Stumbling Blocks

Transcript

The Lord wants his children to be a blessing to the world around them and he has deposited everything that is needed in us, to spread the light. But, in order to do that, we need to let him prune us, and give up everything that hinders the flow of grace, out of our lives.

In Philippians 2:14, Apostle Paul says “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” When we have seen a glimpse of what God can do, we begin to compare our lives, our provisions, our blessings, and, we start to constantly complain/argue because, we don’t see God helping us in ways that we want. Let’s take the example of Israelites, they were in wilderness for 40 years and they kept murmuring and complaining to their leaders and God. Although Israelites experienced victory from Egypt and great provision in wilderness, they could not receive the fullness of their blessings, by entering the promised land. The same can happen with us, if we continue to compare our blessings with someone else’s or constantly criticise the work of God in our life, without trusting his timing/promise/purpose.

Philippians 2:15 says, so that you may be innocent and pure as God’s perfect children. It is God’s promise for us, to experience perfection, to be his perfect children and he is working in us, and, perfecting us. But, when we complain/argue, we are putting stumbling blocks in that work of perfection. Paul goes on to explain that we’ve been placed in a world of corruption and sin and, we have to shine in this world, like stars light up the sky by adopting innocence and purity in our lives. We will not be able to give the grace, God has so freely given us to someone else, if we live self obsessed or if we live with a perspective, everything in this world has to exist for our benefit or comfort. When we keep on living this way, we might find ourselves finding fault with what God has done or spoken or what he is doing in our lives.

As children of God, when we complain/argue, we are not doing it against the world, but, against our Lord, against the hand of our provision, against the heart of God. This day, let’s turn our hearts and live in purity and innocence as God’s perfect children. Let’s be watchful of our thoughts, our words or anything that will take away our innocence, so that we can allow the light of God to shine through our lives.