God understands how easily we get distracted. Since the beginning, he constantly reminds his people that he deeply desires to be our God and us his people.
Yet our priorities get misplaced time and time again. We trade devotion to God for the numerous activities of life. But God loves us too much to let us stay distracted. He can use pain to motivate us to return to him and make him our priority.
Haggai has the unenviable responsibility of delivering a difficult message to the Israelites concerning their behavior. God says, “Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops” (Haggai 1.10). The rain will stop and they’ll experience famine as a result of their misplaced priorities. This will be painful.
In all this, God has a purpose for their pain. He’s attempting to grab their attention so they’ll restart the work on the Temple and make him the center of their lives.
Pain tells us that something is wrong. It has the potential to motivate us to seek God. Could it be the financial pressure you feel is connected to unwise spending? Could it be your children’s disobedience is connected to inconsistent parenting? Is it possible your difficult marriage is the result of poor communication and lack of love?
Redemptive pain can move us back to God. Scripture teaches that God is willing to give us wisdom to know how to respond to the pain in our lives. (James 1.2-5) Today, in your Chair Time, pray the words of James 1.2-5. Ask God for the wisdom to respond wisely in your pain.
