Today’s 333 Devotional: “No, It’s Not Hopeless”

Making the decision to follow God isn’t as hopeless as we may think. But far too often we think that following God is way too difficult, and so we end up following our own ways instead.

This was the position God’s people when the Lord told them to repent.

“That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.” (Jeremiah 18:12)

Joshua gave the people this same choice.

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

The prophet Elijah asked, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21)

Therefore, it boils down to a choice. Either we can follow the Lord, or we can follow our own ways, the ways of Satan, or the dictates of the world. But we can’t choose them all.

Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matthew 6:24)

When we’re face with this choice we often say, “That’s hopeless! It’s far too hard! We’ll follow God when it’s convenient, but when it’s not convenient then we’ll follow what we know and what we desire.”

But following the Lord is not hopeless; rather it’s hope filled. The prophet Isaiah said, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)