Today I will:
As the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith apart from [its] works of obedience is also dead. James 2:26 (AMP)
So many of us mentally ascend to the truths we read in the Bible or hear preached on Sunday morning. We shout out "Amen!" and "Hallelujah!" and nod approvingly. We agree with the wisdom found in Proverbs, the promises found in Psalms, and the principles found throughout the Epistles. We preach the peace of the Gospel, the prosperity of the believer, and the provision of God the Father. Yet, in our daily lives, involving the moment-by-moment battles for our thoughts and minds, we often find we are losing ground-quickly sinking-suddenly overcome with anxiety, disappointment, and even despair.
This failure to trust God in our daily lives must grievously displease Him as it so loudly proclaims our self-centeredness, While others around us are in need, we are so absorbed in our own problems that we are unable to show mercy-or simply unavailable to do a good deed. If we desire to be blessed, we must be a blessing. If we hunger for peace, we must be peaceable. If we are in need of mercy, we must be merciful.
The enemy strives to take our eyes off God's goodness and grace and keep us focused on the world's lack and depravity. If we are to inspire hope, we must be expectant. lf we are to see deliverance, we must show our exuberance for having been delivered. It is for good reason we are instructed in Philippians 4:4-8 to fill our minds with thoughts that are affirming, praise-worthy, and lovely.