2022-02-03
Psalm 37:7 CEV
The more we learn to trust God, the more we’ll learn to be patient. David said, ‘Trust the LORD and live right! The land will be yours, and you will be safe. Do what the LORD wants, and he will give you your heart’s desire’ (v.3-4 CEV). We might be striving and struggling to achieve something now, but if we just trusted in God’s timing, it would come easily to us when the moment was right.
Sometimes we’re not ready for the things we want, so God withholds them until we’re properly equipped for them (as long as they’re part of His plan for us). For example, we might want a better job, but God makes us wait until we’ve developed the skills and knowledge we need, and are ready for the extra responsibility before giving us the opportunity. In the Amplified Bible, we read, ‘Patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper]’ (Colossians 3:12 AMPC).
God teach us how to wait, and He also teaches us how to have a good attitude while we’re waiting. The Message paraphrases James’ words: ‘Don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature’ (James 1:4 MSG). The more we realise that God keeps His promises, the more we’ll be willing to trust Him and His timing, however long it takes.
God sometimes allows certain things to happen to teach us how to 1) maintain our faith when times get tough, 2) show grace under pressure by controlling our responses, and 3) develop new skills and better ways of thinking. We may think we know what we want and where we should be, but God really does know. So let’s ‘be patient and trust the LORD.’
Rom 15-16; Luke 7:36-50; Ps 111; Pro 3:29-30
Psalm 37:7 CEV
Patience is born of trust. David said, “Trust the Lord and live right! The land will be yours, and you will be safe. Do what the Lord wants, and he will give you your heart’s desire” (vv. 3-4 CEV). God has a plan for your life. It includes things you can’t have today that you will be able to enjoy tomorrow. When spring comes, the grass grows on its own. So, stop struggling to accomplish something now that will be easy when the time is right.
When you refuse to give a toddler something that’s not good for him, he stomps his foot and cries, “I want it now!” So, do you give in to him? No, because he is not ready for it yet. Paul writes, “Patience […has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper]” (Colossians 3:12 AMPC). Not only is God teaching you how to wait but how to have a good attitude while you’re doing it.
James writes, “Don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature” (James 1:4 MSG). God permits certain things to happen in life to teach us important principles like (1) maintaining our faith when times get tough, (2) showing grace under pressure by controlling our responses, and (3) developing new skills and better ways of thinking.
The truth is, God is developing qualities in you right now that can’t be developed any other way. When He’s finished, you will have the maturity to handle what He has in mind for you. So, don’t let the Enemy rattle you or the circumstances put you into overdrive. “Be patient and trust the Lord.”
Soul food: Rom 15-16; Luke 7:36-50; Ps 111; Pro 3:29-30
Psalm 37:7 NLV
Geduld word uit vertroue gebore. Dawid het gesê: ‘Vertrou op die Here en doen wat goed is. Woon in die land en geniet die veilige weiding. Wees bly in die Here, en Hy sal jou hartsbegeertes aan jou gee’ (verse 3-4 NLV). God het ‘n plan vir jou lewe. Dit sluit dinge in wat jy nie vandag kan kry nie, maar wat jy more sal kan geniet. Wanneer die lente aanbreek, groei die gras vanself. Hou dus op sukkel om iets nou te bereik wat maklik sal wees wanneer die tyd reg is.
Wanneer jy weier om vir ‘n kleuter iets te gee wat nie goed vir hom is nie, stamp hy sy voet en skree: ‘Ek wil dit nou hê!’ Gee jy dit dan vir hom? Nee, want hy is nog nie reg daarvoor nie. Paulus skryf: ‘Julle moet geduldig wees…’ (Kolossense 3:13 NLV). Nie net leer God jou hoe om te wag nie, maar ook hoe om ‘n goeie houding daaroor te hê.
