NO CONTEST

No Contest

Don’t worry about the wicked. Don’t envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like springtime flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.Psalm 37:1-4

When evil people prosper, it may cause believers to ask why. It doesn’t seem fair that the wicked succeed when the righteous struggle, but we can’t judge prosperity by the world’s standards. Much of what society considers success is temporary and shallow. God offers lasting rewards. He gives joy that overflows in spite of circumstances. He grants abundant peace in the midst of chaos. He offers comfort when we grieve and guides us when we are lost. We serve a God who knows everything about us and still loves us. That same God understands the desires of our hearts. How then can we compare material goods or fame with a loving God such as this? There is no contest! When it looks as if life is falling apart at the seams, trust God to take you safely through the hard times. Delight in him, and rejoice because he will give you eternal gifts that cause temporal rewards to pale in comparison.

COMPASSIONATE AND LOVING FATHER, many people have material goods and success, but they still search for something that is real and lasting. Thank you for joy that runs deep. Thank you for peace that only you can give. Help me not to take what I have been given for granted but to be filled with gratefulness.

GOD IS MY BEING . . . MY STRENGTH, MY BEAUTITUDE, MY GOOD, MY DELIGHT.Catherine of Genoa (1447–1510)