WORTHY Bible Studies

Isaiah 46:4-5 and 9 (hover over to view verses) Thoughts taken from my devotional time.

Today I want to look at another concern that we get caught up in life and in marriage … the fear that others can thwart God’s good purposes in our lives.

There are so many people in our lives {and spouses are no exception!} who we feel can threaten, harm, reject, control and steal from us. But this begs the question, …

“Does God leave us exposed and open to the hurt others can inflict upon our lives?”

If you’ve lived for more than one day, you know that He doesn’t remove all trouble or hurt from our lives. But if we read further in verse 4, we see that God not only “carries” us, but also “sustains” and “rescues” us! Those are words that go beyond being carried and move into the realm of God’s protection and ultimate redemption of any harm done to us.

Think for a moment about the negative situations you’re facing and the people who you feel threatened by …

Are they really thwarting God’s good purposes for you?

In Isaiah 46:5 and in Isaiah 46:9, we see God proclaiming His preeminence. He is God and no other person or thing is! No one can compare to Him. No one comes close to even being “like” Him.

Those threats we feel in our lives are “puny little men” compared to our great and powerful God!

It’s like me saying that I believe that the ants in the ground beneath my house can move it from its spot {the midwest U.S.}, carrying it clear across the country and dumping it into the ocean!

Now, we know ants are quite mighty for such tiny, little creatures, but come on, people! They sure aren’t moving any houses in my neck of the woods!

In other words, you and I are assigning the amazing and obvious power that ONLY God holds to that of an “ant of a man.”

If we really know the power God holds, then why do we continue to fear these “ants of people”?!

I don’t really know why you fear the people in your life, but I fear them because it seems they can hinder what I think I “deserve or want” from happening. But that’s a lie!

So if I peel back the falsehood, I see that I’m afraid because these “ants of people” can be tools in God’s refining purposes in my life—which might involve (yep, always involves) refinement of my character. At its core, I’m really afraid of God’s refinement, because refining hurts! But …

[Tweet “Refinement hurts for God’s good purposes! It hurts in an effort to purge the bad.”]

I certainly don’t want the bad to remain in my heart. Do you?

So why do we fear how God allows people to impact us?

We should be shouting, “Bring it on, Lord! Bring it on!!!”

What has helped you to grow in your understanding of God’s power?

What fears do you have about a hurtful person or situation in your life that keeps you from trusting in God’s sustainability and ultimate rescue?

***********************

I had my last radiation treatment Wednesday of this past week, and have a bit more time to devote to writing/reading now. And although, I may add a “Focused Devotion” sometime down the road, I will be returning to a more specific “marriage” focus for my posts on Sunday/Monday starting next week. Thank you all for your prayers and support during this difficult season in my life! I love and appreciate you all!

Linking up with – Marriage Mondays, Making Your Home Sing Monday, Living Proverbs 31, Sunday Stillness, Monday’s Musings, Marriage, Motherhood and Missions, and Playdates with God