“If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.” ~ Michael Jordan
In the Letter to the Romans, we hear, “If God is for us, who can be against?” Who, you ask? How about the entire world?!
One of the things that I learned at a very early age is that there are always those who will position themselves against others. Sometimes, it is even our best friends that might do so. There are always opinions and when there are opinions, there will be differences of opinion. We have to learn to hold our own ground when we know that we are right. Part of maturing is also giving up that ground if we discover that we are wrong.
The one thing that happens to many, though, is that they will allow others to determine their course in life. Because they are not strong enough or mature enough, they can be swayed easily and often find themselves in trouble because they did what was wrong rather than what was right.
If we allow others to steer us and set our course, we will never become the people that God calls us to be. It takes an inner strength and determination to hold to a course especially when so many others may be against us.
We definitely find that in terms of trying to live the faith. Because the world is set against the truths of the Kingdom, it does all that it can do to keep us from staying on the path that leads to the Kingdom. It sets lures and traps. It taunts us. It sets others against us in an attempt to make us think that we are wrong. It invites us to join it so that we could have support. The world lies to us and will do anything it can to keep us from God.
One of the most effective ways it accomplishes this is by telling us what is wrong with us. It tells us that we are weak or unpopular if we try to embrace the Lord. It attempts to bully us into submission. It rewards us with promises of immediate gratification. It says, “Why wait for a reward that you might never get when I can promise you something right away.”
Our reward in heaven is much better than anything that the world could ever promise or give. Do not let the world sway you. It will only lead you away from the Kingdom of God.
FAITH ACTION: Ask God for the strength and the courage to do His will rather than caving to the expectations of the world.