Everyday we read in the advertisements of the growing search for stress relief through spas, massage, pills ….. We also read of reports of cheating, and other vicious crimes that make the news everyday
No matter what the problem, our initial response is to treat the symptoms rather than the cause.
Religious activity is no substitute for an obedient heart. With God’s help and a willingness to change, we can get rid of the root problems, not just the symptoms.
What goes through the minds of people whose lives are torn apart by a tragedy like murder ?
What keeps them going when a cherished loved one has been killed ?
Anytime someone wrongs us, let us search for the godly response. Praying for that person is perhaps the best medicine for a wounded heart.
Read about God’s people during the days of Isaiah. They went through the motions of worship and could not understand why God ignored their religious efforts. But while they were fasting, they were also exploiting their workers and fighting among themselves. Isaiah condemned their hypocrisy and told them they needed to change. - Isaiah 58 : 3-4
Read about Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33 : 1-20. During his reign as king of Judah, Manasseh sacrificed his own children to idols, ruthlessly killed people, and practiced all kinds of evil. But after he repented and began to worship God, his conduct was radically changed. Manasseh’s life illustrates the truth that what we believe deep within us has a profound effect on our behaviour.
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