Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. (Lamentations 3:40)
When is the last time you examined your ways to see if they are in line with God’s ways? I find that living in a sinful world means that my heart is prone to wander. There are so many little “g” gods that demand my allegiance, and it’s easy to give into them before I even realize it. If I don’t take time regularly to examine my ways and to test them against God’s ways, then I risk walking on a path that isn’t pleasing to the Lord. In those moments, it’s time to return to Him.
Here are some of the little “g” gods that I can end up worshipping if I’m not careful.
- Selfishness/Pride – It’s so easy to buy into the belief that what I want is more important that what everyone else wants. Whether it comes to my time, my money, or my possessions, I can fall into the temptation to believe that they are all for me.
- Consumerism – Let’s face it: we live in a culture of consumerism. Rarely a day goes by that I don’t think of something that I could buy that would make me happy. What a silly lie. After I buy whatever it is, I’m still not happy – I’m just looking for something else. We are tempted in our culture to accumulate so much crap that we are distracted from spending our money on building up God’s kingdom.
- Control – This is really a form of pride and selfishness that is rooted in the belief that I know what’s best for myself and everyone else. How foolish to think that I have all of the answers, but the Enemy is good at planting the idea in our heads that if people just listened to us, then all of the problems would be solved.
Those are a few things that I was able to think of. What about you? In what ways do you need to examine your ways, test them, and return to the Lord? Be wise, and get yourself back on His path!
Lord, it’s so easy for me to wander away from Your path. I allow my heart to be enticed by things of this world, and before I realize what has happened, I am nowhere close to where You want me to be. Give me wisdom to examine my ways – my relationship ways, my financial ways, my leadership ways – and let me submit them to You. Guide me in Your paths, I pray.
About Seth
I have often struggled with “if only I had this I would be happier” when in fact I have so much more than I ever could have dreamed of just a few years ago. l am so blessed. One of my best friends recently sent me a quote from Robinson Crousoe that seems most fitting. “all our discontents about what we want appear to me to spring from the want (lack) of thankfulness for what we have.”
Todd, I know exactly what you mean! I have an abundance of possessions and I still want more. For me, this is one of the greatest challenges of living in the culture we live in. I have to constantly remind myself that stuff won’t make me any happier than I already am.