Is this really just the way it is?

How often to you tell yourself, “That’s just the way it is. Some things will never change.”? You’re stuck in a difficult place – whether of your own doing or because of someone else. Start by being honest with yourself…more times than not, you are in the place you find yourself because of your own decisions.

This is NOT just the way it is.

This is where the Israelites found themselves a few hundred years after entering the promised land, and a generation before the unbelievable rule of David and Solomon. They had lost the Ark of the Covenant to their archenemy, the Philistines. By a series of miraculous events, the Ark was returned to Israel, but God still seemed distant.

I’m guessing there was a lot of people saying to themselves, “This is just how it is in Israel.” Not the prophet Samuel:

“Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.””  -‭1 Samuel‬ ‭7:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is always a choice.

Here are four quick thoughts from Samuel’s challenge to Isreael:

1. There is always a choice. (If you want…)
2. Who are you really worshipping? (get rid of your gods…)
3. The request will be simple, but it’s not usually easy. (Turn to the LORD…alone)
4. Salvation is always the result of obedience. (Then he will rescue you…)

You have a choice. You need to truly turn to God, and get rid of gods you’ve been worshipping (money, power, politics, sports, sex, etc, etc, etc). The answer you are looking for is simple, but it won’t be easy because the road is narrow. God WILL show up because when we’re obedient, he always does.

This is not just the way it is.