BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

1905 Your Part In This
Have you ever had to clean up a mess you didn’t create? Did someone else’s problem become your problem and by association you were negatively affected? Maybe right now you’re dealing with something that wasn’t your fault, but it is your reality. It’s not fair, but it’s for real yours now and what you do with it from here matters.
God sees how you’re carrying this. He knows the details and he hasn’t overlooked you in the middle of this. You may be part of a group affected, but you will be singled out in accordance to your individual actions and attitude. Here’s how I know, it’s in our Bible.
Last week in episode #1903 titled “Hey, That’s Me” we studied the story of Caleb who waited for God’s promise for 45 years, then he walked in the Promised Land. And after all those years of waiting, he declared in Joshua 14: 10-12, “The Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these 45 years since Moses made this promise – even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am 85 years old. I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me.”
Do you remember why he had to wait for 45 years to step into his promise? Because of someone else! He was delayed because of someone else’s disobedience. Someone else’s failure created a problem for him, and that problem lasted from the time he was 40 to the time he was 85.
Back up a bit and Caleb explains the delay. Verse 7-8, “I was 40 years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.”
Caleb went as 1 of 12 spies chosen by Moses to check out the land God had promised them. There they saw a beautiful and blessed land overflowing with abundance, inhabited to giant people. When the 12 spies returned to give their report, 10 of them focused on how huge their enemies were and spread fear among the people. Caleb and Joshua acknowledged the truth of how big their enemies were, but they were grounded in faith reminding everyone of God’s promise. Numbers 14: 8, “They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
But the people ignored the faith filled report of Caleb and Joshua, and listened only to the fear spread by the other 10 spies. They refused to move forward and cowered in forfeit. Yes, they forfeited what God had promised. The Israelites were left to wander in the wilderness for over 40 years.
Caleb and Joshua couldn’t conquer the land on their own, so they too were stuck. Imagine for a moment how frustrating this must have been. They knew God had promised them victory, they knew the way had already been made, they knew everything they could ever dream of was right there waiting for them, but they couldn’t enter because of the unbelief and fear of everyone else.
Everyone else’s problem became their problem. They were in a mess they didn’t create. And that mess lasted for 45 years. 45 years of wandering in a wilderness the two men of faith didn’t choose. 45 years of being surrounded by people who’s lack of faith kept them from walking in the fullness of their own faith. 45 years of life passed where they didn’t get to live in the abundance God had promised because of the choice of others.
But does Caleb sound bitter here? Does he sound pitiful? No. He sounds positive. He sounds powerful. He sounds ready!
You can be pitiful or you can be powerful, but you can’t be both. Caleb chose power. And today, God says to his girls, “Choose power here. You don’t have to be pitiful when you know my eye is on you personally.”
Caleb says, “For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.” And that right there is what you’re being asked to do. That’s all you can do. You can’t change everyone else. You can’t force others to agree or change. You can’t make them take that step of faith with you. And maybe that means you get delayed because of it, but my sister, you don’t have to grow bitter because of it. You don’t have to sacrifice your power here and become pitiful. You can remain wholehearted.
The problem is, when we find ourselves in messes we didn’t create and suffer the consequences of other’s decisions, we struggle to remain wholehearted. We start showing up half-hearted. We give half-hearted efforts with half-hearted commitments because that bitterness has gotten down within us.
We’re angry over what they have caused and what it is costing us. And while that’s a fair feeling, it’s not working in your favor. That feeling has been eating away at your heart and how can you remain wholehearted if half of it’s been eaten up with bitterness and anger? Even though it may be justified, it’s still creating damage within you.
Caleb says, “For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.” Did everyone else? No. But his focus isn’t on everyone else. His focus is on his part. With his part, he gave his whole heart and didn’t allow the efforts and attitudes of others to affect his part.
And through the wait, through the wandering in the wilderness for all those years created by those who chose to forfeit the promise in fear, Caleb kept his heart whole. He knew God watched him for his part. He wasn’t responsible for everyone else, he was responsible for his part. And though he couldn’t change everyone else, he couldn’t allow everyone else to change him. He couldn’t allow the delay to create bitterness. He couldn’t focus on the unfairness and allow self pity to eat at his heart.
And neither can you.
So, this isn’t your fault. You didn’t choose this. Someone else caused this problem or this delay.
Okay, suck it up, buttercup. Your part is still up to you. You can’t change them, but you also can’t allow them to change you. You can’t allow this delay to create bitterness within you. You can’t focus on how unfair it is because that self pity will eat away at your heart and leave you half-hearted.
God wants your wholehearted commitment. He wants your wholehearted effort. He wants your wholehearted faith.
God sees how you’re carrying this. He knows the details and he hasn’t overlooked you in the middle of this. You may be part of a group affected, but you will be singled out in accordance to your individual actions and attitude.
Caleb was delayed because of the 10 unbelievers, but he never became their victim. He walked in his promise. For 45 years, Caleb rehearsed God’s promise in his heart. That’s why he’s able to say, “I’m 85 years old and I am as strong now as when I started my journey. So give me my promise.” He never gave up on God’s promise. Anger and bitterness didn’t take his promise.
Victims forfeit their promise. Caleb wasn’t a victim. His whole heart remained focused on the faithfulness of God and he knew God’s promises were still for him. And my guess is, even in the wait, he wasn’t miserable. He was preparing himself. He was rehearsing and repeating the promises. You see, when you know God’s promises are coming, you don’t get overwhelmed with the details of today.
God has promises for you. Will you focus on them, or will you allow yourself to become overwhelmed with the details of today? Will you grow miserable in the wait and allow your heart to become half-hearted? Will you become bitter against those who have caused you problems and made this mess? That’s precisely what the enemy of every promise God has spoken over your life wants. The enemy wants you to check out. The enemy wants you to get all up in your feelings and get pitiful. The enemy wants you to be miserable. The enemy wants you to forfeit God’s promises.
But God says, if you will remain wholehearted towards me in the delay, I will bring you to my promises. I will fulfill every one of them for you. I will pull you out of the crowd and personally reward you.
You’re not asked to fix anyone else’s part. You’re responsible for YOUR PART. And for your part, God is asking you to wholeheartedly follow him. In the delay. Through the problems and messes you didn’t create. Refuse to become bitter. Resist the invitation to be pitiful. Hold on to your power and never forget God’s promises for you. He hasn’t forgotten his promises and he will fulfill them.
Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela
Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim
Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com