Developing a way of life that gives us hope is what God wants for us. He wants the best for us. The way we develop this kind of life is by being with God. We must invest the time to build the habit of spending time with God. It is only when we spend time with Him that we can ensure that we have discernment for the many decisions that will come our way. If we do not have discernment it is all too easy for the enemy to distract us away from what God wants for us. This is what the enemy wants. We cannot afford to give the enemy an inch if we want the lives that God desires for us. The world is filled with distractions. Let us not be consumed by the world, but rather be consumed with spending time with our creator. Our hope for life will never cease in this way.
I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
1 Corinthians 7:35 NIV
God is always here for us. We can have boundless hope for the ways God will show up for us. We only need to ask Him for help. It is when we are close to Him that we can see and feel His help without question. The temptation we face in this world is meant to be a distraction from God. If Satan can keep us distracted he doesn’t have to pull us away from God. We end up doing that all on our own. Staying close to God is how we maintain and grow our hope for life. He provides the way away from temptation and if we find ourselves in the midst of it He provides the way through it. He wants to bolster our strength in the face of all that the world has to throw at us. His strength will give us the hope of endurance through the most difficult parts of life.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
Considerations for your planner:
- Have you developed a strong relationship with God? Write down how you invest into your relationship with God each day.
- Do you feel distracted? What discernment means to you? Write down the things that are most difficult for you to make decisions about.
A Story of Discernment:
Making decisions is hard. I used to think it was just the big decisions that were difficult, but I have come to find that the small decisions can be tough too. Before I was close with God the big decisions distracted me. I didn’t even notice the small decisions. I didn’t notice how important they were to my closeness with God.
Being distracted by the big decisions, like what job to have, saving or not saving money, buying a home, having children, kept me from talking to God regularly. I thought I could only reach out to Him when I was really struggling with life changing decisions. I failed to realize that it was all the little decisions that really built the habits of my life.
Since I have gotten to know God like a friend, I talk to Him about everything. I ask Him to wake me up in the morning. I ask Him to help me discern what to eat. I want His help with everything. It has been such a comfort to talk to Him so much. I rarely feel confused anymore. I feel strengthened in my day to day life. I love having God guide my every step. I have the greatest hope for my future and the things God will give me, because He trusts me to come to Him.
- Anonymous
Strengthen the Christian Planner Family by sharing your experiences. We'd love to hear a story about God's work in your life. Use the form linked below to submit your story.
