Adversity Gets Our Attention

Adversity Gets Our Attention Devotional Reading August 10, 2023

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

The thought of not taking the time to build our relationship with Christ should provoke remorse and immediate corrective action, but sadly it doesn’t. We love our earthly lives. Most of our time is used to pursue our goals and dreams and then exhausted, we choose screen time to wind down and relax.

“Be still and know that I am God…” —Psalm 46:10

Our perception of the meaning of “Be still and know that I am God…” does not coincide with God’s definition of taking the time every day to pause, cease our tasks, reflect, and worship Him.

Psalm 46:10 is a popular verse for comforting ourselves and others—many people tend to think this verse means to rest or relax in who God is. This verse does encourage believers to reflect on who God is, but there is more to this psalm than one verse—and verse 10 is actually more of a wake-up call to be in awe than a gentle call to rest. Taking time out of our day to meditate on Scripture and be silent with listening ears toward God is mentioned in other sections of Scripture (Psalm 119:15, Joshua 1:8, Luke 5:16, and others). Crosswalk.com

We are living in Perilous Times. With the combination of the continuous and deliberate distractions of spiritual warfare and our earthly pursuits, we love God but do not have the time to pray and study the Scriptures. Because God loves us and desires that none perish, He uses adversity as a means of redirection. And most of the time, it takes adversity to bring our busyness to a halt.

Yes, adversity redirects our focus to God. Still, our response to adversity indicates whether or not we will draw closer to Christ. Discouragement and sorrow are normal reactions, but we should not allow ourselves to progress to feelings of anger, bitterness, and despair.

Turn to God in adversity. Pray for strength and guidance, study the Bible, and rededicate your life to Christ. It is not a time to try to bargain or negotiate with God. It is a time to grow closer to Christ.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” —2 Peter 3:9

Always remember, Jesus’ goal is to save our souls!

Prayer: God, we thank You for redirecting our focus to You. We admit that we have not put You first in our lives. Thank You for loving us. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

© 2023 Sonya Darcell Johnson Steps 2 Success with Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries