By Joy T.J. Riley
Job 40:8
Would you discredit my justice?
Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
Have you ever felt the need to justify your actions to God? Have you ever said: “Lord, I only did this because of X” or “I can’t do this because I don’t have X or know how to do X?” There is no justification for our actions or the lack there of when they are against God’s will. Job with probed by God for his belief that there was no reason for him to endure the pain brought upon him and the thought that God should end his life to remove the pain. God is sovereign, therefore, our opinions don’t matter. He created the universe. We may even tell God that we can’t handle the challenges we face though God has already determined that with him, we can. Why?

Let’s bring this a little closer to home. Has someone ever doubted your pursuits in the effort to justify why they haven’t pursued growing in God, their purpose and dreams? If we have determination, we are unwilling to accept their doubts and fears that they attempt to project on to us. Why then do we think God should accept the doubts and fears we throw at him for being less than what he knows we can’t be? We hinder not only are growth but our blessings when we do it. God is tired of us justifying our mediocrity and sabotaging ourselves.
Reprinted with permission from the devotional blog, Get Your Joy In The Morning by Joy T.J. Riley.