With earthly goals, we must be tentative. We may want to do certain things tomorrow, and even plan to do them. But we must not “boast” about them. In other words, we must not be too sure they will come to pass, since the Lord may have other plans.
God will inevitably appear to disappoint the man who is attempting to use Him as a convenience, a prop, or a comfort for his own plans, but He has never been known to disappoint the man who is sincerely wanting to cooperate with His own purposes.
There is nothing wrong with dreaming, nor is there anything wrong with planning and preparing. But we should not hold on to our expectations with too tight a grip — God may have other plans, plans which seem messy and inconvenient compared to ours.
Progress never comes except at a price, and it must occasionally be true that we have to bear a part of the price personally. At such times, we should be glad the event represents a gain for God’s cause and His kingdom, in the larger perspective.
One measure of our maturity is whether we can take pleasure in the happiness of others. In other words, a happiness should not have to be our own in order for it to bring us pleasure. We should be able to rejoice with those who rejoice!
Every action impacts the world. Doing good spreads light and positivity, while negative actions contribute to darkness. As interconnected parts of God’s creation, our choices ripple outward, influencing others. Let’s choose goodness and shine as lights.
In Christ, we each have a relationship with Him that is absolutely unique. God would have sent His Son to the cross if you were the only person who needed to be saved, and having saved you, He loves the way you respond to His goodness.
Without the focus that Jesus had on the Father’s glory, our joy tends to degenerate. It becomes the product of indulging our selfish desires, with little or no regard for whether that indulgence helps or hinders the outworking of God’s purposes.
Many questions are irrelevant to our own responsibility. If we know what the Lord would want us to do, then doing it is all that matters. Now is the time for obedience. There will be time enough for questions later.
Even when we’re going someplace exceedingly wonderful, saying goodbye is never easy. So this thing we call growth is a bittersweet blessing. So let’s keep a clear head, say our goodbyes with gratitude, and “go on to perfection.”