“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” - Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
Few lives have ever been spared from upsets. An upset is an event that happens to any life usually after seeking something in earnest only to meet failure or disaster. Upsets can be disorienting, and bring a terrible anguish. After all, we all know of people who went for weeks feeling despondent after their favorite teams lost a game. But that is a game; there are those who lose out on getting a good job, a proposal turned down, a battle lost, and one having spent all his energy is left crushed.
The Bible has some striking cases of dealing with upsets. After King David had been informed that his child with Bathsheba was to die for causing her husband’s death, he prayed as hard as he could- if only God would change His mind. So, “.. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them” (2 Samuel 12:16-17).
However, still, the child died. Upon realizing, “David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate” (vv 18).
They were very mistaken.
Once he had determined the child had died, “David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped..” (vv 20).
David’s reaction to an upset can be related to that of Job who, after he lost everything, once news had been relayed to him, rather than sink into a depression, he “got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1: 20-21).
When in our walk with Christ, we do encounter upsets, for they will always be there; may we not let that feeling of loss linger to overwhelm us into depression. As we find later both King David and the rancher Job would later be blessed mightily. They lived to enjoy those blessings because they had the right attitude, an unwavering trust in God.
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, in all upsets of whatever nature I face, to you I turn and give praise, for you remain God, and in trusting you I know there are better days are ahead!
Related upcoming events
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18/04/2024 - 19/04/2024 All day“In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:26-7).
Once a certain gentleman saw a small mount of soil rising in one of his sparsely used bed rooms in his country house. He went back to the city unbothered. Upon his return he was shocked to find that what was once a small soil mount had grown into a huge anthill almost blocking the entrance. How did it get this big!” he whistled with disbelief.
Anyone who has leveled anthills knows that you need to dig up one down to the very bottom and seize the queen ant. So, in this case, it meant he had to excavate to the very foundations of the house. It was a costly venture involving destroying much of the original infrastructure.
So, what had begun as a small foothold in his house almost caused the gentleman to lose his entire beautiful country house. After all was done, he regretted why he had not attacked that small mount of soil the day he had spotted it but then ignored. He would have saved himself all this huge cost.
When the Bible cautions us, “and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27), it is not speaking of some big and overwhelming sin that is gripping a believer. Just as with that soil mount a foothold starts as a small poisonous seed dropped into one’s life appearing harmless at the start. But ignored it gradually grows into one huge tree with deep roots that to uproot it a life may go with it altogether.
For Believers there are all kinds of footholds. It could be unwholesome little talk spaced with curses. Sometimes it is occasional dabbling into harmful alcoholic beverages or dangerous drugs. There could be that small habit of helping oneself with company funds against policy. There is also that seemingly innocent peep into porn sites, after all, no harm!
Ignored, the once small foothold gradually extends into one huge and terrifying mountain, not that easy to level as it now completely controls its victim. To level it down would come at such a stiff price. For this reason, do not take lightly any temptations that come your way. The moment you give the devil an inch you are in for a long ride!
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, I pray to guard myself against any foothold the devil might trap me with, to live a victorious life in Christ, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
