One outstanding way that instant gratification has ramped up in recent years is with the advent and progression of social media. Most of us agree that social media has its perks, but it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. The creators of these applications have designed them to engage the user base in a way that goes beyond briefly engaging the user. The goal is often simple. Those who have worked on these applications have openly shared their intentions to captivate our attention and keep us on the applications for as long as possible.

There is an addictive component to seeing likes, comments, and shares roll in from our family, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers. For most of us, the crowd consists primarily of people many don’t know well. We have become addicted to digesting bite-sized content and exchanging memes with people we often only know superficially! Meanwhile, we find ourselves gravitating to our phones when we’re around some of the people we love the most. It takes deliberate effort to silence our phones and give our loved ones the gift of our attention. When we fail to do this, we are falling for the trap.

Don’t get me wrong. These applications have also empowered many with a platform to share their message with people who wouldn’t have otherwise heard them. It has opened the door to conversations and debate in the public square where those who may not have had a say now have one. It has even allowed us to share the Gospel and conveniently connect with family and friends when we cannot reach out in person. The impact is not all negative, but we often glaze over some detrimental impacts without much thought. Many of our younger generations need more face-to-face interaction to develop communication skills. Online communication and texting have replaced a significant amount of in-person connections. The infrequency of this situation may cause them to struggle due to a lack of in-person connection with their peers. Instead, they live with their heads tucked downwards, focusing on the online side of their world.

Another area of concern, also revolving around applications and social media, applies to many of us. We switch between bite-sized pieces of content across various topics in brief reels, shorts, and clips. It’s become quite rampant, and as a result, our attention span has suffered. Suppose we get caught up in a treadmill of digesting these little nuggets of information back to back without any real connectivity between topics. In that case, it’s no wonder we may find it challenging to focus on things like reading a book or remaining attentive in conversation.

These developments aren’t limited to social media. The ease of access to anything from fast food to online streaming platforms for entertainment puts everything at our fingertips. These comforts and pleasures can deter us from meaningful pursuits when we allow them to run rampant. Most things worth pursuing in life involve a lot of effort over an extended period. It takes a certain level of sacrifice, risk, and delayed gratification to make our greatest dreams a reality. Suppose we get accustomed to the easy way to stimulate our brains and get immediate gratification. In that case, making meaningful sacrifices toward the future rewards God has in store for us becomes more arduous.

We will find more long-term fulfillment in investing for the future than maximizing our comfort now (Ecclesiastes 1:14). For example, every good relationship takes work. We need to figure out how our partners give and receive love, and we need to figure out their communication styles in instances where we may not understand them. We must aim to understand their behavior patterns and exercise the patience to consider their perspective (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). As people, we all grow and develop, so there must be grace to extend to one another as we mature. Who are we not to extend the love, grace, and patience that God has given us (John 3:16)? Sometimes, on the most challenging days, we must choose love. A loving relationship carries sacrifices and risks, but we can say the same thing about almost everything worth doing. If we keep at it together, it’s only a matter of time before you see the fruit of your efforts.

The Christian life is all about sacrifice, risk, and delayed gratification. We sacrifice by taking up our cross daily and serving God (Luke 9:23). Some of us risk our comfort, jobs, and lives in obedience to God’s call (Philippians 2:30). When we obey God in this life, we practice a form of delayed gratification (Matthew 16:25-27). Instead of living for this world’s fleeting pleasures, we seek to store treasure in heaven (Matthew 16:25-27). Rather than indulging the desires of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or the pride of life, we walk in the victory that Jesus Christ gave us over sin and death (1 John 2:16, 1 Corinthians 15:55-56). We prioritize obeying God even when it costs us something because He first loved us, and now we love Him (1 John 4:19, John 14:15).

Does this all mean we must walk in perfection? No. Only Jesus Christ did that. However, it does mean God has called us to serve in a way that transcends this world’s distractions. When we live for the moment, we may enjoy much pleasure. If we sacrifice solely for the luxuries and amenities in this world, we may also achieve those. But the most extraordinary form of sacrifice, risk, and delayed gratification is to live for God by emulating His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). He calls us to put Him first and make sure this world and everything in it comes secondary to us (1 John 2:17).

Anything we do that involves sacrificing something in this world for the sake of God and His glory will echo into eternity (Romans 8:18). We will never regret prioritizing God by utilizing our gifts, talents, resources, and energy to execute His will. We can only fill the missing puzzle pieces in our hearts through fellowship with Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:17-19). God has designed us to bring Him glory by being ambassadors for His Son, Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Don’t forget your identity in God, and remember that everything you do for Him is eternally meaningful (2 Corinthians 5:17).

