DAY 04 | OVERCOME BY LOVEž ž ž

centering thought

“The Bible is replete with stories of women (and men) who had to choose whether they would let their circumstances define them, or whether they would see their lives in light of God’s broader context …”

encouragement from God’s word 

Read: ROMANS 8:38-39

devotional direction   

Hmmm. What will I wear today? Which route will I take to work? Will I indulge my current obsession with Pei Wei, or will I be good and bring a sack lunch? Choices. They surround us every day, poking at us to declare our intent. You’ve faced them all along the way, some more consequential than others: Do I buy this book? Do I pursue this major? Do I go on that trip? Do I marry that person? Which path do I choose?

But for all the choices we’ll make in life, one central choice trumps them all: Will I choose to be governed by my circumstances, or will I choose to be governed by God? 

This is a consequential choice, indeed. One way leads to utter anguish, while the other way leads us to God.

(Gulp. Don’t we long for the latter of those?)

The fact is that focusing on our circumstances at the expense of focusing on God forces us to presume that we are being overtaken, overcome, by all that is stressful and dark. And from there, the spiral takes us down, down, down, to a pit of sorrow, despair. 

This is awful! we declare.

Unthinkable!

Ridiculous!

Undeserved!

How will I survive this turn of events?

This is life, at its very worst. 

Maybe there is no God …

But then.

There, in the light of new day, we see it.

It is God, we can’t help but perceive.

He is here, and he is holy. He is love longing just for us. 

We will choose to enter the Love we’ve found. Or we will opt for the other course.

question to ponder

What might change about your countenance just now, if you were to appear as one who is fully loved?