV Bible)

Explore: I heard Jentezen Franklin speak a few years ago and he added an additional line to a very familiar saying:

When one door closes
Another will one will open...
But it's hell in the hallway.

I had always known the first two lines and they do give hope to many of us. But the realism of the third line rings so true for me. We live in the hope that God is with us and will not forsake us but those times of waiting can be terrible!

Application: In this Bible passage we read that God provided Elijah's basic needs, even down to his food and water. But in verse 7 we read that his water supply dried up. Verse 8 says that the word of the Lord came to Elijah and he was told to go somewhere else but how long was it between verse 7 & 8? To be honest, if I were Elijah I would have started stressing even before it got to verse 7. I would have seen the water levels starting to go down and started to stress. Verse 7 would have read for me: 'And Linda, seeing that the brook was starting to die down, began to cry out to the Lord. "Why, oh Lord, have you brought me here, only to have my brook start to dry up? I thought this was the place you had called me. Now I'm not so sure. Please give me a sign, Lord. Should I leave? Are you going to still provide for me? Was this the right place to begin with? What am I going to do???"' Clearly Elijah had a lot more faith than I did - either that or they did not record his actual thought process!! However it is in these in between times where our faith is really tested. We want answers straight away but it is not always the right time for answers. Those times in the hallway can be the most gruesome, however it's often in the hallway where our faith can grow. In those times we rely so heavily on God and wait with baited breath for Him to respond that we grow closer to Him and our faith is stretched. While it may feel like 'hell in the hallway' it can often get us closer to a piece of Heaven.

Prayer: Lord, we know that you will never leave us nor forsake us, but so often our faith is shaken. Forgive us for our lack of trust. Amen.

What has helped you as you have sought God for an answer? What assists you when you are in the 'hallway'?

Feeling Appreciated

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:37:01 +0100

Abner totally changed sides when he was not appreciated for all the work he had given to the house of Saul.

2 Samuel 3.6-39

Reference: v. 8 Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said and he answered, “Am I a dog’s head – on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman!”

Explore: Abner had been loyal to Saul’s house and fought a great battle against David. Yet now Saul’s son had accused him of being unfaithful to Saul by sleeping with one of his concubines. Abner felt hurt, unjustly accused but most of all unappreciated. He had done so much in fighting for Saul’s house and this was the repayment he received. He was so hurt that he didn’t just leave Saul’s house but he intentionally worked hard to support David. When he got to David he had a feast prepared for him (the opposite to that which he found in Saul’s house) and this prompted him to continue working for David.

Application: It’s amazing how much trust and appreciation can contribute to team work. Because Abner was not appreciated for all the work he had done for Saul, he went to the opposite side and contributed in the down fall of the house he once served. I wonder if there are people around us who feel the same as Abner? Unappreciated for all the time and energy they have put into a task. What is our response to them? Do we treat them unfairly by forgetting them or accusing them of things we don’t know they have done? Or do we act like David and allow forgiveness to reign so that everyone can work together towards the good of our Creator? Today, are we going to set about accusing people, or preparing a feast of forgiveness? May our actions can have a positive impact on the people we interact with.

Prayer: Lord, sometimes we can be selfish and not think of the ramifications our accusations may have on others. Help me to be more like David and be willing to forgive rather than accuse. Amen.