May God’s love for you overflow as you serve Him by loving those around you. When we are friends of God and genuinely desire to live for Him, it will not be too hard to make the sacrifices and delays in gratification warranted to glorify Him (James 2:23, John 15:15). Before you know it, you’ll reflect Jesus Christ in more and more aspects of your life as you mature in faith. We all need to surrender our idols and work on ensuring this world’s distractions don’t steal our hearts away from our true purpose (Ezekiel 36:25). Praise God for His help in empowering us to do so!

Other times, we will seek confirmation about vital life choices. We might want to know if it’s time to take the next step in a relationship, a career choice, or another critical juncture (1 Peter 1:13). But sometimes, the only way to determine whether things will work out is to keep moving forward one action at a time (James 1:22). It is better to take incremental steps toward a greater goal than to rush into something prematurely and unprepared (Proverbs 16:9).

Are you unsure if God is giving you the green light to get married? Keep dating and pray for clarity. Do you need help to decide whether to transition from your current job to another employer? Keep working and pray for God to open and close doors that pertain to employment as He sees fit (Proverbs 3:5-6). Is it plausible that God wants to teach you something where you are right now and wants you to be patient (Romans 8:24-25)? Pray for wisdom to determine if you’re missing out on a lesson or if it’s time to make a more substantial adjustment (James 1:5-8). So, ultimately, we aim to balance aligning our desires with God’s timing and continue preparing for the future (Ecclesiastes 3:17).

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” – Corrie ten Boom

Look back a year, several years, or even a decade. Hasn’t God always been faithful to help you overcome every obstacle? He has a perfect track record (Romans 5:5). Why would you start doubting Him now? When you look back, do you see that there’s been significant progress in your life? Sometimes, it may be a slow progression from our perspective, but in God’s eyes, it’s the perfect timeline. We don’t have to measure our success based on the speed at which others operate. There will be people who may appear to have an advantage over us in several areas of life, but often, they may even feel the same way about us. Even if we counted all of it as a loss, it would be worth it if it were necessary to gain Jesus Christ in return (Philippians 3:8).

In any case, we don’t know what they sacrificed to get where they are. So, instead of staring at greener grass on their side of the fence, we should applaud the success of our peers and keep an eye on our lawn care instead. Their blessings don’t interfere with God’s timing for our blessings (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). The mistake lies in spending too much time and effort focusing on their gains rather than our victory in Jesus Christ (Psalm 118:14).

Instead of spending excessive time on social media or daydreaming about those around us, we should be investing in God’s will for us. We should concentrate on the things above and navigate life with an eternal mindset (Colossians 3:2). There’s no superior way to conduct our lives than doing everything for God’s glory and our ultimate good. If we love God and He calls us according to His purpose, we know that God guarantees this outcome for eternity (Romans 8:28). Does that always pan out how we want to in this life? No, but that’s where our faith comes in. A faith that in and of itself is a gift from God to us (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

We cannot find fulfillment in the things of this world (1 John 2:17). Only in God and a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, can we find our anchor of hope (Hebrews 6:19-20). He is the sole source able to complete the gigantic, missing puzzle piece in our hearts (Psalm 107:9). Without Him, we have nothing and cannot produce anything of eternal value (John 15:5). With Him, we have everything, including the blessing of sharing eternity in heaven with Him forever (1 John 2:24-25)! If we try to find personal satisfaction in the limited things here on earth, we will always come up short (Ecclesiastes 1:14). 

Nothing can appease us in the long term without God being at the center (Psalm 16:11). Apart from God, people feed the insatiable appetites of their flesh, and unmet expectations abound. A man or woman of God knows they cannot find lasting joy, satisfaction, contentment, or blessings in this world apart from God (1 John 2:16). We cannot even discover it in the good things when we idolize them over God who provides every good and perfect gift in its time (James 1:17). Sometimes, God may not offer specific opportunities until we’re ready to handle them and steward them graciously. Otherwise, we may get lost in the blessing and lose sight of the bigger picture found in His plan (2 Peter 3:9).

