The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading Planનમૂનો

Glorify Him

Anytime I speak to an audience of job seekers and quote Psalm 90:17, inevitably someone will corner me afterward and say something like, “Rick, I am ready to have the Lord establish the work of my hands. I am more than ready. In fact, I am beyond

I understand that sentiment. When I was unemployed for an extended period of time, I wanted to know how much longer I had to trek along this transition journey until God showed me the work my hands should be establishing.

That’s when I discovered an important message in Psalm 90. This psalm reminds us that our days are numbered. We don’t know how many days we’ve been given on this earth — maybe many, maybe few. This is why God’s Word admonishes us to be good stewards of whatever time we have, to use each day to “gain a heart of wisdom.” . . .

As the Westminster Catechism famously states, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.” Yet if I’m completely honest, I must confess I have lived most of my life trying to glorify myself in the eyes of other people. My greatest desires were to create wealth, acquire stuff and spoil my children. I accomplished all of my goals, to a certain degree, but unfortunately none of those accomplishments were the ones the Lord had in mind for my life. I used my time to build my little kingdom on earth while leaving a few spare minutes now and then for him. That’s where the words of Psalm 90 convict me. I’ve not always been a wise steward of my time. Furthermore, since I was created to glorify God and enjoy him, why don’t I start acting like it?

Those in career transition might not feel like glorifying God right now. They might feel, instead, that they deserve a pass. I know I did. After all, isn’t it his fault that we are in this position? He could have changed the circumstances and we would still be employed.

Yes, our situation could have been different, meaning that we wouldn’t have to wrestle with anxiety and anger. Can we be expected to glorify God by trusting him in the midst of this crisis? Yes. I believe the Lord sometimes uses trials to sharpen our focus in order to realign our priorities according to his will. I encourage you to take some time right now to examine where you are. What are you doing with the days the Lord is granting you? Are your days just passing by, or are your hands busy doing things that will bring him glory?

The worst thing possible would be to forget that God has a purpose for our lives — a purpose that will advance his kingdom. If we get real close to him, I believe he will remind us of that plan and purpose.

Taken fromWhy Did I Lose My Job if God Loves Me?