Who am I to hinder God?….living in that discomfortable place
S– (Acts 11:17b) Who was I that I could hinder God
H–Peter is reporting to the church in Jerusalem and explaining to them that the promise of God in Jesus Christ is not just for the jews but also for the gentiles…its for everyone. He explains his encounter with the angel on the roof and then how the Spirit was given to those at Cornelius’ house. He then replies with this statement that basically says, “even if I’m against the gentiles receiving this gift it doesn’t matter because this is what God desires and that I cannot hinder God; it is going to happen with or without me and why would I want to get in the way of the movement of God because of my own discomfort.”
A–Isn’t this so true in our lives. We are so arrogant that we actually think we could hinder or empower the work of God in the world. God is going t
o continue His plan with our without me and always in spite of me. Most of the time when we want to step outsid e of the movement of God it is because of our own discomfort. In fact, living within the movement of God will always lead to discomfort because of the disease of sin in my life. The key is to recognize that it is more productive to accept our own discomfort and live within the movement of God then to try to convince ourselves that living in comfort at the expense of the movement of God is actually being faithful. I feel this temptation on so many different levels an d see it happening throughout all of my culture within the lives and the churches of those around me. My hope is that through God’s empowering grace that I am able to find comfort in my own discomfort knowing I am living within the movement of God.
P–I pray today that God would protect me from my own comfort. I pray God that you would help me to find comfort living within your movement in my life. Protect me from the temptation to settle for the comfort of my own life. Instead, may you give me opportunities to live in that uncomfortable place of your movement that continues to call me out of myself and to you that those around me might experience your loving grace that I would live a life in the midst of those that criticize that I could say with full assurance, “who am I that I could hinder the movement of God.”
E–I’m excited today that there is comfort in the discomfort of living within the movement of God in my life.
Peace from Pastor P
chadpullins@connect2crossroads.com; www.wedesirmore.com
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