OVERCOMING SOME THINGS THAT PREVENT US FROM ENJOYING OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of
witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin
that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the
race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer
and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured
the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand
of the throne of God.
(Hebrews 12:1-2)

MEDITATION:
While everyone wants to feel like a success,
many (if not most) people do not see themselves that way.
It may be surprising, but a lot of Christians
don’t consider themselves successful either.

One culprit is ‘fear’.
We may think we lack the ability or have
insufficient experience to achieve a task God has given us.
As a result, fear can become a dominant emotion that
paralyzes us and prevents us from
enjoying doing what God asks of us.

Instead of seeing ourselves moving forward,
we begin to visualize ourselves as failures.
Is that the case for you whenever you think
about your future, and God’s plans for you?

Another blockage to success is doubt.
It makes us question our thinking,
our God-given abilities, and even God’s direction for our lives.
If we don’t know what the Lord says in His Word,
we may find it hard to understand what He is asking of us.

Doubt can cause us to question
whether or not the direction is from God.
In addition, past failures and guilt over prior mistakes can
create doubt (critical comments from others can also impede us).
Has doubt started dominating your thinking?

Success can also be hindered by the excuses
we offer for not doing what He has asked us to do.
Adam blamed Eve; Eve blamed the serpent.
Moses said he was not good at public speaking.
What excuses have you been offering lately?

ACTION:
There are ways to remove these ‘success blockers’.
We can overcome our fear with the truth of scripture and
remembering we have received a spirit of power from the Lord.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us
timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
(2 Timothy 1:7)

Instead of focusing on our past failures,
we should invest time in deepening our relationship
with God, so that we will be able to believe and
obey His instructions with courage and confidence.

One of the ways we can prove our love and trust
in the Lord is to strive to obey His commands.
A good gesture of trust is shown
whenever we obey His command to tithe.

When we tithe, we are saying,
“God, I trust You to take care of my needs”.
It is an expression of love and obedience.
We should also remember that God has said,
“You may keep 90% of what I have given you”.

Initially, it may be a struggle to return to God a portion of
what He has given us, but when we obey, we find that we
have stopped making excuses for disobedience, and it can be
a giant step toward ‘enjoying’ our obedience to His commands.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart
to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a
cheerful giver.
(2 Corinthians 9:7)

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I admit that fear and doubt can
control me at times and cause me to fail to follow
Your will for my life. Forgive me for the times I have
delayed, or made excuses for not doing what You
have called and equipped me to do. Create courage
and confidence in me, along with a determination to
answer Your call for my life. Help me to stop focusing
on my past failures so that I can start looking forward
to, and embracing, what you have for me to do going
forward. Thank You for valuing me enough to let me
be a part of Your plans.”