MISPLACED UNDERSTANDING

Taking Scripture out of context during my early believing years was easy. I used to deliberately choose verses from the Bible and twist them to suit the desires of my unbridled flesh and unguarded heart.

My lack of wisdom and spiritual maturity were obvious to others more mature in Christ, while I remained oblivious to my blasphemous interpretation of God’s holy word. My zeal as a new believer was tragically misplaced.

Although I had an internal fire and love for the Lord, I still had one foot cemented in the world, along with an appetite for the things that Scripture warned me against - lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).

I kept pursuing the things that, consistently, failed to bring me peace, contentment and fulfillment, even in the midst of declaring and receiving Christ as my Lord and Savior. Every moment of every day felt like an uphill climb against the very thing I wanted to be free of - my sinful will.

Today’s verse serves as an example of my misinterpretation of God’s word. I wrongly assumed that abundant material and financial blessings would flow freely from God’s generosity, to me as his child. Not only was my faith perverted but so was my understanding of what my salvation and sanctification truly meant.

Sadly, it took me over a decade to properly discern God’s purpose for me as his daughter along with the accurate understanding of many misinterpreted verses, including Romans 8:32. It disheartens me to think of all the time I squandered instead of deepening the intimacy and knowledge of my relationship with the Lord. Yet, I know that even though I considered that time to be a waste, God was still working it all for good (Romans 8:28).

Today, I’m relieved that over the past few years, I’ve intentionally chosen to have less to do with the world and more to do with God. That I’ve fought harder to take in more of the Lord and his word, in its proper context, while trying to deny my flesh’s whining – a fight that still happens daily.

As true believers who want to flourish and mature according to Scripture, we must daily opt for God’s way over our own and that includes proper interpretation and application of God’s word in our lives. May we be alert to the enemy who determines to fill us with lies which take our eyes from God’s true generosity of every spiritual blessing that he loves to graciously give us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:3)

Heavenly Father, my gratitude can’t be measured when it comes to what you have done in me and my life through Scripture by your Holy Spirit. Thank you for your patient faithfulness in bringing me to the place of true Biblical understanding. I pray that my brothers and sisters in Christ who struggle with their faith, would be drawn deeply into you and receive the generous spiritual blessings found in your word. In Jesus’s name I pray, amen.

Throughout This Day: Determine to spend more time in Scripture, praying for proper discernment in what the Spirit of the Lord is saying.