We must be open to the idea that since God gives us everything, He also has the authority to take away anything at any time He pleases (Psalm 24:1; Job 1:21). However, we know His character is unchanging, and His promises are irrevocable (Hebrews 13:8). For instance, God is not taking away that eternal gift of fellowship He gave you through His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 6:23). You don’t have to worry about losing your salvation if you have found it in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). But it would be tragic if that promise led you to backslide or compromise your faith at every turn (Romans 6:1-2). Instead, it should inspire us to do good works that glorify Him (Ephesians 2:10). We must cling tightly to God’s promises and understand that some are conditioned based on our obedience. We must also distinguish between principles and promises to avoid confusion, but that is beyond the scope of today’s article.

May God equip all of us to seek Him above all else. May we walk in the victory Jesus Christ already won. Jesus Christ is our forerunner in the faith. He fully understands the gravity of what we go through regarding every aspect of humanity, including our trials and temptations (Hebrews 6:19-20). He alone can empathize with us on the deepest level and comfort us in times of need. The One who bottles our tears and counts the hairs on our heads will not abandon or forsake us (Psalm 56:8-11; Luke 12:7; Hebrews 13:5). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. May we bring God glory in all our endeavors and submit to His will by aligning our desires with His (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Simultaneously, from then onward, we begin our lives in sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3-6). It is the consistent pursuit of Christ-likeness in every avenue of life we find ourselves in. If we only thought of Him as Savior and not Lord, we might think we have no further responsibility than acknowledging He saved us. But it would not make sense to surrender solely to Him as Lord if we did not also know Him as our Savior whose death and subsequent resurrection constituted our redemption. When we take hold of both these realities, we realize we need Him and must surrender to Him as well (Romans 12:1).

Once we trust that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross paid for all of our sins once and for all, we are motivated to take action. Such a transformation compels us to ask for the forgiveness only Jesus Christ can offer after He provided the propitiation for our sins. In other words, Christ is the only One who completely satisfied God’s wrath through His unfathomable sacrifice on our behalf.

The next step is confessing our sins to God, repenting before God, and receiving forgiveness for all our trespasses (Romans 10:9). If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). In our minds, we understand that God has forgiven us for things that are incomprehensibly offensive to Him. At this point, we decide to avoid practicing iniquity as much as possible and live a praiseworthy lifestyle in His sight. Instead of following the patterns of this world and conforming to society’s whims, we base our foundation for behavior on God’s Word (Romans 12:2). This transformation of turning away from our sins leads us to continue along a path of obedience that empowers us to rely on God to obey His commands (John 15:5).

While we have committed to have a relationship with and follow Jesus Christ in all our ways, it does not mean we are invulnerable to stumbling into sin ever again. But, of course, it is a red flag when such a sin constitutes a habitual sin (Romans 6:23). In such cases, we must urgently seek help from God, prayer, and accountability from a trustworthy believer to win the battle against it. However, when it comes to isolated moments of indiscretion, it is a reality we all cope with as imperfect as we are on this side of Heaven. But we must continue asking God for forgiveness and repent again for such compromises. It is, however, critical for us to avoid opening the door for sin when we know God’s grace is there when we have fallen (Romans 6:1-2).

As believers, critical aspects of our walk with Jesus Christ include core components of Christian discipline such as prayer, Bible study, fellowship with other believers, obeying God’s commands, following the Holy Spirit’s lead, and maintaining a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. All of these are fundamental for us to mature in the faith and cultivate our relationship with Jesus Christ. Life does not become a walk in the park for believers upon getting saved, but it does mean that we have the King of the Universe with us amid all circumstances. He will not leave or forsake His children, and nothing can separate us from His love (Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:37-39). The assurance of our salvation and His sovereignty are tremendous blessings that help us persevere when facing extreme turmoil or extraordinary challenges.

In seasons of doubt, we must remain faithful that God will come through for us. I find it helpful to remember the countless times God has answered my prayers or opened unexpected doors in my favor. When we recall His perfect track record in our lives, it often reminds us that God will provide for us in the present and the future, just as He did in the past.

A disposition of gratitude for what we have and what is going right in our lives goes a long way in helping us conquer the problems that arise. It also prompts us to communicate to God that we are indeed thankful to Him for his numerous blessings and not solely focused on what is not going according to our plans.

Finally, when things are not all going ideally in our sight, it leads us to seek God more fervently. If not for some issues, we might buy into the illusion that everything we have accomplished was due to our achievement. Rather than recognizing it was all God working in, with, and through us, we might stumble into thinking too highly of ourselves (Romans 12:3). We need to align ourselves with God, avoid thinking of ourselves loftier than we ought, and esteem others more highly than ourselves (Philippians 2:3).

