Have you ever noticed that when things seem to be going well that the prospect of something bad happening still looms over you? The old saying is that “every rose has its thorns.”
That experience seems to be present in our spiritual walk as well. Whether in a personal Bible study, moving worship service, or through some daily encounter, God intervenes in your life and you experience something of a spiritual breakthrough. You are prepared to serve God more diligently and walk with Him more intimately. Then… the devil gets wind of it and shows up throwing every possible obstacle in your path.
You are not alone. Even one as godly as the Apostle Paul experienced a similar experience during his time in the city of Ephesus. God used him there in a tremendous way to turn the hearts of many to Jesus. Opportunities for the Kingdom abounded. So did the obstacles. He spoke of the situation when writing to the church in Corinth.
“…for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”
– 1 Corinthians 16:9
Granted, when we are not obedient to God, we will experience His corrective hand often through our circumstances, but we MUST NOT consider every difficulty a sign that we are NOT “doing right.” Many times those difficulties of the opposite truth that we ARE INDEED “doing right.”
When we engage God’s mission for any season of our life, the devil is not happy and will do all he can to thwart God’s work through us. So, what can we do when “doing right” seems to be “going wrong”? Let me suggest three reminders.
- Examine yourself to make certain that disobedience is in fact not causing your difficulty. In Hebrews 12:1, the writer encourages to “lay aside every weight, and the sin that clings so closely…” Self examination is always a healthy first step, but once we determine that we are not the problem, we can turn to other practices.
- Remember that in spite of your circumstances, God is at work in and through you. Romans 8:28 stands as a reminder that God works through ALL THINGS – good, bad, indifferent – to accomplish His purpose. Do not let the devil’s opposition lead you to believe God is not at work. Remember, he is a liar and the father of lies.
- Cling to the Biblical principle of sewing and reaping. In Galatians 6:9, Paul reminds us that we WILL reap what we sew if we remain faithful and not give up. The Biblical principle of sewing and reaping tells us that we reap WHAT we sew (keep doing good), we reap AFTER we sew (so don’t give up), and we reap MORE than we sew.
So, don’t let the opposition you may experience when you serve God distract, disturb, or derail you. As God opens the doors, walk through them, ignoring the sounds of the devil’s naysayers.