Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—The Rewards From Calling On God
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Much focus is placed on memorizing the Scriptures [head knowledge], still, a heart-to-heart, intimate and thriving relationship with Jesus Christ is our priority. God requires us to put Him first over our spouse, children, family, and friends. Every day we face numerous tasks and complex challenges that demand our time and deplete our mental strength and physical energy. When do we have the extra time needed to keep God first?
Living with daily stressors and a full schedule eventually causes us to become overwhelmed. Distractions are part of the spiritual warfare Satan uses to keep us from staying in God’s presence. Saying yes to every invitation for various activities leaves our family life in chaos. Too many responsibilities equal no time for God.
Spiritual Benefit: Jesus promised to give us inner peace and joy. “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22). Yet, the human effort of giving God quality time is required to receive the promises of Divine Intervention.
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
Go to God for help! Write a hardcopy list of your daily activities for one week. Present it to God in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the necessary changes for you (and your family) to incorporate time for worship, rest, and relaxation. We can include every aspect of our lives to God in prayer and ask for guidance.
By having little talks with Jesus throughout the day, the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to complete our necessary tasks. And we develop the habit of praying.
Whether facing a significant life event or looking for misplaced keys, pray and ask for help. Feeling fatigued in the afternoon, take a prayer break instead of a coffee break. The rewards of an up-close and personal relationship with Jesus are beyond our understanding. We can have peace and a mindset of joyful expectations.
God’s promises and rewards are for the righteous. Studying the Bible is an integral part of our worship. Knowledge and wisdom are required to maintain our faith and sustain our spiritual strength. We must know who God is and memorize His promises to have peace and joy.
In times of distress, proclaim that you belong to God! Sing praises with a loud voice! [Psalm:98:4]. Faith and trust in God change our outlook from worried to confident, stressed to relaxed. Be courageous and have confidence, if our God said it, then He will do it!
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him, the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:20
Prayer: God, we thank You for the privilege to approach Your throne of grace. We need your help to live faithfully and righteously. Thank You for resolving our challenges, great and small. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 