When difficultly comes where do you run to?
Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
The solution to every problem, every need, and every desire of our heart is found in Him. Yes it’s that simple. The problem is we want the quick fix. Instead of running to God, we run to a person, to a substance, to anything that will fill us, stop the pain, or meet our need in the moment. God is not about the quick fix. He’s about transforming our hearts so that we can sustain the blessings and breakthroughs He has for us. I preached a message at church last week sharing more about this. You can watch it HERE if you’d like.
There’s a saying, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” It’s time to do something different. What’s your “run to?” The thing you always run to when you feel dissatisfied or difficulties arise? We all run to something or someone. Don’t allow the enemy to sabotage what God is doing in your life. Be aware of your “run to” because it’s in these moments we have a choice to fall back into cycles of defeat or run to God and allow Him to heal and deliver us.
Here are some truths to keep us running in the right direction:
1. Be wise in who you RUN with.
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” – Galatians 5:8-9
We must be very careful who we run with. Who we spend time with. Who we allow to speak into our lives. Who we are listening to. This affects our lives more than we realize. “A little leaven spoils the whole lump.” Be intentional with who you run with. Examine your relationships closely. Don’t allow compromise to taint the purity of your heart for the Lord. Guard your heart fiercely. Choose to run with people that encourage you to run to Jesus because they too are running to Him.
2. RUN from anything that will keep you in that cycle of defeat.
But flee youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” – 2 Timothy 2:22
You probably already know what or who you need to run away from. Don’t think twice. Run! Flee from temptation! I was just sharing with my son the other day how I used to apply the verse above very literally early in my walk when I was so bound and broken. I desperately wanted to be free so when temptation came and I felt like I was wavering I would go out my front door and just start to run. I would run for blocks and pray and cry out to God and come back home exhausted, but more determined than ever not to give into the things I knew would keep me bound. It’s what I needed to do at that time. How desperate are you to be free, to be healed, to have God’s best for your life? While you may not literally run down the block like I did you can flee from temptation by not going where you used to go or doing what you used to do and instead running to God and crying out for His grace to strengthen you when you feel weak. His grace is sufficient. Pray and ask God for strategies to break cycles and habits in your life. He promises to always make a way of escape for us.
3. RUN to God
You will make known to me the path of life;In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” – Psalm 16:11
God wants to transform our lives. He wants to do something He’s never done before. NOW is the time. Don’t let anything stop you. Run into His Presence again and again and again. We must choose to run there and drink deeply from the Living Water that satisfies our souls and transforms our lives like nothing and no one else can. Make time to be still and know that He is God. All throughout the day. He is our lifeline. We need Him. We need to be in His Presence. It’s there we will be healed and delivered. It’s there the veils of deception will be lifted and our eyes will be opened to the truth that sets us free. It’s there our hearts become filled with Him and nothing else matters. There is a grace in this season for Gods people to hide themselves in His Presence. God is doing something very unique and special. Don’t miss it. This will mean abandoning those fruitless things that take up our time and spending more time with Him. He is calling you? Can you hear Him? Don’t walk … RUN into His Presence.
