Over the past few years, God has shown me that when things are dark and we feel desperate, we can take heart and have hope because He is at work! Today God brought me back to something I had written a year ago. It’s heavy, but I pray it speaks to your heart and that we will all turn our eyes and hearts to God and away from the things of this world.
God’s word exposes and will keep us on the course, but are we listening? Are we responding? If not, our hearts will grow cold and hard to the voice of God. That terrifies me! Our lives can either become so busy that God’s voice is drowned out or we can become so comfortable that we are not seeking God.
We are warned of the dangers of living a comfortable-unexamined life and pursuing our own interests.
Isaiah 32:9-11
9 You women so complacent, rise up and hear my voice,
daughters so confident, give heed to my words.
10 In a little more than a year
your confidence will be shaken;
For the vintage will fail,
no fruit harvest will come in.
11 Tremble, you who are so complacent!
Shudder, you who are so confident!
People turned their backs on God and pursued their own desires. They were living their lives with no awareness of the danger around them. This is what it means to be complacent. This passage is a warning for everyone sitting back in thoughtless complacency while an enemy is approaching.
We can be lulled into thinking all is well when disaster is around the corner.
When we abandon God’s purposes for our lives, we are abandoning His help.
For years now I’ve read this same passage. It’s been highlighted and underlined over and over again. Only now did I understand in a different way.
An enemy is approaching silently, subtly, and deceivingly. The enemy is approaching, but he doesn’t have the appearance of an enemy. Most of us haven’t even noticed him.
Yet there are those who are standing alert and aware. Fellow believers, we are to be prepared, praying, and seeking God who reveals things we might not otherwise know. With God, we can be aware of the danger, but not fearful of it. Even as we look evil in the face, we can continue to be faithful and do good until we see Jesus face to face.
The people in Isaiah 32:9-11 have turned away from God and are not protected because they found comfort in the things of the world. And disaster will overcome them because of their complacency.
God’s word has been abandoned. So has prayer. And worship.
It’s more than going through the motions and saying the right things. It’s about getting honest about who we are…allowing God to search our hearts and expose the darkness. Sin is so deceptive and sometimes it is cloaked in RELIGION.
Friends, pray for discernment. This day and time it is desperately lacking and so very much needed.
In our culture, we find that many people are comfortable, and secure, with plenty of possessions. This is what they find delight in and do not even realize how far they have drifted from God. They don’t know they are in trouble.
This makes me think of an undertow and how quickly you drift from the safety of the shore and can be swept up into something very dangerous. That is the danger of living for this world- you get swept away and let it take you wherever it leads. Which can lead to death.
The enemy deceives subtly. So easily we get wrapped up in things that don’t matter. We get off course without realizing it and end up in trouble, fighting for our lives.
At times I find myself there and wonder, how did this happen? What did I miss? What lie has taken root in my heart that has caused me to become religious rather than Spirit-Filled?
1 Samuel 12:24
But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart- consider what great things He has done for you.
All my heart- means not living for self and trusting God’s ways. Following wherever He leads. Believing His promises. Waiting for His provision. Worshipping- Praising-Yielding. Being content with where He has me and what He gives.
EVERY bit of the above goes against the grain of our culture.
Let’s remember the dangers of complacency and wake up to the ways we’ve allowed ourselves to be pulled along with the tide of our culture and world.
Remember complacency is living like we are secure and have no concerns- unaware of the dangers approaching. Complacency comes from finding security and comfort in worldly things- lulled away from being discerning and spiritually alert. Complacency causes us to put more trust in this world and what it offers. This draws us away from following the voice of God.
The enemy is subtle and deceptive and will lead you down the path of destruction. Don’t be unaware! Wake up and pay attention to God’s warnings. He is so merciful.
With all that is going on in this world, we can be encouraged to live with purpose and make the most of the time we have been given. Psalm 9:10 says, “ Those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”
Full of Hope,
Monica
New Mercies Everyday 