Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Proverbs 10:22-32 Blessings with no regret!

Do you have any regrets in your life? Don’t we all? Some are minor, but some have long-lasting consequences. Have you ever done something that you were sure would bring you happiness or pleasure, but afterwards you just felt sick? That hot fudge sundae looked so tempting on the menu, but when you finished it, you just wanted to puke! You were physically glutted and you were sick at heart that you had just stuffed your body with a gazillion calories!

Maybe you entered into a relationship with someone who you were sure would fulfill your every need, but in the end you were left feeling used, hurt, and disappointed with yourself for being so stupid! Some things that look like they will bring blessing, actually end up being curses. However, in today’s section of Proverbs, several of the verses speak of blessings that come from God that satisfy and strengthen. I‘m going to highlight just a few, using both New International Version 1984 and the New American Standard Bible version:

It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich,

And He adds no sorrow to it. (Proverbs 10:22 NASB)

When God brings us a blessing, there is no regret with it. God’s blessings are always for our benefit. Now, we may not always recognize what comes our way as being a blessing. You may be going through a trial right now that seems like a disaster! Are you experiencing trouble in your marriage? Is your child bringing you grief and frustration? Are your finances in ruins? Have you just been given a scary diagnosis? Are you miserable in your job? Hmm... none of those sound like blessings! Yet, James promises us that we can count it all joy, because God is using our trials to complete us and bring us to full maturity (James 1:2-4).

What the wicked dreads will overtake him;

    what the righteous desire will be granted.   
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,

    but the righteous stand firm forever. (vs.24-25 NIV 1984)

When the Bible speaks of the righteous, it is talking about those who are right with God, those who have been made righteous by what Jesus has done for us, not by our own good deeds. And those who are the righteous of God do not need to fear. Whatever your worst nightmare is, nothing can shake you if you are in Christ. Evil will overcome those who have said. “No thanks!” to God’s invitation to come to Him. They have no foundation upon which to stand - they will realize their worst nightmares, they will be swept away in the end.

The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous,

    but it is the ruin of those who do evil. 

The righteous will never be uprooted,

    but the wicked will not remain in the land. (vs.29-30 NIV 1984)

God is our rock, our stronghold, our refuge. We stand firm and we will not be shaken. Choosing to believe Him, to take Him at His Word, brings us the stability and strength we need to persevere and survive anything. If you need encouragement today, know that God is with you. He loves you more than you can imagine. His blessings for you, whatever form they take, are for your good, because God is good. Believe it!  

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