Session 5

Why are you winging it?

From Trusting God’s Promises: A 7-Day Devotional

Imagine you had one shot to get the job you’ve been dreaming about your whole life. This job would be life-changing not just for you, but for your family. Would you prepare for the interview? Would you make sure you knew your stuff? Or, would you wing it and hope for the best?

Just like that interview, we get one shot at life on Earth. And, we don’t have to wing it. God shows us what He wants for us through the promises He makes in the Bible.

As we read the Bible, we see the possibilities available to us. Knowing God’s Word leads to greater trust in His promises. Each time we open the Bible, we learn a little bit more about who God is and all that He wants for us. Each time we take God up on a promise and see it fulfilled, our faith grows.

Knowing God’s Word leads to greater trust in His promises.

So how do we get to a place where we love the Bible like the writer of Psalm 119?

First, pray. Seek God with all your heart (Psalm 119:2, Psalm 119:10). Ask Him to help you understand what you’re reading (Psalm 119:18). You have the maker of the universe on your side, offering His power to help you. Why not ask Him?

Next, know your Bible better than you know your Netflix queue (Psalm 119:11). Memorizing Scripture allows us to recall God’s promises throughout the day. When a tough day gets us down, we find hope in remembering that this life is temporary and God can work even the hard things together for our good (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Finally, praise the Lord. The word “praise” is repeated over and over in Psalm 119. Praising God takes our eyes off our circumstances and puts them on God. We can praise God for what He has already done and what He promises to do in the future. God is not hiding His desires for us. Learning God’s heart starts with learning His Word.

Reflect:

• What’s one way reading the Bible has made a difference in your life?
• Do you ever struggle to understand what you’re reading?
• How does it feel to know that even the psalmist asked God for help understanding His Word?