September 17, 2020

BELIEVE IN GOD

Sirach 2:1-6

My son, if you draw near to serve the Lord,
Prepare your soul for temptation.
Set your heart right and be steadfast,
And do not strive anxiously in distress.
Cleave to Him and do not fall away,
That you may be honored at the end of your life.
Accept whatever is brought upon you,
And in exchange for your humiliation, be patient;
Because gold is tested in fire
And acceptable men in the furnace of abasement.
Believe in Him, and He will help you;
Make your ways straight and hope in Him.

Personal Challenge

As we strive to draw near to our Lord and live our lives to be like Him, we will be tempted. The enemy does not want us to succeed. We must set our hearts and minds on Him and be steadfast in our commitment to Him. As life closes in on us and we stumble and fall, we must cling to Him even tighter so that we do not fall away. The closer we are to Him, the more that we can accept from this world as it tries to pull us away from Him. These temptations can be used by God to refine us and strengthen us. In all of this, we cannot stop believing in Him, hoping in Him, and trusting that He will make our paths straight. Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!