Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. Philippians 2:14-16
How Will You Journey?
Our whole life is a journey, and as is true with any journey, the way we journey and who we journey with can determine the quality of the journey. Sometimes we are in the valley, sometimes we are on the mountaintop and sometimes we are in the wilderness. We can even end up being in one place or the other for a long time. The mountain top experiences we have in life are important. We need to celebrate and praise God when we are on the mountain top. But don’t underestimate the goodness that can be found in the valley and even in the dry and barren wilderness.
Our Heavenly Father, who is our Good Shepherd, is with us every step of the way through every valley, wilderness, and mountain top. It is in the valleys and wilderness that our faith is strengthened and we learn to cling to Him. Often there is a special lesson to learn there as well. If we spend too much time grumbling we might miss the best parts of the valley and wilderness.
Beauty in the valley and wilderness.
Victory in the valley and wilderness
Wisdom in the valley and wilderness
Submission in the valley and wilderness
Peace in the valley and wilderness
Everyone’s journey will have some of all three – valleys, mountain tops, and wildernesses. Even though it may be hard to walk through some of these, the way we walk on this journey and who we take with us matters. Who or what will you let dictate the way you walk on this journey?
It is hard not to grumble and argue on the journey. The valleys and the wilderness – they make us want to complain a lot sometimes. But if we are focused on complaining we will miss all the good parts of the valleys and wilderness, and even in adversity, there is value. There may be something God is wanting to reveal to us but we are too busy grumbling to see it. Grumbling can cause us to miss all the good parts of the jouney, and if we are not careful, it can even cause us to miss the mountain top.
In the midst of adversity it is hard not to grumble and complain. Some friends may even tell you that you have every reason to complain due to all that you may be experiencing. But if we focus on our Shepherd, who is with us every step of the way, we can see the beauty and find the wisdom even in the midst of adversity.
The scripture says not to grumble or argue so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. How great it would be for the kingdom of God if we shine like stars, holding firm to the word of life all the way through the valleys and wilderness? There are crooked and perverted generations all around us and they are watching how we journey. They are watching how we go through adversity and when we shine like stars, holding firm to the word of life no matter what, we are a living testimony. Lean into Him, hold firm to the word of life and shine like stars.
You are on a journey right now. Who will you take with you on your journey? What will you focus on? How will you journey?