While many of these assertions are simple to say and difficult to execute, these ideas bless us with renewed humility. They also remind us of God’s absolute control and our dire need to rely on Him for everything. Our walk as believers needs to incorporate them if we are to remain steadfast in God’s will, alongside obedience to His commands. If we proactively pursue Jesus Christ and surrender to Him in every avenue possible, everything will fall into its appropriate place (Matthew 6:33).

Even when adversity comes knocking at our front door, we remain confident that God will help us to persevere over any storm life might throw in our direction. Over time we come to the realization that God never lets us down. On the contrary, He has a perfect track record that showcases a level of love beyond our capacity to fathom with our finite minds.

Who better to trust with everything than the One who knows us better than we know ourselves? After all, He is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere at all times). Add to these realities that God has His children’s best interests at heart in light of eternity. It should be intuitive at this point for us to realize that there is no one better in the universe to rest our faith and surrender our fears and anxieties. As such, we must rest assured that He always faithfully protects and guides us in the direction that best suits His perfect will and our well-being.

Another advantage of placing our complete faith in God is experiencing His peace. Sometimes we attempt to take things into our hands rather than pray for God’s help. These are not mutually exclusive endeavors. In many cases, praying and taking action would be wise. However, we overestimate our influence on our immediate circumstances and underestimate the power of prayer. Sometimes the best course of action is to surrender something outside our control to God in prayer and rest in His sovereignty (John 16:33). When the situation calls for it, this demonstrates our faith in God to handle our problem. Furthermore, we welcome His peace to offer us the antidote to our burdensome worries (Philippians 4:6, Romans 5:1).

As believers, God has created us in His image (Genesis 1:27). Each of us is an ambassador of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). We are also friends of God rather than at enmity with Him when we walk in obedience to His Word (John 15:15)! Our ultimate purpose is to bring God glory (1 Corinthians 6:20, Isaiah 43:7). The execution of fulfilling our calling varies from person to person. Still, all believers are a part of His plans for us as we are members of the body of believers serving different roles that complement one another (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). When we have faith in these elements of our foundation and purpose, it should boost our confidence and develop our courage.

The Bible provides a steady supply of strength that reminds us of God’s faithfulness and love in the lives of believers before us. Knowing that flawed men and women, just like you and I, were used by God for the fulfillment of monumental achievements in the eyes of God should increase our faith and eliminate our worries. For example, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob parted the Red Sea to save His people under the leadership of Moses (Exodus 14:26-29), protected Daniel from being devoured in the lion’s den (Daniel 6:23), and delivered Shadrack, Meschac, and Abed-Nego from the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:19-25). So likewise, God is with His children today as with our ancestors (Romans 8:31-39).

If we reflect on our lives, we can refer to God’s consistent protection, provision, and providence to remember his unfailing reliability (Philippians 4:19). Do not forget the numerous times you, your family, or friends prayed, and God was faithful. It may not have always agreed with our perspective or timing, but often we are privileged to take notice that His timing was infinitely superior anyway (1 John 5:14-15). After all, it would be a tragedy if God gave us a blessing that we were not yet prepared to receive due to a lack of character development, preparedness, or appreciation.

Instead, He lovingly defers those blessings to the correct time after we have learned to handle them and experienced the contrast of not having them so that we might rightfully understand how outstanding the opportunity truly is (Proverbs 13:12). If we are honest with ourselves, some of God’s most excellent answers to prayer are those He lovingly does not provide for us because He knows what we need better than we do. In those cases, we should aspire to be equally thankful even when we do not understand why the door closed unexpectedly, and things did not pan out in the direction we foresaw.

The final aspect of faithfulness that carries one of the most remarkable benefits to all of us is God’s gift of community with fellow believers (Hebrews 10:25, 1 Thessalonians 5:11). God has given each of us a consistent desire to pursue fellowship with like-minded believers. As a result, not only do we receive benefits such as encouragement, accountability, and support from such circles, but we are also enabled to invest our time, energy, and effort in being there for others.

There may be seasons where we require one end more than another, but in their time, we all need to lean on one another the way God designed it to be. When we share our struggles, others can relate, offer advice, or pray for us. Likewise, we can share testimonies in our lives where God came through for us, and God’s answers to our prayers can strengthen the faith of our Christian peers (2 Timothy 1:8). Such actions can alleviate our fears and anxieties by focusing on God’s work rather than overthinking, which may lead to fear or anxiety.

