I once competed for months at a time in a video game, pushing for the top one percent bracket.
For days and nights, I played game after game, constantly adjusting and improving, sharpening the ax so I could become more successful in what I was doing. I felt discouraged and disheartened each month when I failed to achieve my goal. Then the grind started all over again. One month, I finally hit extremely high in the rankings. I was overjoyed.
The story of Haggai and the Israelites—as they pursued rebuilding the temple and as they felt the Lord’s correction—reminds us of how God wants our heart, not our sacrifices. God wants us to delight in Him. Doing so pleases Him. God’s house was in ruins, but the Israelites still pursued their own will rather than the Lord’s. Yet God’s promise of restoration was renewed because they obeyed.
Sometimes we may need something from God, but nothing we do seems to work. We strive constantly and consistently, only to fail repetitively in our pursuit to achieve it.
God wants to bless us in all we do, but we cannot expect to be blessed if we rebel. We need to obey the Lord and delight in Him alone.
In what ways can you improve your relationship with God? How can you delight in Him above all else and find contentment in Him alone?
Ask God to help you cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit.
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Jordan Zuniga is an emerging Christian poet, devotional writer, and fiction writer. He has multiple pieces published by Christian Devotions, Calla Press, Agape Review, and other publications. He is actively seeking representation from a literary agent. If you enjoy his work on Christian Devotions and would like to support his efforts, please follow him on Instagram @cccreativewriter.