Choose Gains

Isaiah 55:^8-9 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

The Bible says in 1 Peter 2:^9-10 “But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted” (MSG). Are you answering to what people are calling you, or are you answering to what God is calling you? God calls you loved and protected, are you answering to that? God says He has a future and a hope for you, are you carrying on like someone whose hope and future is sorted by God? Or are you carrying on like one who the world says is not good enough, does not measure up, can never cope? What are you answering to? Moses refused to be defined by others, you and I need to refuse to be defined by anyone but God.

#2: Choose Short-term Pain For Long-term Gain! The second choice that Moses made, that shaped his life and that we also need to make, is he chose short-term pain for long-term gain. You can look at the pain Moses had to go through and say it was not short. However, if you put the pain side-by-side the gains and compare them, you will agree that it was really short. We often look at the things we are going through and wonder why they seem to be lasting forever. For you to get the future that you want, you have to choose short-term pain for the long-term gain.

A lot of the problems people face exist because they do not delay gratification. Some people have zero savings because they are not delaying gratification. You could argue that perhaps they do not have enough, but that is a big fat lie. Everybody can save. A lot of the problems that we face prevail because we give up long-term gains because of short-term pain. Some students do not pass their exams because of the pain and rigors of reading. But if you get a distinction, if you come out with a first class, you have that certificate for your lifetime. So, the three, four, or five years of enduring the pain of studying cannot compare to the gains of a lifetime.

Hebrews 11:²⁵ “Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.” (NIV, emphasis added). Moses knew that what was waiting for him was discrimination and being mistreated, but he still made the choice. It is interesting to note that when we think of sin the things that come to mind are things like stealing, adultery, fornication, lying, and the likes. Guess what? Moses did not do any of those things in the palace. What was God saying when He talked about the pleasures of sin? To sin is to miss the mark of God’s best for your life even though you may not be committing adultery, stealing, lying, or killing anyone.

Prayer: Father, align my heart so that I will not miss Your best for me, in Jesus Name. Amen!