God says He’ll complete the work He has begun in us which is the process of transforming us into the likeness of Christ. But do we often suffer unnecessarily in the process because we’re determined that our way is better than His?

Welcome to “God’s Word Day by Day,” where I blog through the Bible in a Year. I hope you’ll join me every day. If you’re not already signed up, you can do it here or subscribe and watch on YouTube.

Today’s Readings:

Isaiah 63 & 64
Psalm 115.14-18
Proverbs 26.27
Philippians 1.1-30

Are You Suffering Unnecessary Pain & Heartache?

Philippians 1.1-30:

Ignoring His counsel

Philippians 1.6 is one of my favorite verses. It gives me great hope to read, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Isn’t it good to know that He is the one who will complete His work in us? And … He never gives up! But I wonder how often we make His work harder … on us!

Someone gave me a great illustration of this. I was explaining this passage and she told me it reminded her of the scene in Finding Nemo where Nemo and Dorie were told not to go around or over the gap, but through it. When they get there, that just doesn’t seem right to them; so they decide to swim over it. They end up running into a huge school of jellyfish! They survive, but not without getting stung and suffering a great deal of pain! How like our attempts to figure things out for ourselves, often ignoring what God says, and doing what seems right to us (Prov. 14:12)! And in the process, we suffer unnecessary pain and hardship.

Going Through the Gap

But going through the gap is often the last thing we want. Even though 1 Corinthians 10.13 promises us:

¹³No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Notice that last section, “so you may be able to endure it.” The way of escape is often through the trial.

In fact, James reminds us that we can:

²Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

As we obey God and respond His way, we can know that He will not allow the trial to be greater than we can handle. And spiritual growth and maturity come as we trust Him to see us through the trials we face, not by escaping from them in unbiblical ways.

[Tweet “Are you suffering unnecessary pain and hardship? #hardship #suffering #soulsurvival”] [Tweet “Spiritual growth and maturity come as we trust God to see us through the trials we face, not by escaping from them in unbiblical ways. #trials #trustingGod #faith #soulsurvival”]

Today’s Other Readings:

Isaiah 63 & 64:

Filthy Rags

Chapter 64 contains the following passage:

4 For since the beginning of the world
Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness,
Who remembers You in Your ways.
You are indeed angry, for we have sinned—
In these ways we continue;
And we need to be saved.
6 But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.

This passage speaks of the greatness of our God and our universal need for salvation. Each of us is like an “unclean thing.” All our righteousness, all our good deeds, and all our attempts at trying to save ourselves or earn God’s approval are like filthy rags. We are unclean by nature, sinners from the womb. If it weren’t for God …

But God …

Do you realize that the Bible is all one big “but God”? But God who is rich in mercy, who knows what we are, though our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, chose to die in our place!

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5.21).

That’s a reason to shout!

[Tweet “Do you realize the Bible is all one big “but God”? #God #redemption #soulsurvival”] [Tweet “All our attempts at righteousness are like filthy rags! #righteousness #sin #soulsurvival”]

Psalm 115.14-18:

To Die is Gain, but Only in God’s Timing

The dead do not praise the LORD, nor any who go down into silence. But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore (vv. 17-18).

Even though we will praise God for all eternity in heaven, dead men and women will not be able to praise Him here on this earth.

Paul spoke of this in our Philippians reading today. He said, that for him to die would be gain for him personally, but it would prevent him from bearing fruit in his earthly ministry (Phil. 1.21-22).

That’s the balance that we as believers should hold onto. We should have a yearning for heaven and all that is promised to us, but we should have an equal desire to stay here as long as God wants us to stay so that we can fulfill His purposes for us here on the earth.

Proverbs 26.27:

Whoever Digs a Pit …

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

This is the law of sowing and reaping. Paul in Galatians 6 stated it this way:

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

And we not only plant seeds and reap results in our finances and other material ways but in our relationships, as well.

The Golden Result

Most of us are familiar with what’s often called “the golden rule” from Matthew 7.12:

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets (NLT).

But obeying “the golden rule,” usually leads to “the golden result.”

For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged (Matt. 7.2 NLT).

It doesn’t mean that when you treat others well everyone will instantaneously do the same. But more often than not, when you have an attitude of grace, kindness, and forgiveness, the same will come back to you.

[Tweet ““Whoever digs a pit will fall into it …” #sowingandreaping #Proverbs #soulsurvival”]

Your Thoughts:

How has God spoken to you today? Perhaps you saw a passage in a new light or an area where you need to grow and change. Did you find a promise to hold on to? I’d love to hear your thoughts.