Don’t allow your feelings, finances, or friendships to steer
you away from the will of God. Those are all important things, but don’t let
these things take the lead and keep you from following Jesus as the central aim
of your life. Don’t let a dream situation, a dream job, or a dream relationship
become the thing you pursue to the detriment or denial of your faith. Any dream
that requires you to venture outside the will of God is a nightmare.
Of course, people will try and justify their actions by
thinking about the good that they might be able to do because of the action. But
to do this is to simply justify the action after the fact, when the action itself
is wrong in the first place. You might tell yourself or others, “Well, if I do
this then we can do this or this”, but you can’t do wrong to get a chance to do
right. And you can’t put good things as the reason for denying God things. That
is idolatry.
Speaking of idolatry, think about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
(Daniel 3:13-18). King Nebuchadnezzar told these young men that he would spare their
lives if they bowed down to his golden statue. They said no. How could they deny
God in such a way?
But now imagine if Nebuchadnezzar went further, and told them
that he would release all Israel from captivity if they just bowed down to his
idol. What an opportunity! They would be heroes! Surely, God would be pleased.
Surely, he wanted his people set free. Surely, this must be his will. But their
answer would still have been no.
Think about Jesus with Satan on top of the mountain (Matthew
4:8-10). The Devil said he would give Jesus the whole world if he would just bow
down to him. But Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You
shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
Lady Folly tells you to gratify your desires (Proverbs 7:18).
But Lady Wisdom says nothing you desire can compare with her (Proverbs 3:15). Don’t
be a fool. Mark 8:36 – For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world
and forfeit his soul?
To follow Jesus despite potential loss is the opportunity of
a lifetime. It shows the world his worth to you.
