Jeremiah 7:23 - "...And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you"
We already know that we generally struggle to achieve continuous obedience that characterizes our "Christian walk."
For some of us, the Biblical "rule book" can be a real turn off.
The Christian life is sometimes perceived as nothing more than a set of limitations placed on our desires and pleasure.
That's why I like this verse so much... and why I think you'll find it helpful, too.
You see, this verse offers a piece of wisdom that is critical in actually "walking in His ways."
The golden nugget is in the second half of the verse "that it may be well with you."
This verse offers us the MOTIVATION for following God's ways.
After all, who doesn't want things to be going well? Who doesn't want to feel at peace... to know that evrything is taken care of?
Now how often do you experience such peace?
How would you answer if someone asked you if all is going well with you?
What Jeremiah is reminding us in this verse is that God's ways are not designed to limit our desires or pleasure. Rather, they are designed to provide guidelines for optimizing all of those things.
God's ways actually protect us from the severe and life-long pain that can manifest when we deviate from them.
When we don't walk in His ways, we trade off permanent pleasures for temporary ones.
Our immediate gratification becomes so consuming as to overshadow all the goodness we've lived in the past are working towards in the future.
This is the fractured family that results from moments of adultery. These are the damaged relationships that result from work-a-holic parents. This is the poor health (physical and mental) that results from drug, sex, or food addiction.
You see, God wants to protect us from all of that pain we quite simply just aren't thinking about in our moments of waywardness.
Memorize this verse and meditate on it and I promise, it will be much easier to resist the temptation that takes you away from His ways.
Then come back here and share your progress in the comments section below.
