Perceived Perceptions| How God Tells Us to See

 

We are presented with options every day. We can make decisions based on what will best benefit our own self-interests, or we can demonstrate integrity and give up our rights in order to serve others and honor God. The small acts of obedience today will have a lasting impact on the future. Decide carefully. 

“Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water. So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins. And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock. So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me. And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there. Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing. Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭13:1-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we examine this passage from Jeremiah, we notice that the Lord is absolutely clear about the consequences of disobeying His instructions. This scripture can teach us to concentrate on listening to the Lord and carrying out His instructions. Making the difficult choice to serve Him without knowing the outcome and having the fortitude to carry out God's Will regardless of the situation. Look back on your lives and see how God utilized a challenging time to eventually produce something beautiful.

When God's redemptive plan is revealed, the outcome is always praising if we can get over our self-pity and go on toward what He has planned for our life. In a providential way, God is arranging the background details. Hold on to God's promises. Even if things may seem dire,  continue to have a lifelong relationship with Jesus. Lay all your burdens at His feet, for he is strong enough to carry them. We fall short when we attempt to accomplish what God does. We must develop in our faith to the point where we see that God can be our strength in times of weakness.