His Goodness and Mercy

His Goodness and Mercy

“But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in the mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what person he was.” James 1:22

If I choose to allow the Word to allow transformation within my heart and mind it will be a daily practice. Those little steps of obedience in small matters can lead to greater obedience. It is a matter of taking what God says and holding it against the lies of the enemy and choosing to believe that word stands true. “Father the enemy wants me to go alone in this but Lord you tell me you will guide my steps when I ask you.” Father, show me what steps to take lead me Holy Spirit.” It is taking myself out of the equation and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me and direct me. And it will be a fight against my flesh every single day. But the Lord knows how deeply I desire to respond to His obedience and He encourages me to keep seeking and keep asking for that guidance. Because it is one thing for me to know what He is telling me to do and another thing to actually do it. It is a partnership in my relationship with God. 

“One small act of obedience can open the door to greater faithfulness. One small compromise can lead us into places we were never meant to go.” Andy Burns

“But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of works this person will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25

For many years I would hear what God said but never apply that understanding. I held the mindset of getting to that later. I am having too much fun and that would mean you stopping what I am doing to listen.  I would rather follow my desires than allow you to tell me what to do God. Stepping in that obedience could have built my growth and trust in God and I chose not to, that was a result of spending many years running from the Lord instead of running to Him. And praise the Lord those consequences didn’t result in what I should have been given. Because I look back those years apart from His Him and it could have destroyed me. But because of His rich mercy and grace I was spared what could have been. All because of Jesus. 

Do you think God is trying to cheat you out of things?

I did. Because that is what sin does. It looks pretty and fun until you can’t look at yourself in the mirror. Until that person you look at in the mirror becomes this reflection of everything you despise and hate within yourself. It doesn’t start off as that but it is that continuing to not listen to His speaking and prompting that distances us to a point that our hearts become rebellious and hardened. We never meant for it to go that far but those little steps of disobedience led to greater disobedience. And the Lord desires we will persevere and gives us that guidance to give us freedom. It can relect in our actions when we seek Him and His ways above ours. It was how we were meant to live. Freedom in Christ. 

His Word was designed to tell us who we are. It was to give us repentant hearts that cause us to turn back to Him. It calls out things in us that don’t belong to us.  It removes things so that we can move forward in obedience. It is the Living God moving in ways within us that can pour out in our actions. It takes our innermost thoughts and makes them obedient to Christ. 

Father,

You are our Firm Foundation. We can’t build our lives on anything else in this world. There is blessing in obedience. We can grow into trusting you more. 

“I am certain that I will see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the LORD.” Psalm 27:13-14

Holy Spirit give us responsive hearts to move and respond to have courageous hearts. Let that be an understanding that grows deep within our hearts and minds. 

Sit and tell the Lord what is on your heart. He is listening.