Charles Stanley (August-19-2021) Daily Devotional: Self-Inflicted Adversity
Psalm 119:65-72 – 65 You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. 66 Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments. 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. 68 You are good and do good; Teach me Your statutes. 69 The arrogant have forged a lie against me; With all my heart I will observe Your precepts. 70 Their heart is covered with fat, But I delight in Your law. 71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. 72 The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
The difficulties we face originate from one of three sources. Some are allowed by the Lord to develop our faith, others are the result of Satan’s attacks, and still others could be due to our own sinful choices.
As you consider these three causes, which type is the hardest for you to bear? I think most of us would say the last one because we have nobody to blame but ourselves, and it seems as if no good could possibly result. Since Galatians 6:7 (Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap) says we reap what we have sown, we see nothing ahead except a painful harvest.
But this kind of thinking fails to take into account the Lord’s redemptive abilities. He can use our failures to teach us valuable lessons—to fear Him, hate evil, and walk in obedience. What we learn can also become our protection from sin in the future, so in the end even our own mistakes are not wasted.
As painful as your situation may be, the heavenly Father deserves thanks for caring enough to discipline lovingly. Now it’s up to you. How will you respond to His warning? When we learn from experience, the scars of sin can lead us to restoration and a renewed intimacy with God.
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