20 DAYS IN 2 HOURS CHALLENGE: “BLESSINGS” (Day 15)

IN ORDER TO RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSINGS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.
On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because
to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
(1 Peter 3:9)

MEDITATION:
Have you ever gotten into a situation
that you wish you had avoided?
Sometimes we allow our natural inclinations and emotions
to take control, instead of taking a deep breath and
practicing patience.
As a result,
we can find ourselves in a “tit for tat” battle that seems endless.

Our earthly reactions “outrun” our spiritual reactions
to the surface whenever we have drifted away from
the Lord and His guidance.
The scriptures tell us that when this happens, we cause
ourselves to miss out on His personal blessings for us.

Does that mean we never get mad or upset?
Does that mean it is easy to be nice whenever
someone “jerks our chain”, or “gets on our last nerve”?

Of course not, but we discover that the closer we are
to the Lord, the easier it becomes to harness our anger
and react in a kind (and unusual) manner.
The scriptures tell us how to throw cold water
on a potentially volatile situation, instead of escalating it.
A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

ACTION:
When reading the Bible, we find that it is filled with a lot
of instructions which encourage us to squelch our natural
emotions, and respond in a manner that identifies us as
Christians.
And when we do, we discover new blessings for ourselves.

Sometimes we can evaluate our “closeness” with the Lord
by how we react to unpleasant situations.
We can also assess our spiritual condition by our obedience
to the commands for those who claim to know the Lord as
their Savior.

We have to be honest and admit that some of the instructions
for believers do not make a lot of sense on the surface,
but when we practice them, we discover God’s Word is true,
and we receive His blessings.

A couple of examples:
Respond in a kind manner to insults and receive blessings
from the Lord (including the avoidance of increased conflict,
which can cause loss of sleep and potential health problems).
Return to the Lord His tithes and offerings and discover
we are blessed by being able to do more with less.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have allowed
my natural reactions to control my responses. Help me to
live closer to You so that Your Holy Spirit will be in control
of my emotions and how I respond to others who are being
unkind. Teach me to be more like Your Son, Jesus, so that
I can enjoy the additional blessings You have for me. Thank
You, Jesus, for setting the example for me to follow.”

20 Day Challenge – Day 1:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/07/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-1/

20 Day Challenge – Day 2:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/08/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-2/

20 Day Challenge – Day 3:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/09/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-3/

20 Day Challenge – Day 4:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/10/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-4/

20 Day Challenge – Day 5:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/11/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-5/

20 Day Challenge – Day 6:
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/12/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-6/

20 Day Challenge – Day 7
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/13/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-7/

20 Day Challenge – Day 8
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/14/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-8/

20 Day Challenge – Day 9
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/15/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-9/

20 Day Challenge – Day 10
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/16/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-10/

20 Day Challenge – Day 11
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/17/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-11/

20 Day Challenge – Day 12
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/18/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-12/

20 Day Challenge – Day 13
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/19/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-13/

20 Day Challenge – Day 14
https://utvolwoody.wordpress.com/2021/06/20/20-days-in-2-hours-challenge-blessings-day-14/