Allow Him to Bless You
ICS Daily Devotions
1 Timothy 6:11-12 (NKJV) But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
According to Dallas Willard, “The most important thing in your life is not what you do; it’s who you become. That’s what you will take into eternity.” In achieving success, we must also consider what we have become. Many people live miserably because they define prosperity as only money and achievements. There is nothing wrong with wealth and accomplishments if they are blessings from the Lord. When God blesses us, He adds no sorrow to it. Knowing that God has blessed us materially also keeps us humble.
Godliness with contentment is a great gain. We should desire to live a life that is blessed holistically, which includes having a close walk with God and good mental and physical health. Most importantly, seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness will allow us to experience blessings that are all-encompassing rather than just materially.
We should transform our minds by seeking a new identity in Christ. The Creator of heaven and earth accepts us, and what He thinks of us matters most in our lives. God loves us unconditionally and brings a priceless, quiet contentment that satisfies our hearts. This can coexist with achieving accomplishments. He leads us, and our identity is firmly grounded in who we are in Christ, even though the journey may not be easy. We operate from a position of rest in Him because we have nothing to prove to anyone, nobody to impress, and our entire purpose in everything we do is to glorify God.
The opening Scripture asks us to flee from the pride of life, the love of money, the lust of the eyes, and the world. God has a good plan for us, but we must be patient as He unveils His plan, and fight to resist the ways of the world and the identity the world imposes upon us. Instead, we should hold onto the Word soundly while disallowing the love of money to creep into our hearts.
1 Timothy 6:17b (NKJV) but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
Do you view God more as a judge than a loving Heavenly Father and the Creator who has created everything for us to enjoy? Because some struggle to believe that God wants us to enjoy life with Him, they have turned away from Him in their pursuit of wealth to indulge in worldly pleasures, thus piercing themselves with many sorrows. The biblical truth is that God delights in our enjoyment of life and our success in work. However, we need to prioritise seeking Him first and trust Him to provide for us, help us in our jobs, inspire our creativity, nurture our careers, and accompany us through difficult times. Walk in the will of God and allow Him to bless you!
Sermon Series: Hopefully Contented
