It's not always easy is it? Doing the right thing is often the most difficult thing to do.
It's hard because it may involve circumstances to correct a wrong we have done or it may be that God is asking us for obedience to correct something about ourselves. Whether it's a sin or something we need to improve on, whether it involves others or not, we just don't like it. Hard things are generally uncomfortable. Most of us don't like uncomfortable. Not only do we like comfortable, but we like comfy cozy, easy breezy, wrapped up tight and secure comfortable.
Can you relate? I don't like it because it requires something of me and usually takes me out of my comfort zone, stretches me. I like easy and I like pleasant.
Right things that are hard things fall into both categories of being either negative or positive. It could be about a relationship, or it could be about changing a bad habit to create a better one. It may require conflict, confrontation, apologies, honesty, confession, change, discipline, self-control, commitment...
Ironically, this seems to be happening in my world with some frequency lately. Recently, I've watched friends and family members make some tough life choices and changes. Just this past week God reminded me to make several apologies to different folks, something I had been putting off. And this month, I had to have two difficult conversations with the same individual- one, because I needed to be honest about my concerns and two because I had to admit my own actions of not being the best in the situation.
All tough but all good, and I got to see God at work. I saw humility, attitudes change, apologies made and accepted, forgiveness offered; I saw and experienced reconciliation, restoration, peace and growth, not only in myself but in all individuals observed, involved or affected.
I'm reminded that God is always at work to teach me something. He either needs me to clean house [or better put- to clean heart], to recognize and admit my weaknesses and strengths, to trust Him and ultimately, obey Him. He cannot work in me so that He can work through me, if I am not willing to obey and do the very hard, right things. Sometimes I think He's telling me to stop procrastinating, to just get off my duff and do it! I talked about that in my recent post "Action Always Beats Intention"? A painful truth when I battle simply getting that right thing done, whatever it may be!
What a better way to live though. Yet I struggle against it. It's mostly a pride thing and maybe laziness in some instances. Either way, if we want to see God work and move in our lives and in others, it takes choosing to be intentional and purposeful toward obedience, to do the hard work.
To do the right thing I must choose to do the hard and uncomfortable thing while I look to God for strength to get it done!
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 NLT
God promises results when we choose to do what is right and what He asks. And often, though it may be hard at first, it sometimes does not remain hard because we see God's best shine through in the right thing that's been done, and that…brings peace.
Is God asking you to do a hard thing? Do you know what needs to happen so that you are doing the right thing? What's holding you back?
It's hard because it may involve circumstances to correct a wrong we have done or it may be that God is asking us for obedience to correct something about ourselves. Whether it's a sin or something we need to improve on, whether it involves others or not, we just don't like it. Hard things are generally uncomfortable. Most of us don't like uncomfortable. Not only do we like comfortable, but we like comfy cozy, easy breezy, wrapped up tight and secure comfortable.Can you relate? I don't like it because it requires something of me and usually takes me out of my comfort zone, stretches me. I like easy and I like pleasant.
Right things that are hard things fall into both categories of being either negative or positive. It could be about a relationship, or it could be about changing a bad habit to create a better one. It may require conflict, confrontation, apologies, honesty, confession, change, discipline, self-control, commitment...
Ironically, this seems to be happening in my world with some frequency lately. Recently, I've watched friends and family members make some tough life choices and changes. Just this past week God reminded me to make several apologies to different folks, something I had been putting off. And this month, I had to have two difficult conversations with the same individual- one, because I needed to be honest about my concerns and two because I had to admit my own actions of not being the best in the situation.
All tough but all good, and I got to see God at work. I saw humility, attitudes change, apologies made and accepted, forgiveness offered; I saw and experienced reconciliation, restoration, peace and growth, not only in myself but in all individuals observed, involved or affected.
I'm reminded that God is always at work to teach me something. He either needs me to clean house [or better put- to clean heart], to recognize and admit my weaknesses and strengths, to trust Him and ultimately, obey Him. He cannot work in me so that He can work through me, if I am not willing to obey and do the very hard, right things. Sometimes I think He's telling me to stop procrastinating, to just get off my duff and do it! I talked about that in my recent post "Action Always Beats Intention"? A painful truth when I battle simply getting that right thing done, whatever it may be!
What a better way to live though. Yet I struggle against it. It's mostly a pride thing and maybe laziness in some instances. Either way, if we want to see God work and move in our lives and in others, it takes choosing to be intentional and purposeful toward obedience, to do the hard work.
To do the right thing I must choose to do the hard and uncomfortable thing while I look to God for strength to get it done!
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 NLT
God promises results when we choose to do what is right and what He asks. And often, though it may be hard at first, it sometimes does not remain hard because we see God's best shine through in the right thing that's been done, and that…brings peace.
Is God asking you to do a hard thing? Do you know what needs to happen so that you are doing the right thing? What's holding you back?
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