Doing the right thing can be hard. In life, we are constantly challenged to do the right thing. Let’s go back to the beginning: Satan enticed Eve to do wrong (Genesis 3). His whole aim was to get her to disobey God. He hasn’t changed. Still today, every single day actually, we are tested and tempted. Our days are filled with many opportunities to give in and do what we feel like doing (which is often wrong), or we can fight to do what’s right.
We have to fight to do the right thing.
Doing right requires humility. Humility will cause us to treat others right even when they treat us wrong. Humility will allow us to stay silent when everything in us want to strike back. It requires humility to trust God in spite of our circumstances.
When I start to feel a certain way toward humility, i.e. It’s not fair. I think about Christ:
“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
– I Peter 2:21-23
Wow. Our perfect example.
This morning on the radio, John MacArthur explained that the goal of our life as Christians is to become more like Christ:
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
– Romans 8:29
When we understand this, we’ll be able to look at our tests and challenges as opportunities to be conformed to the image of His Son. Those situations that frustrate me and push me to strike back are blessings in that they show me where I’m at, and they present me an opportunity to grow.
Honestly, as the Lord just revealed it to me, I see that those situations are answers to my prayers. I often pray that the Lord will grow me up in Christ in every way (Ephesians 4:15).
I’m learning that the only way to grow is to be challenged.
The key is in our response: Do we push back and fight? Or, do we humble ourselves and fight to do what’s right?
We must come to a point in our lives when we start to look at things through a new lens. We have to start looking at things from God’s perspective. Until we do, we will keep running into brick walls (probably the same ones), making no real progress in life.
Progress in life is a result of doing the right thing over and over- no matter what.
Don’t let people and situations push your buttons, causing you to react without any real thought. Let’s begin to control ourselves – our reactions and our emotions – and do what’s right no matter what.
Without a doubt, our lives will be blessed because of it (Psalm 37).
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