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“"The Right (Wrong) Set of Circumstances"”

Thoughts for Today:

A few years ago, I wrote a devotion in which I reflected upon the humanity of the Apostles. One of the examples I used was the way Peter behaved following the Crucifixion of Jesus. Several days later, I received a scathing rebuttal from a man who thought any criticism of an Apostle was extremely inappropriate (his words were a little stronger). Unfortunately, the man missed the point of the devotion. The Apostles selected by Jesus were extraordinary men, but they were still regular people. Just like you and me. They weren't endowed with superhuman abilities (except those given by the Spirit of the Lord). They too were subject to the same kind of conflicts and fears that we face each day.

In our passage today, Paul reveals a highly personal feeling. He was restless and harassed, so there were conflicts happening on the outside and it was beginning to result in fears within. That sounds a lot like each one of us. No matter how strong, faithful, knowledgeable or experienced we might be, all of us are still human and even the best of us can become fearful given the right (or rather wrong) set of circumstances.

In Paul's case the wrong set of circumstances was no rest. It meant he had no time to reset himself spiritually, he ran from one crisis to the next, and had no quiet time to reflect upon the Lord. As a result, he had no peace and fear was beginning to lift its ugly head.

Questions to Ponder:

Peace comes from the Lord and is the result of spending time in His presence. As a human being, even a spiritual giant like Paul became susceptible to fear if he didn't make enough time for the Lord. What about you? Are you feeling harassed and sleepless -- with conflicts at every turn? Take time to be with the Lord. Seek His peace and comfort now.

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About the author

Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.