Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Yes, Even Our Failures

ROMANS 8:28-29 – And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

THEME OF THE DAY. YES, EVEN OUR FAILURES. In walking with the Lord Jesus, we are faced with two things that are daily battles. First, the challenges of living separated from the world and progressing in personal holiness. These challenges are two-fold. There is the always present pressure from the world pulling us to give into its sensual pleasures, vain pursuits, and promises of contentment which never deliver. The other challenge is our never satisfied flesh. It constantly screams for ease, comfort, and tempts us to the sin of procrastination in spiritual things. And the flesh, like the world, will never take a vacation or weekend off. They both will continue their onslaughts against us till we die or the Lord Jesus returns.

The other thing we will face daily that seeks to derail our walks with the Lord is the accusations of the devil when we fail in our Christian life – And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God (Revelation 12:10). And fail we will. Often. What do we do when those flaming darts of accusation come from the devil? We put on the armor of God, particularly, the shield of faith – In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16). And part of that shield of faith is found in today’s scripture – God’s faithfulness to work all things for our good with the good being defined as conformity to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As we ponder this great promise of God to “work all things out for our good”, let’s not be selective in defining “all things.” I had a professor in school who said, “’All’ means ‘all’ and that is ‘all’ that ‘all’ means.” The “all things” the Apostle Paul writes of that God uses for our good must include our failings, even our sinning. And when we do fail and sin, the devil comes rushing upon us seething accusations that God is angry, done with us, and there is no hope. But we fight back knowing and clinging to the truth “all things work together for good” even our failings and sinning. This truth silences the devil, puts out the flames of guilt out, and allows us to keep on keeping on in our walks with the Lord. Why? Because “all things” really do work for good. Why? Because God is good and can turn failures into means of spiritual growth. Remember this empowering truth as we face the challenges of living out the Christian life in a fallen world.

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for Your unwavering faithfulness to complete the work in me You started.”

QUOTE: “It is God’s faithfulness, not our perseverance, that keeps grace alive in our lives.”