God laat toe dat sekere dinge in die lewe gebeur om ons belangrike beginsels te leer, soos: 1) om ons geloof te behou wanneer dinge moeilik gaan, 2) om genadig onder druk te wees deur ons reaksies te beheer, en 3) om nuwe vaardighede en beter denkwyses te ontwikkel. Die waarheid is dat God tans besig is om kwaliteite in jou te ontwikkel wat nie op enige ander manier ontwikkel kan word nie. Wanneer Hy klaar is, sal jy die volwassenheid hê om dit wat Hy vir jou in gedagte het, te hanteer.
Moet dus nie toelaat dat die Vyand jou senuweeagtig maak of toelaat dat die omstandighede jou paniekerig maak nie. ‘Wees stil in die Here en wag geduldig op Hom…’
Sielskos: Rom 15-16; Luk 7:36-50; Ps 111; Spr 3:29-30
2022-02-02
Matthew 4:19 NLT
When others don’t see your potential, Jesus does. In common fishermen, He saw the capacity to change the world. Here is something you may not have considered: There are two sides to following Jesus – you believe in Him, and He believes in you. Jesus told Simon Peter and Andrew, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to…”
Do you doubt that? So did Nathanael. When he was invited to meet Jesus, he said, “Can…any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see” (John 1:46 KJV). Even after three years of witnessing Jesus’ miracles, His disciples still had doubts. Notice how often He said to them, “O ye of little faith”; “Still you do not believe”; and “If you believed, you would see.”
Knowing they were anxious about what would happen when He left them and went back to heaven, Jesus said, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16 KJV). The Greek word for comforter is parakletos, meaning “one who comes alongside to help you.”
The truth is, there will never be a day when you don’t need God’s help or when it isn’t available to you. Maybe you still have doubts. If so, take heart! Jesus loves doubters. Didn’t he handpick Thomas? Maybe you think you have too many weaknesses. So did Peter – but Jesus made him the head of the church. Just come as you are, and let His presence rub off on you. What do you have to lose? If you have tried it your way and it’s not working, come, give Jesus a chance!
Soul food: Rom 12-14; Luke 7:24-35; Ps 107:33-43; Pro 3:27-28
Matteus 4:19 DB
Wanneer ander mense nie jou potensiaal raaksien nie, doen Jesus dit wel. Hy het in eenvoudige vissermanne die kapasiteit om die wêreld te verander, gesien. Jesus het vir Simon Petrus en Andreas gesê: ‘…Kom agter My aan! Word my volgelinge. Dan sal Ek julle wys hoe…’ Betwyfel jy dit? Nataneal het ook. Toe hy uitgenooi is om Jesus te ontmoet, het hy gesê: ‘…’Hoe kan daar uit Nasaret iets goeds kom?’ ‘Kom kyk self,’ het Filippus hom uitgenooi’ (Johannes 1:46 NLV).
Selfs na drie jaar wat hulle Jesus se wonderwerke aanskou het, het sy dissipels steeds vertwyfelinge gehad. Kyk net hoe dikwels het Hy vir hulle gesê: ‘Julle kleingelowiges’; ‘Tog glo julle nie’; en ‘As jy glo, sal jy sien.’ Omdat Hy geweet het dat hulle angstig was oor wat sou gebeur wanneer Hy hulle verlaat en terugkeer hemel toe, het Jesus gesê: ‘En Ek sal die Vader vra en Hy sal vir julle ‘n ander Raadgewer stuur om vir altyd by julle te wees’ (Johannes 14:16 NLV).
Die waarheid is dat daar nooit ‘n dag sal verbygaan waar jy nie God se hulp nodig het of waar dit nie vir jou beskikbaar is nie. Miskien twyfel jy nog steeds. Indien dit die geval is, skep moed! Jesus is lief vir twyfelaars. Het Hy nie Tomas self uitgekies nie? Miskien dink jy dat jy te veel swakpunte het. Petrus het dit ook gedink – maar Jesus het hom die hoof van die kerk gemaak.
Kom net soos jy is en laat sy teenwoordigheid toe om aan jou af te smeer. Wat het jy om te verloor? As jy dit op jou manier probeer het en dit het nie gewerk nie, kom, gee Jesus ‘n kans!
Sielskos: Rom 12-14; Luk 7:24-35; Ps 107:33-43; Spr 3:27-28
