Consider Your Way
When driving, we consider everything around us and adjust our alertness and speed depending on the conditions. Likewise, when choosing what to wear, we consider our plans and the weather. We also adjust what we say to fit our audience.
We constantly consider things as we make decisions concerning what we will say and do.
And yet, in many ways we sail—or fumble—through life without stopping to think. We follow the easy path, the exciting adventure, or the feel-good moment without reflecting on what the consequences will be.
We don’t stop to consider how our choices will affect our future. The Jews of ancient times made the same mistake.
Not only did they fail to consider what they were doing; they didn’t heed the prophets’ warnings.
And, it cost them dearly. They strayed from God, became rebellious. Consequently, Jerusalem was utterly destroyed, the temple was demolished, and they were Jews were captured and exiled.
They didn’t sit down and decide to turn their back on God. It happened as they went about their daily lives. They failed to fully obey the Lord in one area and then in another, choosing to do things to their own understanding and satisfaction.
Because they refused to listen, God turned His back on them. They were taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar, and lost everything. (2 Chron. 36:5-21)
It could have been the end of the Jewish nation, but God was faithful to his covenant people.
Seventy years after Jerusalem was destroyed, King Cyrus sent some of the Jews back with instructions, materials, and supplies to rebuild the temple. They returned with high hopes of rebuilding Jerusalem (Ezra 1).
One of the first things they did was build altars and offer sacrifices to God, acknowledging His mercy, goodness, and faithfulness toward them (Ezra 3:1-6).
They then laid the foundation of the temple and had a great celebration, offering sacrifices morning and evening, shouting, and weeping with joy (Ezra 3:10-13).
But the celebration didn’t last long. Neither did their focus on the Lord and their mission. They were soon distracted from their mission.
Life in Jerusalem was not easy. Establishing homes was a challenge. Neighboring people opposed them and thwarted their efforts to rebuild the temple. Even their crops were destroyed.
Then a new king ordered a halt to rebuilding the temple. It remained in ruins for about fifteen years.
The people were probably confused and questioned their difficulties. They volunteered for the noble task of rebuilding the temple of their God—and thus Jerusalem. In return, their reward seemed to be one hardship after another.
Their efforts seemed futile. They likely wondered if God had deserted them.
Then God, through Haggai, said, “Consider your ways!” (Hag. 1:7).
He also explained their struggles, “’You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house’” (Hag. 1:9).
They may have felt like martyrs for the Lord. They might have thought He had forgotten them, but God said otherwise. Instead, they had forgotten God.
God multiplied their trials because of disobedience. They were working for themselves rather than completing what God sent them to do. God’s hand opposed them—until they returned to Him and began work on the temple.
I can understand how the faithful remnant returned with great hopes only to become discouraged. When trials come, it’s easy to be distracted by difficulties.
When we find ourselves burdened by trials, we need to stop and consider our ways. Have we been distracted from God’s mission?
When life gets rough, we tend to get distracted and seek a path of less resistance, something to make us feel better. We’ve even coined the phrase “comfort food,” for one source of satisfaction in such times. But food is not our only source of comfort.
We seek comfort in entertainment, a book, or—like the Jews in Jerusalem—fixing up our own nest. In the midst of trials, we want comfort.
Furthermore, like the Jews, we tend to seek to fulfill self-centered desires to find comfort.
Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Mt. 6:33), and to love the Lord with all of our being (Mark 12:30)—even when (or especially when) life is hard.
David’s familiar words remind us where to find our comfort when trials come. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4). David found his comfort in the Lord, not in chocolates or fancy houses.
It would behoove us to stop and consider our ways—especially in the midst of trials. Is our heart fully focused on God? Do we love Him with our whole heart, soul, and strength? Are we running to Jesus for comfort?
If not, it’s time for adjustments, time to get back on the path that He has prepared for us.
When the Jews repented and obeyed God, He told them, “I am with you” because “according to the covenant” “my Spirit remains in your midst” (Hag. 1:13, 2:4,5). The Comforter gives grace to endure through the trial.
Paul reminds us of further benefits of seeking the Lord while suffering.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ” (2 Cor. 1:3-5).
If we stop, consider our ways, and turn back to God, we find true, abundant, lasting comfort. Comfort and grace that satisfies and energizes.