OCTOBER 30, 2025 ~ FROM A PASTOR'S HEART

OCTOBER 30 DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING: 1 CHRONICLES 4:9-10

If you are like me as a follower of Jesus, you have prayed sometime or another, "Lord, whatever you have to do to grow me up into what you want me to be, please do it" or " Lord use me in any way that brings glory to you." Then the Lord begins to work in our lives, but in a way we were not expecting, maybe through hard times and we draw back and say, "Lord, I wanted to grow and I wanted to be used by you, but I didn't mean for it to be like this!" We do have a tendency to want to be in charge of God, even when He is working His work in us, to grow us up and use us in His Kingdom work. He is always at work in and through us. We have to trust Him that what He is doing is perfect for us and will result in that which brings Him glory.

We in the western church have a view that if it is a blessing that we like, it must be from God, so we rejoice and receive it gladly. Conversely, if it seems like a curse or a hard time, it cannot be from a God, so we reject it and pray against it. This is strange in that Jesus told His followers, "In this world you will have trials and tribulations, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world." True blessings come to us from God, because they are from God. It is not determined by how they are wrapped. God can and does use hard times, loss, persecution and difficulties, to grow us up and to bring glory to His Name. We need to stop looking so much at the event that is happening in our lives and start looking for the Lord in the event. For what is sure, is whether the situation or circumstance is pleasant or difficult...the Lord is in the midst of it, showing Himself to be the good, loving, caring God that He is. And He will use it to grow us and glorify Himself.

Please share your thoughts.