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Our ways vs God's ways // Nossos Caminhos vs Caminhos Dele



It is amazing how God talks to us when we are really seeking his presence. No matter what, every day God has something to tell you, to tell me. I’ve just opened my Bible in my daily readings, the words of the bible seem to jump out of the book to my mind to tell me. It is the Spirit of God making sense those words to me. I’ll let you know in a minute. Before that, I will contextualize you. I’ve been struggling with some internal issues that sometimes people don’t realize, but sometimes they can plant doubts in our hearts; I know most times is unintentional.

God knows me better than anyone else, better than myself. God knows human nature. Oh hey! He created us!3 Of course, He knows.
But sometimes, it seems that we want to know better than God. We think we know what is best for us. Tell me something, how many times you have made a decision based on what you think is best, and in the end, it wasn’t?

One thing early in the morning came, ‘let the Spirit lead you’. In Romans 8, Paul says ‘who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (v.4), in verse 26 he says ‘likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness’, v. 11 ‘If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you (…) will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. V.28 ‘ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called in accordance to his purpose’.

What is it that my flesh wants? I want a kid. Do I have a mortal body? Yes, I do. Do I feel weak? Yes, I do, more than I would like. I want to feel strong, not tired. Wait, who dwells in me? The Spirit. What does He do? He helps us in our weakness. What else? All things work together for good, for his purpose. Meaning à I don’t always get what I want, but what is best. And the Spirit helps me in my weakness.

Look, the passage that I read as soon as I open my bible and the words jumped out of it was Exodus 13:17 ‘When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not want them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although was near. For God said, ‘Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt’.  Did you see my point?
God knew their minds, their hearts and God chose the hardest way for them, for their own good.

Why should I question God’s ways? (You will see they did, the Israelites did; it wasn’t a smart move). Why should you question God’s ways? Is it hard? Sure, it is; but not even Jesus said it would be easy.

If I’m let by the Spirit, He will help me in my weakness. He will help you in your weakness.
To live a godly life means to be content with God’s ways. Paul was beaten and incarcerated because of the gospel. He didn’t complain. He encouraged people to rejoice. He said in Roman 8: 18 ‘For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us’.
É impressionante como Deus fala com a gente quando estamos realmente buscando sua presença. Não importa o que, todos os dias Deus tem algo para nos dizer, para me dizer. Eu acabei de abrir a minha bíblia para minhas leituras diárias, e as palavras parecem saltar do livro para minha cabeça. O Espírito de Deus faz as palavras fazerem sentido na nossa cabeça. Conto qual foi a passagem em um minuto. Antes eu vou contextualizar você um pouco. Eu venho tendo alguns dramas internos que as vezes as pessoas não percebem, mas elas plantam dúvidas na nossa cabeça eu sei que na maioria das vezes não é intencional.

Deus me conhece melhor do que qualquer pessoa, melhor do que eu mesma. Deus conhece a natureza humana. Oh ei! Ele nos criou! Claro que ele sabe da nossa natureza.
Mas às vezes, parece que nós queremos saber mais do que Deus. Nós pensamos que sabemos o que é melhor para nós. Me diz uma coisa, quando foi que você fez uma decisão baseada no que você achava que era melhor para você e no final das contas descobriu que não era?

Então, hoje cedo no devocional algo disse sobre “deixe o Espírito guiar você”. Em Romanos 8, Paulo siz “ que não anda de acordo com a carne, mas de acordo com o Espírito”, v.26 ele dez “igualmente o Espírito nos ajuda em nossas fraquezas”, v. 11 “ se o Espírito daquele que ressuscitou Jesus entre os mortos habita em você (...) dará vida aos seus corpos mortais através do seu Espírito que habita em vós. V.28 “E nós sabemos que todas as coisas contribuem pra o bem daqueles que amam a Deus, e são chamado de acordo com seu propósito”.

O que é que a minha carne quer? Quer um filho. Eu tenho um corpo mortal? Sim, eu tenho. Eu me sinto fraca? Sim, mais do que eu gostaria.  Eu quero me sentir forte e não cansada. Espera aí, quem habita em mim? O Espírito. E o que Ele faz? Ele me ajuda nas minhas fraquezas. E o que mais? Todas as coisas contribuem para o meu bem, para SEU propósito. Significando: Eu nem sempre vou ter aquilo que a minha carne quer, mas aquilo que está nos propósitos Dele, o que é o melhor para mim. E Ele me ajuda nas minhas fraquezas.

Então, a passagem que eu li assim que eu abri a minha bíblia e as palavras saltaram foi Exodos 13:17 “Quando o faraó deixou sair o povo, Deus não o guiou pela rota da terra dos filisteus, embora esse fosse o caminho mais curto, pois disse: “Se eles se defrontarem com a guerra, talvez se arrependam e voltem para o Egito”. Vê onde eu quero chegar?
Deus conhecia o coração e a mente daquele povo. E Deus escolheu o caminho mais longo e difícil para eles, para o bem deles.

Por que eu vou questionar a maneira de Deus trabalhar? (Embora os israelitas questionaram, e não foi a melhor opção). Por que você deveria questionar a maneira de Deus trabalhar? É difícil? Com certeza é; mas nem Jesus disse que ia ser fácil.

Se eu sou guiada pelo Espírito. Ele vai me ajudar nas minhas fraquezas. Ele vai te ajudar nas suas fraquezas. Para viver uma vida consagrada, significa estar contente com a maneira de Deus trabalhar. Paulo foi espancado e encarcerado por causa do nome de Jesus, e ele não reclamou. Ele encorajou as pessoas a se alegrarem. Ele disse em Romanos 8:18 “Considero que os nossos sofrimentos atuais não podem ser comparados com a glória que em nós será revelada.”

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