Going to Macedonia – Day 3

O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. - Jeremiah 20:7-9


As a young boy, Jeremiah was called to be a prophet. But fulfilling that calling was easier said than done. In fact Jeremiah lamented so much about the things he had to preach that he’s now called “the weeping prophet.” Why was it so hard for Jeremiah to do his job? Because no one listened to him. We live in a sinful world where God isn’t honored universally. When we do our best to obey God, we’ll almost always face opposition. But opposition doesn’t mean you’re off track. When you struggle for trying to live God’s way, it typically means you’re right where you need to be. Following God’s will isn’t always this hard, but it’s not always easy, either. Don’t judge your place in God’s will by your circumstances or how you feel. Instead, trust God who called you in the first place.

What’s been the hardest thing you’ve had to do to obey God?

Ask God for determination like Jeremiah’s and the ability to obey God even when it’s hard.