Saturday 26 Nov 2016

November 26: Ecclesiastes 7:8-10

Key Verse: Ecclesiastes 7:8
The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Devotion:
Each day of our lives we work towards some kind of a goal, be it just to survive the day or to move closer to getting out of school or even closer to getting that job you always wanted. When we finally get to that position we will probably look back on the journey and say it was worth it! Unfortunately, there are going to be so many pitfalls along the way which will trip us up or slow us down! Each one of those pitfalls will be a new learning experience where we may well learn about something new, or a new way of tackling things. Each one will strengthen us for what may lie ahead.

Many of our goals will not be something which will end after a few hours, days or even weeks. Some of them will last years... Being patient enough to continue moving towards those goals over all the time it takes is called dedication. If we become too proud to continue because others look down on us or too proud to continue because it would mean showing others a side of us we do not want them to see, then we may never get to our goals. Trying to force those goals to be achieved early can also lead to problems and quite often raise anger within us. That anger will blind us from the real work that lies ahead and even cause us to lose our way.

We may look back and think how things were a lot better a few years ago... but really, we have moved forward so much in our lives we cannot honestly say that. Times may be tight or tough, but looking at the wider picture than just what is wrong today will always help us to look forward.

Reaching forward with patience and dedication as we move forward towards new goals in our lives will allow us to continue to have better and better days. Making sure we walk and talk with God each day will help us to stay focused on what is important... Each day we walk closer to God – how can it be better in the past!

Points to Ponder:
What goals do you have in your life?

How much help have you asked from God recently?