Do Hard Things

Scheduled Reading:
Ezekiel 1:1-3:15; Psalm 120:2-121:1; Proverbs 27:22-24; Philemon 1-25

Selected Passage: same

Recently I acquired a book from Life Action Ministries called "Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations". It is written by two young men, Alex & Brett Harris, twin brothers who took on challenges to do more with their life than the culture expected from them. They have since accomplished a great deal before the age of 19. Some of these things include leading efforts in a grass-roots political campaign, speaking to large international audiences, publishing a good-selling book, and authoring a popular blog for teens (http://www.therebelution.com)

All the passages in today's reading deal with doing the difficult; obeying God even when it is hard, even painful, to do so.  It is easy to SAY we must be obedient. But when it comes to having to make willful decisions to obey God that will most certainly result in less comfort and security for US, we often have second thoughts, and third, and fourth, and so on until the urge subsides. (I speak from experience).

Here Ezekiel was "deeply distressed" by what he knew he had to do. The Psalmist spoke up for peace among a people who were bent on war; he was lied about and persecuted for his words and actions. The Proverb pointed out that only idiots don't respond to corrective pressure from the wise or the Spirit of God, but the pressure does come. And then Paul did a most difficult thing in sending Onesimus back to his rightful owner, even though he had no obligation to do so.

I leave it to you to examine how has God called you to obey Him in recent days. Has he called you to do something uncomfortable? Has He called you to go out on a limb? Has He called you to confront a person or a people like Ezekiel? Is He grinding some character flaw from you and are you resisting His refining work in you?

Do the hard thing: submit yourself to God and His leading. Obey Him with all your heart. Don't listen to your flesh scream "NO! ARE YOU CRAZY??" Yeah, you are. It's OK. The ways of the world (and our flesh) seem right, and God's sometimes make no sense to us. But trust HIM. He's right.