Some worries and concerns should not be on our radar because they are far less of an issue than we make them out to be and often do not even materialize (Matthew 6:31-34). Instead of spending time in our heads about such circumstances, we are often better suited to pouring into the lives of others. Focusing outside ourselves and being there for other believers may be just what the doctor ordered to offer us a renewed perspective.

May God bless each of us with a desire to pursue Him and His will wholeheartedly (Jeremiah 29:13). Let us not allow the whims of fear or anxiety dictate our actions in life. Instead, let us build one another up in faith, knowing that God will never abandon or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). We can trust Him to be there when life throws us more than we can handle. Submit your cares and worries to Him, rest in His sovereignty, and pursue the calling He instills in your heart to answer (1 Peter 5:7). There is no better place to be than at the center of God’s will for your life.

It may help under certain conditions to pursue the counsel of others. After all, if we’re to become less susceptible to subjective perceptions, balancing our observations with that of trusted people in our lives can assist us. When we reach out to people who have our best interests in mind, are trustworthy, and are willing to provide counsel, we essentially extricate a lot of our own bias. Granted, it may not be a one-size-fits-all solution, but it makes sense in many cases to consider this approach. A friend might save us a lot of trouble in a realistic assessment of where we are at and whether we are exhibiting the qualities of a Christian. In my mind, I might think I am not selfish, but my friend can tell me that I am prone to make selfish decisions. They could advise that it may stem from being an only child or perhaps not having many responsibilities. Such insight would give me new evidence to consider. Wisdom of this nature becomes more valid when provided by many counselors, as the Bible advocates for in Proverbs (Proverbs 11:14).

Let’s consider a second scenario. I might be under the impression that I am good at cycling. Perhaps I think myself among the top 10-20% of cyclists. However, I can quickly remedy any illusions of grandeur by doing some research online and making some basic comparisons with people who are passionate about the sport. For example, let’s assume I cannot maintain a ~20mph pace for over an hour. I may perceive that I am better than I am in this scenario because I zoom by all sorts of cyclists in my daily ride. However, after a few minutes of looking into Youtube and reading a few articles on cycling, I realize that many people can sustain such speeds for several hours across 100+ kilometers. Suddenly I can determine I am not nearly as good as I might have initially assessed. 

Embracing this reality doesn’t need to discourage me and provides an objective view of how I can improve. Now I realize where I am and set new goals based on where I want to be. If you think you’re already among the best, you’ll get complacent before you even start to obtain excellence in your work. I rather know that I am an average cyclist and see where I stand than buy into the illusion that I am better without any concrete basis. 

A similar approach can benefit us as Christians regarding our walk with Jesus Christ. When we know our strengths and weaknesses, we can learn where we might need to channel more of our attention. Giving or receiving this kind of constructive criticism is not always easy. If we solicit a family member or friend’s advice, we must exercise caution to protect that relationship. However, it may be an excellent strategy if we don’t think we can be objective exclusively through our reflection. Don’t allow your weaknesses to define who you are. We find value in our identity in Jesus Christ, not our abilities or character. We all have at least a few areas to improve and many battles to fight, so we should all aim to be as humble as possible and build up others along the way (Ephesians 4:29).

The Fruit of the Spirit is a vital resource we use like we would a physical mirror (Galatians 5:22-23). Are you reflecting kindness, gentleness, goodness, love, joy, peace, self-control, long-suffering, and faithfulness in your life? Perhaps it’s easy for us to exercise some or even most of these traits under optimal conditions. But does that remain true when life gets more complicated, stressful, or challenging? These are the type of standards we should consider when pondering what it means for us to be successful. After all, do you want to be successful in the eyes of the world or God? The world correlates your value with income, beauty, accolades, intellect, and other metrics often subjective, flawed, or superficial. However, in the eyes of God, much of our success is based on whether we bring Him glory. We acknowledge that all the gifts, talents, resources, and beauty we may possess are God-given. Therefore, believers should rest in God’s sovereignty and serve Him with everything they have (Psalm 37:7, Colossians 3:23-24). 

We need to pursue what God values instead of what the world does. The fleeting lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life the world offers are not of God (1 John 2:16, Galatians 5:17-21). Instead, we need to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. These are the two greatest commandments, and if we execute each of these effectively, every other command is addressed by extension (Matthew 22:36-40). If we truly love God, we won’t yield to sin but rather strive for holy conduct by abiding in God (John 15:4-11). If we genuinely love our neighbors as ourselves, and by extension, everyone else on earth in consideration of the big picture, that means we love even our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48)! Indeed, these are simple concepts to grasp but much harder to put into practice. 

