Living in Obedience to God

Jeremiah had a lot of questions. And, to him, the conclusions seemed obvious.

God had “appointed” him to be “a prophet to the nations,” saying that this was his destiny even before he was born. But this made no sense to Jeremiah.

For several reasons, Jeremiah felt disqualified. As a young man, he knew that many would reject him because of his age alone. In light of this, he did not see how he could be an effective prophet.

Jeremiah also thought about his lack of experience. He did not seem to have the training necessary to be a prophet. Nor did he feel that he had the necessary spiritual maturity, skills, or resources. And it’s likely that he simply didn’t want this overwhelming assignment.

In many ways, Jeremiah’s reaction was quite normal. But he was focusing on surface issues—how things appeared from a strictly human perspective.

In the world, this is how people tend to react. They make decisions and form judgments based on their own opinions…their own interests…and their own desires. And, apart from God, these may be quite logical conclusions.

But God wanted Jeremiah to learn that everything changes when we serve Him. Our lives are transformed when we operate in His strength, obey His commands, and keep His Word. Although we may be conscious of our own limits, the Lord wants us to realize that we can do all things through Him (Philippians 4:13). He can use anyone who is obedient and willing, who is faithful and trusts in Him.

In your life, make sure that you focus on God, not on yourself. Seek to obey Him. Be sensitive to His Spirit. Remain faithful, always trusting in Him.