READ: PSALM
119:65-72
Human
beings have different ways of viewing the same event. Frankly speaking, there
are two broad ways of seeing things: the positive or the negative view. Which
view do you often use? Two believers were involved in a terrible head-on
collision. Both cars were damaged beyond repair, but as God would have it the
two of them survived the accident without a scratch. But by the time the first
one came out through the help of passers-by, he said, Thank God I am alive. The
other brother came out and said, ‘Oh God! My car is a write off.’ These two
accident survivors saw the same event from different perspectives. The first
saw God at work in delivering him from death. The other saw Satan at work
believing God neglected His duty of protection. How do you see the daily events
that transpire in your life? “It is good for me that I have been afflicted;
that I might learn Your statutes.” (Psalm 119:71).
In our reading, the Psalmist reveals that at some point in his life, he neglected the word of God and went astray like many of us today. Then God permitted some afflictions and suffering to come to him which eventually drove him back to God. He became very attentive and obedient to God’s word again. He saw the afflictions as a tool in God’s hands to bring him back on track and he appreciated it; but many people today will see it as wickedness on God’s part.
Ephesians 5:20 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18 say you should give thanks always and in all things. This means that because you are positively disposed, you should see it is God, not Satan that is at work in situations and circumstances that come your way. It also means that whatever negative event that occurs to a believer, there is always something good (which may not be apparent) to thank God for. It is only those positively disposed believers who can always fish out the ‘hidden’ goodness in the apparent bad event and begin to thank God profusely for it. Begin to thank God from today for every good thing in whatever that happens to you (Roman 8:28). If you did not lose your former job, the present one would not have come. If you did not have to go through that trial of faith, you would have remained a spiritual fledgling and therefore unqualified for greater spiritual assignments. That blessing is being delayed so that your testimony will be more outstanding. Thank God today.
In our reading, the Psalmist reveals that at some point in his life, he neglected the word of God and went astray like many of us today. Then God permitted some afflictions and suffering to come to him which eventually drove him back to God. He became very attentive and obedient to God’s word again. He saw the afflictions as a tool in God’s hands to bring him back on track and he appreciated it; but many people today will see it as wickedness on God’s part.
Ephesians 5:20 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18 say you should give thanks always and in all things. This means that because you are positively disposed, you should see it is God, not Satan that is at work in situations and circumstances that come your way. It also means that whatever negative event that occurs to a believer, there is always something good (which may not be apparent) to thank God for. It is only those positively disposed believers who can always fish out the ‘hidden’ goodness in the apparent bad event and begin to thank God profusely for it. Begin to thank God from today for every good thing in whatever that happens to you (Roman 8:28). If you did not lose your former job, the present one would not have come. If you did not have to go through that trial of faith, you would have remained a spiritual fledgling and therefore unqualified for greater spiritual assignments. That blessing is being delayed so that your testimony will be more outstanding. Thank God today.
MEMORIZE:
ROMANS 8:28 –And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
