What Personal Strengths Safeguard Your Integrity?

When the Hebrew people wanted a king to rule them, God chose Saul for that position. Samuel, who was their priest and judge, anointed him at his coronation. While Samuel sought God’s help and leadership in every situation, Saul impulsively relied on his own judgement.

God does expect us to use our intelligence for accomplishing the tasks before us, but like Saul, we tend to approach God for help only after everything else has failed and we’re experiencing pain and suffering. We fall into this trap by permitting our weaknesses to overtake our strengths.

This happened to Saul. He would impulsively make unacceptable decisions; then instead of admitting his mistakes, he permitted humiliation, pride, and discouragement to dominate his life. Placing faith and hope in Christ Jesus is a priority, and seeking God’s leadership first provides confidence and encouragement to face whatever life brings.

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For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

~Hebrews 4:15 New American Standard Bible

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How Are We Empowered to Do God's Work?

A crisis doesn’t usually happen without some advanced warning. A prelude to a health crisis is often pain at some level. Relationship troubles usually evolve over time as a warning that changes need to be made.

A series of events that determine the future can be the introduction to possible trouble ahead for a person or a relationship. On a positive note, indications of trouble can be the time for making corrective changes to intercept possible trouble. It’s comforting to know that God observes with compassion each person’s pain and potential suffering.

His Word assures us he knows our sorrow and opens his heart to those who seek comfort and healing. One gift God offers us is strength to endure trouble that’s unavoidable. 

Our part is to activate changes the Holy Spirit empowers us to make. Christ Jesus is honored as we comply.  

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Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin!

~Hebrews 4:15  Contemporary English Version

 

…I, the Lord All-Powerful, will be here to help you with the work… Don’t worry. My Spirit is right here with you.

~Haggai 2:4-5 Contemporary English Version

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Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

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On Saturday, December 21 through Christmas Day, blogs will be posted each day to coincide with KHCB radio's special music and short devotional programming, "Five Days of Christmas".