Daily Devotional: from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
“Before we choose to follow God’s will, a crisis must develop in our lives. This happens because we tend to be unresponsive to God’s gentler nudges. He brings us to the place where He asks us to be our utmost for Him and we begin to debate. He then providentially produces a crisis where we have to decide – for or against. That battle is won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. The Spirit of God seizes me and I am compelled to get alone with God and fight the battle before Him. Until I do this, I will lose every time. The battle may take one minute or one year, but that will depend on me, not God. But then, nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle of will before God and won.”
What I’ve Learned: From the older and wiser women at my Moms’ group at church, I have heard time and again how important it is to ask God to open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts so we can learn whatever it is He is trying to teach us during our trials. I am convinced that if we can take our teaching from God during our valleys and be obedient in praising God during our mountaintop experiences, He will prepare us for great things both here and for eternity.
What I’m Thankful For: When I look back on my life, I’m thankful for the valleys I have crossed. They have molded and shaped me into the person I am today. I draw strength from those times, as difficult as they were, and I am grateful that I was able to have my faith to sustain me.
Song of the Day: So Small by Carrie Underwood
