Daily Devotional

Why is resisting a piece of chocolate so difficult, but resisting God so easy?

Imagine the following situation: you have been following a diet for a few days and, by chance, discover a box full of chocolates in the pantry. Tempting, isn’t it? Simply knowing that the chocolates are there can change the way you deal with your diet. In a sense, that discovery begins to work against you.

Night comes, and you cannot resist, you take one chocolate and eat it. After all, what is one chocolate, you tell yourself, especially when before the diet you used to eat several. And once again, you have broken your diet.

Now think of another situation: some brothers and sisters invite you to attend an evangelistic event in the evening. When you think about the time, you realize it will take a lot of effort to go after work. Then they remind you that the next day is a holiday, and you remember that you need to eat dinner early.

They suggest having dinner together, but you remain firm and say you have been avoiding eating out. After insisting for thirty minutes, you finally give up and do not go to the evangelistic event.

Can you identify with these situations? Resisting the temptation to eat a sweet may seem easy, but many times we fail. On the other hand, resisting God may seem pointless, yet we still try to compete against Him in strength. Doing God’s will can bring benefits to us, but it often requires a great effort against the desires of our flesh.

An example of this can be seen in the story of Jonah, who, even while “doing God’s will,” wanted it done his own way. This pointless struggle led him into despair, but God remained merciful not only to Jonah, but also to the people of Nineveh.

Although doing God’s will may be challenging, it benefits us. Obedience produces love and gratitude, and the more we obey, the more we trust God, leaving behind our useless resistance to Him. While resisting God leads nowhere, obeying Him leads us down a virtuous path of blessings.

It is worth persevering and choosing obedience to God.

• Stay firm with your diet and do not resist God.
• Reflect on how you have related to God. If you have been disobedient, ask Him for forgiveness.
• Remove from your mind the idea that obeying God will always be a “huge burden” see His will as an opportunity.
• It may sound strange, but how we deal with rules and challenges in daily life reflects how we relate to God. Examine your actions.

Prayer:

See also:

• Bible Verses for Motivating and Strengthening Christian Youth
• The Story of Boaz (A man of God)

Have you ever thought about the brevity of everything in this life? Years slip away, trends shift, tastes evolve, priorities change, and the needs of each generation transform... Many pages of our history become yellowed and forgotten as time marches on. With lived experiences, we lose the reckless fervor and attain maturity in our actions. Some dreams are left behind. But many victories are also achieved!

It's common to hear the expression "seems like it was yesterday." Indeed, time passes quickly without our realizing it. We trade the youthfulness of our bodies for the marks and lessons of life. Sometimes, the transience of everything leaves us worried about the future, but our sovereign God and His Word are eternal. He knows the end from the beginning. And He cares for you! Rest in this certainty: the Lord God will reign forever!

God is eternal and reigns forever!

• Some things come to an end in life, and it's not always easy to deal with that reality. But God is eternal! In Him, you can securely and eternally place your trust.
• The truth, grace, and love of God do not change or run out! He is the infinite God of mercy.
• Praise and thank the Lord, for He reigns as the eternal King of Kings. He is worthy of all worship.
• Find refuge and encouragement in the Word of God. Read it always, and be strengthened!

Let's Pray: