In Search of the Greener Grass

Abram’s and Lot’s herdsmen argued because their herds became too large and the land could no longer sustain them. Abram told Lot, “I don’t want strife between us, so I’ll give you the first choice of the land for your flocks and herds.” Lot chose the green valley of Sodom because it would be a good place for his livestock. But the greener grass wasn’t as nice as it seemed. The people living there were evil, and Abram later had to come rescue him (Gen. 13:7-13).   

 

The “greener grass syndrome” tells you that you can’t be happy where you are right now. You need to go somewhere else. Do something else. Be with someone else. The life you’re living is terrible. Everyone else has a better life. If you could just get a little more, you’d be happy too.   

 

But it doesn’t matter how much you’ve accumulated if you can’t enjoy what you have. “God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them” Eccl. 6:2 (NIV). If you don’t have the God-given ability to enjoy life, you’ll never by happy no matter where you go or what you get.  

 

But there really is green grass available to be found. It’s located in Psalm 23:1-2. “The Lord is my shepherd . . . He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Notice it doesn’t say He makes us run all over the world searching for green pastures. When we follow the Shepherd, He makes us lie down in it. That’s a restful, relaxed spirit.

 

The grass is always greenest in the center of God’s will. Discontentment always points us to a place where God isn’t leading, but contentment is always happy wherever He leads. That’s where you’ll be the most satisfied and fulfilled, and where you’ll be most pleasing to the Lord. But you’ll never find the greener grass unless you follow the Shepherd.  www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com   

I LOVE THIS SONG: The New 23rd Psalm  

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Making Life Count Ministries 
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net 

Open and Closed Doors

You drive up to iron gate at a subdivision to visit a friend. The gate is closed the keep people out, but you can open it if you have a remote, or if you punch in the right code.

One of the ways God guides us is through open and closed doors. God has the ability to open doors that no one can shut, and shut doors that no one can open (Rev. 3:7). An open door is when an opportunity opens up for us, such as being offered a better job. He can also prevent us from making a wrong decision by keeping the door closed. When God opens a door it’s for our advantage, and when He closes a door it’s for our protection.

Just because a door is closed doesn’t meant that it’s not God’s will. Sometimes the Lord wants to develop our faith by having us knock on the door until it opens. Jesus told a parable about a man who went to a friend’s house at midnight and knocked on his door, asking for bread (Luke 11:5-8). 

His neighbor denied his request and wanted him to go away. But the man kept pounding on the door, knowing his friend wouldn’t get any sleep until he opened it and gave him some bread. Jesus said, “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs” (Luke 11:8).

And just because a door is open doesn’t mean that it is God’s will to walk through it. Sometimes an opportunity looks too good to pass up, but the open door will actually hurt us if we go down that road. So how do we know which open door to go through? By asking God for wisdom and discernment. The Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth, which includes choosing the right doors (John 16:13). www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com 

104 Answers to Bible Questions

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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net