“In Between Normals”: A 30 Day Devotion on the Book of Acts预览

You are Not a Failure

I don’t know about you, but whenever something goes wrong, I would blame it on myself. I would tell myself, “Albert, you are such a failure!” It hurts. And then one day, my mom said, "Son, if God allows you to go through this, take heed, and pay close attention to what God is teaching you."

The "Failure" of the Early Church

The disciples in the early Church took Jesus seriously. Jesus said, "Love your neighbour as yourself." So, they took care of their widows. They sent food to their widows every single day! However, despite their hard work, something went wrong. They somehow neglected a group of widows!

How could this happen? Simple! These widows spoke Greek. They couldn't understand your Aramaic. And you sent them home hungry! What kind of Christian are you?

Now, in a situation like this, you have a choice. You may conclude that you are a failure. You can't do anything right. You should shut down the whole thing and go home. Or, you may choose to see it as the gracious God giving you a divine opportunity to grow!

For the Glory of God

So, what did they do? The disciples appointed a group of seven Greek-speaking men to look into the issue. They knew it wasn’t just about food. It was also about understanding the widows, loving, and caring for them in a way they needed! As a result, "the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly." (6:7) All for the glory of God!

Let's get Personal

My friend, let's face it. You've made that mistake. You could have done better. But listen! Your "failure" doesn’t define you. Your God does! If your God says that you are redeemed, who in the world can say otherwise?

"I am a failure" belongs to the "old normal." Leave that behind. Don't carry the baggage with you. The Bible says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

My friend, embrace your mistakes, learn from them, and let God transform your life. All for the glory of God!

Reflection:

Is there any regret in your life that you keep coming back to? Can you bring it to God and allow Him to heal you? How can you allow God to redeem it for His glory?