After talking to a friend last night, I went to bed with a lot to think about. I thought about how I want only the blessings of God. (Or should at least.) I thought about how the world can offer so much. For instance, if I wanted to and I mean really wanted to, I could go out on the streets tonight and lose my virginity.
I thought then about living in the path God has set for us. This is the way. Walk ye in it. Do not move either to the right or to the left. That’s so hard for us. We find it hard to trust God. He says that when we walk through the waters, they will not sweep over us, and when we walk through the fires, they will not burn us. It’s easy to say when you’re not suffering, but when you are, that’s a hard promise to believe.
So last night, I went to bed with this prayer. It’s not exact, but this is generally what I prayed.
I would rather have misery with God than happiness with Satan.
I would rather have poverty with God than wealth with evil.
I would rather be alone with God than in the company of several beautiful ladies in darkness.
I would rather be a fool with God than a genius apart from him.
I would rather agonize with Christ than thrive without him.
This makes me think about the temptation. All that Christ was tempted with were really good things, but he refused them. Why? He had to stay on the path. What does he do? He calls me to walk in that same path. He calls me to take his hand and go with him in trust. I am not to seek the easy way out. I am to walk.
I am to see life as it truly is. As the hymn says “This is my Father’s world.” If it is his world, why should I fear? I can either have the fear of the Lord or the fear of the world, and it would be better to have the fear of the Lord, for the Lord is greater than the world that he created.
Am I against the good things? Not at all! God created all things richly for our enjoyment as 1 Tim. 6:17 says. However, I would rather not have them and have God than have all of them and not have God. What does it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his soul?
Thus, I continue my goal to seek him more. Seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness. He then gives me the blessing that all of these things will be added to me. God knows what I need and he knows what I want. Why not simply trust him with those by walking in the path that he has prescribed?
There’s no better place to be after all.
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