The world and its evil allures are all dead-end roads. There’s no amount of money, power, or fame that will lead you to true satisfaction. The only One who can truly satisfy you, and give you an eternally valuable assignment in this life, is Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must learn to serve God, not money, and live for eternity rather than our best life now (Matthew 6:24). We should learn to make sacrifices that pay dividends later rather than succumb to instant gratification.

If you are a child of God, He will mold your character and shape you into the person He wants you to become. When we are willing vessels, open and ready to serve Him diligently, He will assign us with a purpose for our life here on earth (2 Timothy 2:20-21). Being a child of God engages a desire in us to obtain Godly character to share the Gospel with the lost, fellowship with other believers, and potentially disciple others to grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus Christ. When we sow in these areas, we’ll reap many blessings, but they’ll be infinitely more apparent later (Galatians 6:9). Take heart that the more you willingly submit to God, the more areas you will enjoy His providence. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need further motivation beyond that to be all-in for God’s glory. I pray that you will embrace the same mission.

There may have come times in our past when an individual or group of people wronged us, and it had a substantial negative impact. Under these circumstances, we must forgive them. God has graciously and mercifully forgiven us countless times (Matthew 6:14-15). Who are we not to extend that same courtesy to other people? God calls us even to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). There is no room for grudges, unforgiveness, and bitterness in the life of a believer. Life is far too short for us not to move on from these events. Of course, there may be circumstances where the grievance might frankly be unforgettable. We may even be prudent in ensuring that we do not put ourselves in a position to be taken advantage of again the same way. I think that this protocol would not be mutually exclusive to forgiveness. In other words, we can both forgive someone and avoid allowing them an opportunity to hurt us again. When we face these kinds of issues, we need to exercise discernment. Furthermore, we would be wise to ask God to enlighten us in prayer to figure out how to handle each situation one at a time (James 1:5).

A lot of us tend to steer away from any semblance of conflict. When it does not seem necessary, I tend to do the same. However, it takes confrontation to move beyond an issue in many instances. Maybe we have someone we need to reach to clear the air or set the record straight. Even if we decide this is the right course of action, it will suit us well to tame our temper. For instance, we can make sure we are not emotionally charged and try our best to empathize with their perspective before we engage them. The last thing we want to do is compound the problem with a new argument and cause more problems because we failed to exercise self-control in a critical moment. While this approach may not address the issue exactly when we face it, we are not sweeping it under the rug either. The last thing we want to do is bury our problems, arguments, and conflicts one at a time until, one day, things get out of hand. In this sense, I think there is merit to facing each challenge as it comes rather than allowing the accumulation of more minor problems to become a bigger one. Otherwise, petty issues that we failed to address in the past can potentially catch us with an unpleasant surprise in the future (Ephesians 4:26-31).

Another aspect of this we often face as believers has to do with our past sins. Instead of carrying that weight around with us, we should remind ourselves of God’s forgiveness. If God forgives us, who are we not to forgive ourselves for our shortcomings? If you still face the residual guilt of a sin God forgave a long time ago, you are doing yourself a disservice and carrying around an unnecessary burden (Psalm 55:22). If we already surrendered that at the foot of the cross, it has no business in our lives. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus who walk according to the Spirit instead of the flesh (Romans 8:1). Take solace in God’s Word in times of trouble and submit your past along with its problems to Jesus Christ (1 Peter 5:7). None of us is perfect. We have all fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). God’s grace should not serve as a license to continue sinning, but we can trust that His grace, mercy, and love meet us amid our shortcomings when we need them most (Romans 6:1-4).

Do not give the adversary a foothold in your life. If you feel the temptation to rush into sin or make a hasty decision, it is not from God. God provides us with ways of escape from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). You are not alone in the battles you face. Whether seen or unseen, make sure you rely on God rather than your willpower to persevere. Our human will is limited and will eventually fail us (Proverbs 3:5-6). This reality makes it essential to rely on God to provide us the strength, wisdom, and discretion among His numerous other provisions. Some other examples include His full armor, prayer, and worship. These blessings empower us to cling to Him and experience victory by His power in times of distress. After all, apart from Jesus Christ operating in, with, and through us, we could never accomplish anything of eternal value. But with Him, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), and God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). May He always receive all the glory for the victories we experience (1 Chronicles 29:11).