Don't Jump, Shake!
In Acts 28, Paul and the crew of the ship made it to the island of Malta. Just as the Lord has told him, no one lost there life. Whew! Paul escaped the perils of the sea! What next? A snake! A creepy, slimy, venomous snake latched itself to his hand as he was helping build a fire. The “natives jumped to the conclusion that he was a murderer getting his just deserts”! What would have happened if Paul would have plopped him self down on the beach and started crying “Bad things just keep happening to me! I hate snakes, why did a snake have to come bite me!!!”? Would he have gotten the same results? Would he have survived the bite? Paul didn’t do that. He shook off that deadly thing and God used the situation to bring healing to the island.
When problems come, it’s easy to start jumping to conclusions. To make a good conclusion, you have to have all the information. The villagers made a conclusion about Paul but what they didn't know was what God had told him. Paul did not shake the snake off because he was a super human. He was able to shake the snake off and go on because he knew what God had told him. God had just brought him through a terrible storm. What do you suppose Paul thought when that snake latched on to him? “Ohh, no you don’t!”
So many times God brings us through terrible storms in our life and then something else happens. Have you ever said “it’s just one thing after another”! We make it through a big problem only to find ourselves faced with another. How do you keep going?
We make it through problems by knowing what God has told us. Don’t allow the devil or people to start talking in your ear, causing you to wonder what you have done wrong. We can get so bogged down wondering where we missed it that we stop seeking the Lord. He has provided grace for every trial, every difficulty, everyday. His plan is that we walk through the storm in His ability, shake off every “snakebite” in His strength and continue on in His power. We can only do that when we are focused on HIM, not jumping to ridiculous conclusions and losing focus.
Let the Lord speak to you and tell you what He knows. Let His word fill your ears, eyes and heart. Isaiah 46 tells us that God knows the end from the beginning and everything in between.
For Paul, Gods word was final. God said he would stand before Caesar; a snake was not going to take him out! Once we know what God says and make His word final, we can also start shaking the problems off!
How do you shake off problems?
Find what God says about the situation.
Settle in your heart that God’s word is the final authority and rest in His grace.
Don‘t give the problem so much attention.
Declare the outcome God has promised through your words and actions and be thankful!
Start shaking!!!
Need to pray? Father, thank you for all your wonderful promises. I believe your word over every situation I come up against. You know the end from the beginning and everything in between. I trust you to direct me. When you speak to me, I will listen. I will focus on your promised outcome instead of my problems. Your grace that saved me is sufficient for everything else in my life! Thank you for grace, thank you for loving me.
In Jesus name, Amen.
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