Read Proverbs 5:15-23
“Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running wa- ters out of thine own well” (v. 15).
We were created with very real needs for relationship, love, acceptance, a sense of self-worth, recognition, and purpose. Our Heavenly Father has lovingly made provisions for each of these needs. God never fails His child, but we fail each other. We experience rejection instead of recognition; abuse destroys our sense of self-worth. It is hard to love or receive love. We have a choice. Will an unmet need control life, or will we allow God to control when, where, and how our needs will be met? This choice has life-changing importance. Turning to the world to meet legitimate needs often starts a downward spiral. Decisions are made; attitudes develop. Motivation that originated as a desire for relief, escape, recognition, comfort, or acceptance turns destructive. The attempt to meet a need becomes bondage — a bondage unwanted and hard to break free from. No longer the master, the individual unwittingly becomes the victim of the choices made.
We have the opportunity and responsibility to choose whether to be the master of our desires and needs or to allow them to have mastery over us. Lord, help us to be careful in meeting the needs of others and allow you to meet our needs! (LAD)
Lord, I choose to trust you with this day.
This week's featured devotional is from the Monday, February 16, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.
Photo credit: "Israel - Nimrod - fortress cistern" by Matt Mickelson used under CC BY-SA 2.0 / Resized, text added.
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