Greed is covetousness. It’s an inordinate desire to acquire more and more. Greed is always in a hurry. It knows little of patience or integrity or appropriateness. It is seldom admitted and is often rationalized.
Virtually every week, I come across people who long for the simple life of yesteryear. But I’ve learned that one’s perspective makes all the difference.
Who hasn’t felt alone and abandoned? Who cannot remember times when God seemed far away? Who doesn’t understand when a friend suffers a “panic attack”? Who hasn’t asked, “O Lord, how long?” If those four questions strike a note of relevance, you’ll have no difficulty identifying with David’s feelings as he composed Psalm 13. The psalmist may have begun on his face, but he wound up on his feet. Let’s find out what made the difference.
Even though God doesn’t sin, you may treat Him as if He has sinned. If this is the case you need to go through a process with God that resembles forgiveness. You may need to "forgive" Him.
Despite knowing in my heart God is sovereign, I battled with stress every day. Not hearing back from potential employers felt unbearable and I was consumed with helplessness and worry.
Jesus confronted the very thing I’m most afraid of: being rejected for being your authentic self. In the face of unbelief, Jesus stood firm. He was confident in His person and certain of what was true.
This life transforming integrity is implanted by sincere faith in God and inspired by embracing His Word. In his psalm I call the Psalm of Integrity (Psalm 15), David lays out four ways integrity is revealed in our lives.
When Moses died, the Israelites were disillusioned and afraid. When Joshua took over as their leader, God reminded him that God knew exactly where His people were and where He wanted them to go—to the land of promise. All they had to do was trust in the Lord and step out in faith.
As followers of the Lord we live by faith in our Saviour and trust in our heavenly Father. We trust in God’s plan and so we encourage you to trust in Him and not be afraid.
Knowing God calls for a response that includes trusting Him, relying on Him, worshipping Him—in a word, loving Him. Scripture is filled with accounts of the God of heaven, reaching out to His people in grace and mercy, showing Himself to be strong and compassionate. Each one is a reason to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind.
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