David Yarbrough
Psalm 119:67 (CSB)
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.
When it comes to spiritual maturity, comfort, ease, and prosperity are not your best friends.
Who doesn't want comfort, ease, and prosperity? American Christianity considers these to be all good things that are all part of living my blessed life now. Most of us want blessings and comfort from God, but the more comfortable we are and the more “blessed” we are, the less we seek God. Matthew 6:33 (CSB) But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. We don't feel a need to seek God’s Kingdom first when we are living in abundance, and we don't see where any of “these things” need to be provided by God.
The Psalmist said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray”. He’s saying that when life was good, easy, and comfortable, he strayed away from God’s rule and reign over his life. But when affliction hit his life, he began to see God and His Kingdom rule in a whole different light. Now he sees it as something to seek, something to know, and a place to live. He goes on to say a few verses later, Psalm 119:71–72 (CSB), “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I could learn your statutes. Instruction from your lips is better for me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.” It appears that affliction taught the Psalmist where true eternal value is found.
The greatest spiritual discipline is to continually be focused on God, and His blessings are what make it difficult.
In Genesis 28:10–22, Jacob is on the run from his brother Esau after following his mother's advice and tricking his father Isaac into giving him the blessing of the firstborn intended for Esau. Everything in Jacob's life up until this point had been smooth sailing. Living under his mother's watchful eye and his father's patriarchal blessings gave him a sense of security and ease. When Jacob first set out on his journey, what did he believe about God? Just what his parents had taught him. These blessings he always lived under, however, left him with little motivation to put his faith in the God of his parents. Before this, we don’t ever read of Jacob praying or participating in anything that would demonstrate he had faith in God.
Jacob was too blessed to see God.
But things are changing drastically in Jacob's life now. Now that he is a fugitive, his mother is nowhere to be found to give him advice, and he is far from the comfort, ease, and security of home and family.
Genesis 28:11
When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.
"WHEN HE REACHED A CERTAIN PLACE"—a place he had never been before this night this is a place of hardship where he exchanges the soft, comfy pillows he had always known for a rock. A pillow is a cushion for the head to rest on, but in this certain place, there wasn’t any comfort available. God had to get Jacob out from under his mother’s watchful eye before he would ever look to God. Out of reach of her voice before he could hear God's voice, and stripped from all his worldly comforts before he would ever realize he needed God.
Here is a hard question we must all ask ourselves: Am I too blessed to see God? Right here, right now, in this season of my life. We find the answer to this question in our desire to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). Is living God's Kingdom purposes my top priority? Do I have a burning desire to seek Him every morning, to commune with Him through prayer and Bible intake? It's important that we evaluate our priorities in life and examine ourselves to make sure we are living in alignment with our true eternal values. It's way too easy for the busyness of our blessings to pull our hearts away from our Kingdom purpose.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessings You bestow upon us, but help us not to become blinded by them. In moments of affliction, open our eyes to see Your presence and grace more clearly. Draw us closer to You, so that we may grow in our faith and reflect Your love in all circumstances. Amen.
Life Application Points:
1. Recognize the source of your blessings: Take time to reflect on the blessings in your life and remember that they come from God. Acknowledge Him as the Giver and express gratitude for His provision.
2. Don't let comfort hinder your spiritual growth: Be aware that a life of ease and comfort can sometimes lead to complacency in your relationship with God. Seek Him diligently, even when you are comfortable, and make a conscious effort to grow in your faith.
3. Cultivate a Kingdom-focused perspective: shift your focus from the temporary blessings of this world to the eternal Kingdom of God. Strive to develop a deeper understanding of God's will and purpose for your life and prioritize your relationship with Him above all else.