By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. Hebrews 11:30
Last week we covered (here) a few reasons why we often do things our own way even though we know that, as Deuteronomy 6:24 says, God’s commands are “for our good always.”
There is no avoiding trouble in life— it comes to all of us— but a lot of pain could be avoided if we would just do things God’s way. He has defined His way for us in many areas: the family, the church, how to be saved, how to treat our enemies, etc. Yet we do so many things in violation of God’s established plans; then we wonder why life is full of trouble.
I’ve known young women raised in church who were warned to be careful when they started chasing after boys. When they started living with a man, people reminded them the Bible says fornication is sin (Galatians 5:19 e.g.). When they got pregnant, people warned them to either marry or be done with the young man if he would not take responsibility for the family he had made. They continued living with and having babies with men who would not marry them. I know one woman who became surrogate mother to her live-in boyfriend’s child. When they broke up, she had no legal rights and lost access to the child, and the child to her, after several years of bonding. I’ve seen women in these situations post things on Facebook warning young ladies to be careful who they date, live with, and have babies with.
They are warning others, but they themselves did not heed the warnings. They only discovered the truth that God’s way is best once they had done things their own way long enough to put themselves and their children in a very difficult and disadvantageous situation.
I’m sure they wish they had listened to their elders, just as they now hope that younger girls will listen to them.
There are only two options– doing things God’s way or NOT doing things God’s way. Continuing on the second path is only going to cause further problems. It’s like choosing to let your life get worse just because you can’t quickly fix what’s already wrong with it.
What if you resolved for the next year– just for one year– to do all things God’s way, to the best of your ability? Do you think your life would be better or worse at the end of the year? (Warning: Satan WILL try to stop you. But if you stick with it, God WILL bless you.)
God’s way is best.
Even when it isn’t popular.
Even when it isn’t easy.
Even when it means you have to wait for something you want.
Even when you don’t see the point.
Even when you don’t see how.
In Joshua 6 we find the familiar story of God’s plan for Israel to conquer the city of Jericho as their first step into the promised land of Canaan. This was a great victory for Israel, not just militarily, but also spiritually because they followed God’s plan to the letter and, of course, it worked. This was not the plan that any military strategist would have come up with. This plan probably sounded very strange when they first heard it. It would certainly not work under normal circumstances. If it could, it would have been repeated since then.
March around the city and blow trumpets? What good will that do?
But God’s way of doing things often runs counter to our expectations and to the thoughts of our limited minds.
God created all things perfect. Adam and Eve chose to sin, to do things their own way, and we’ve been trying to succeed through our own ideas and efforts ever since. So many troubles in life can be traced back in some way to sin, to someone somewhere doing things their own way instead of God’s way. It’s impossible to avoid all trouble in life, but only the fool “trusts in his own heart… Those who walk in wisdom are kept safe,” (Proverbs 28:26 NIV).
by Christie Cole Atkins
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times that I have arrogantly gone my own way, as if your laws and the consequences of breaking them shouldn’t apply to me. Thank You for the many ways that You have blessed me in spite of my rebellious foolishness. Help me to be more humble in the future, and give me the strength to do things Your way even when I don’t understand. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Related Reading:
Walk Worthy 