Resilient: Powerful Hope in a Dangerous WorldSample

Wouldn’t it be great to go to the gym once and get the physique you want? Or maybe you could go to one class and leave an expert on any subject you want? What if you could water and mow your yard one time, and your lawn stayed perfect forever? Sounds amazing, right? Just think of all the free time that you would have! But we know this isn’t how the world works. While multivitamins can be a great part of a balanced diet, they can never replace a well-balanced diet. Taking a multivitamin doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want and still be healthy. Instinctually we know, though we may try to fight it, that the things we want most in this world are not quick and easy to achieve. They require time, and they require a daily decision to prioritize them.

But sadly, when it comes to our faith, we often try to get away with a diet consisting of only a multivitamin. We prioritize attending church on most Sundays to do what we want the rest of the week. And let’s be honest; when we forget to take that multivitamin, we still do what we want. We would never force our body to live off a multivitamin alone, so why do we force our faith to live off one?

In 1 Peter 2:4, when it says, “As you come to him…” it implies an ongoing decision to come to Him. Every day, we must choose to come to Jesus. This idea is echoed in John 15, where we are called to “abide” and “remain” in Jesus. Every day, it is an ongoing decision to look to and prioritize Jesus above all else. That means that when we leave church on Sunday, we need to choose to prioritize Him. When we get up for work or school on Tuesday, we need to choose to prioritize Him. And on Friday night, when making plans with friends, we must choose to prioritize Him. That doesn’t mean we don’t do anything; it means that He is in everything we do. When you decide to eat healthier, you still spend time with friends and go out to eat with coworkers, but you decide not to compromise on your desire to eat healthy while doing it.

Every day we need to choose to come to Jesus. We need to choose to abide in Him. When we do, we will see the rewards of being part of the Kingdom of God.

Reflection Questions

1. When is it hardest for you to prioritize Jesus?
2. What would it look like for you to practice coming to Jesus daily?