The Gap

The gap between the desire to do and actually doing God’s will is determined by how much we love and trust God and sometimes the pain we are willing to endure to do His Will His way. Some good examples?

“Loving your enemies.”
“Praying for those who despitefully use you.”

We have to be different. Scripture teaches, “And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that,” (Luke 6:33). LOL…as Christians even when our feelings don’t line up, we have to ignore them and move to do the right thing.

It doesn’t mean that you have to chase after or be close friends with people who are malicious or don’t have my/your/our best interest at heart, but returning evil for evil goes against everything God’s Word teaches. There are many promises for denying my/your/our feelings and being obedient. ”Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will posses,” (Deuteronomy 5:33). This was a command given by God to the Israelites; it applies to us as well.

Going to God in prayer about difficult situations, especially when it involves difficult people, is where you will gain strength to live His Word. The Word of God will also guide you with boundaries of association. When someone in your life is a fool or acting like one, His Word speaks to that as well. For instance, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him,” (Proverbs 26:4). Another to-the-point verse is found in verse 6 of Proverbs 26: “Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.” In Proverbs 22:24-25 we find these true words: “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.”

If you study, you will find many more verses that speak to dealing with difficult people. I just gave a few as examples of how great God’s Word is in guiding and directing your life in doing the right thing but also in guarding your heart. Proverbs 4:23, “ABOVE ALL ELSE GUARD YOUR HEART for EVERYTHING you do flows from it” [emphasis added].

My love for God has increased immeasurably by LIVING and applying His Word…even when very hard and difficult. Sometimes in the more difficult situations in my life is when I have seen God the clearest, especially when I obeyed even when I didn’t really feel like it. I encourage you today, read His Word. The book of Proverbs gives great wisdom for all of life.

The book of James is fabulous as well. It teaches us why we all face difficulty and trials, which is to mature us. None of us are exempt. It also gives great life instruction like, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”

So point of post–drink deeply from God’s Word. Step in faith to obey. You Will SEE God show up and show out. Obedience to His word ALWAYS BRINGS BLESSINGS.

How big is the gap in your life between the desire to do and actually doing God’s will? What do you need to do today to close the gap?

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