If Only

Do you ever get the “If Onlies”?  That’s when you basically regret whatever decision you made, because you now are experiencing the consequences of it.  Such as, “If only I had focused on my college education while I was in College, then maybe I would know what to do in this job situation.”  “If only I had not driven so fast, then I wouldn’t have gotten that ticket.”  “If only I had listen to my parents, then I wouldn’t have stayed with that boy and ended up in this predictment.”  We all get the “If Onlies” once and awhile.  Hopefully, we can learn from them and not make the same mistake twice or even be able to offer advice to others.  God gets the “If Onlies” about us.  Read Psalm 81: 13-14.

13 If only My people would listen to Me and Israel would follow My ways, 14 I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes.”

God gives us so much that it should be easy to obey Him.  Yet it is like we are never satisfied or we still don’t trust Him.  We are just as stubborn as the Israelites.  They saw so many miraculous and wonderful things done by God and yet they instantly would not obey Him and wonder off His chosen path for them.  They ended up so many times during their history fighting enemies, starving and having their homes taken from them.  God thinks to Himself, “If only My people would have listen to Me and Israel (or put your name here) would follow My ways.”  Look what blessings He would have given the Israelites (or put your name here) if they/we would have only followed Him whole heartedly. If we had not followed our selfish desires, our enemies would have been subdued.  If only we had obeyed, life might have been better.  Wisdom would be not to have the “If Onlies” or to cause God to have the “If Onlies”, but instead to follow His ways and obey.

Words of Satisfaction

Remember that song, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”? Not the best lyrics, but it is trying to make the point that the man tries all these different things and can’t get any satisfaction out of them.  This song represents a very sad way to live.  Yet, God has made us to live our lives in ways that are more than just satisfying; our lives were to be fulfilling.  Jesus came that we might have an abundant life.  One of the ways that God teaches in His Word to get satisfaction is through the words we speak and share with others.  Read Proverbs 12:14.

A man will be satisfied with good by the words of his mouth, and the work of a man’s hands will reward him.

Many times we don’t really realize how important our words are.  We carelessly speak words, thinking it doesn’t really matter.  We say to ourselves, “What does it matter what I said.  They will forget what I said anyways.”  However, in reality, once you have said something you can’t take it back.  You can try to apologize or delete that post from Facebook, but if someone has seen or heard your words you cannot erase them from their minds.  Rash, foolish or angry words will end up bringing us bad things.  We will get no satisfaction out of them.  Good, kind, helpful, loving, wise words will reap all kinds of benefits.  We will gain satisfaction from them.  Basically this is the concept of “reaping what you sowing”.  What an encouragement to know that God will bless us for the good words we use. If you plant good seed, you will get good plants.  So think of your words seeds and maybe you will see great rewards grow out of them.

 

In the Habit of Praising

As human beings we have so many habits.  Most of the habits are not good.  We are in the habit of cussing, when we are mad.  We are in the habit of shopping, when we are depressed.  We are in the habit of going to church, when it is Easter, but not the rest of the year.  We are in the habit of reading a good book before bed, but not the habit of reading the Bible.  We are in the habit of sharing the latest juicy bit of information about someone to our friends, but not about sharing about Jesus.  We are in the habit of worrying, complaining and stressing about our trials and tribulations, but not in the habit of praising God for all the many things He does for us.  The habit of praising God is one great habit that David had.  When everything was looking so dismal in his life, he turned to God.  Even when he was on the run in the wilderness from King Saul, David took time to realize that no matter what was going on, God still was his almighty God.  Read these words he wrote in Psalm 63 verses 3 through 5 -

“3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. 4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. 5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.”

His life wasn’t very good at this point and yet he praised God.  He said he was satisfied with whatever God allowed.  He even praised God “joyfully”.  He didn’t let the threat of death, lack of a home, or wilderness location control his view of God.  He understood that God still loved him and would take care of things His way.

It is a hard concept to grasp, but when God allows the bad times to come in to our lives it is for our best.  This concept should be an encouragement to us. We should therefore praise God even for those bad times and circumstances.  Are you in the habit of praising God?