Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions

Many individuals place enormous emphasis on the Easter holiday, yet, they have not surrendered their hearts to serve our Lord and Savior. Celebration of a “Holy Week,” “Lent,” or attending a yearly church service to commemorate Jesus’ resurrection is meaningless without surrender. The appreciation of Jesus’ great sacrifice must infiltrate our hearts 365 days a year. Our thoughts, habits, decisions, and lifestyles reflect whether or not we have a heart-to-heart relationship with Jesus Christ.

Faith, obedience, love for God and others, and striving for holiness indicate our loyalty to God. Discipleship is praying as Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but Your will be done.” Daily worship through prayer and study of the Scriptures keeps us on the Path of Righteousness. Are we glorifying God? Our goal is to hear, “Well-done.”

The Time is Near–“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (Revelation 22:12-13).

Prayer: Jesus, we praise You for laying down Your life so that we may be redeemed from our sins. We desire to consecrate our lives to You. Give us strength as we prepare for Your soon coming. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer. We ask this prayer in Your Holy name. Amen.

In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. (Psalm 62:7-8)

Although our worldview is to strive for independence, that concept can never be an actual reality, God created humanity to rely on Him and each other to live a productive life. Self-reliance always produces internal conflict. Why? When we lose our desire to seek God for help because of a spirit of independence, a chasm of separation forms between God and us.

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing. (John 15:5). Jesus reminds us of our inability to be faithful, obedient, and have spiritual growth without a steadfast connection to Him.

The times that we are overconfident–relying on our ability to resolve our life challenges will end. Eventually, we will face an obstacle that requires God’s Divine Intervention. The frustration builds, yet, our limitations are God-designed. Either we rely on God or ourselves. Our finite intellectual resources can only take us to a certain point. We become weary from failed attempts to resolve the hardships. The unresolved outcome leads us to pray, “God, I need Your help!,” or to feel angry and abandoned, asking, “Where is God?”

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17)

God reminds us of the human effort required to stay connected to Him. Abiding in His presence is a daily intentional endeavor. We determine in our hearts to seek God by placing Him first in our lives. Not only during hardships but also in peaceful times. When our dependency on God becomes a standard, we confidently proclaim that God will never leave or forsake us!

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31)