My Breaking Point

Scripture: "You shall stand still in the Jordan." Joshua 3:8

Observation: During almost every season of the year the Jordan is easily passable. It has only one flood season. God did not chose to send them when it would be easy. God did not part the Jordan before they got to it. He chose for them to approach it at flood stage and told them to "stand still IN the Jordan".

Application: Paul says that he does not judge himself, but after reading this passage in Joshua and Paul's writings in 1 Corinthians 4; it is hard to not take a sober look at myself. The question on my mind is what is my breaking point? How much am I willing to suffer for the advancement of God's kingdom?

I hate to suffer. In fact, I spend most of my time, talent, and resources waging war against my own personal suffering. I mean, I fool myself into thinking my ambitions are pure, but they are not. My main motive in most everything I do is based on establishing security in my life. I work hard and smart because I do not want to suffer the pain and embarrassment of that failure. I attempt to establish wise spending habits because I do not want to suffer being without. I fret over diet and exercise because I do not want to suffer being unhealthy nor do I want my kids to suffer being without me.

The longer I sit here this morning going through what drives my daily decisions, I am growing more convinced that it is not for God's glory that I labor and toil, but my own comfort and safety. Comfort and safety are not bad things but when they become my pursuit; they become my God and I become self-serving.

Prayer: This has been a sobering morning. A part of my walk with you is putting aside things that prevent me from walking close to You. That aspect of my relationship with you is easy to accept when it relates to things that are harmful or dirty, but it crushes me when it relates to things that are clean but self-serving. A part of me likes to argue and think that You want me to be safe and comforted, but then I read these words from Paul: "To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now. 1 Cor. 4:11-13.

I want You to part the river before me and not wait until I am standing in it. I get angry and frustrated when I suffer. It spurs me to take action and try to eliminate the pain. I do many things, but rare is the day that I stand still in anything that make me suffer, lose security or comfort. I am spoiled. I have become lazy and I know it. I confess to you this morning my sin of seeking comfort and security above my relationship with You. I am grateful for Your patient instruction. Sustain me today as I move through my daily life. Help me to let go of the hold I have on my life and truly release it to You. Allow me to remain focused on pursuing You in all things that I will face today. Defend Your name and establish Your kingdom through my life. Allow the promises of Your word to free me from being enslaved to fear. I need Your strength to stand in my river until You provide the dry land of escape.