Devotional for Friday, April 7, 2017
“Are You Single-minded?”
by Dona Hake
James 1:6-8 (The Voice)
“The key is that your request be anchored by your single-minded
commitment to God. Those who depend only on their own judgment are like
those lost on the seas, carried away by any wave or picked up by any wind.
Those adrift on their own wisdom shouldn’t assume the Lord will rescue
them or bring them anything. The splinter of divided loyalty shatters your
compass and leaves you dizzy and confused.”
“The key is that your request be anchored by your single-minded
commitment to God. Those who depend only on their own judgment are like
those lost on the seas, carried away by any wave or picked up by any wind.
Those adrift on their own wisdom shouldn’t assume the Lord will rescue
them or bring them anything. The splinter of divided loyalty shatters your
compass and leaves you dizzy and confused.”
I really love how this translation brings such great insight into the importance of being single minded. This scripture warns us of leaning on our own understanding and placing our wisdom above God’s. God desires that we be totally devoted in our hearts and minds to His wisdom only that we may be anchored with a single mind. Let us look closer to the one verse here in James…
“The splinter of divided loyalty shatters your
compass and leaves you dizzy and confused.”
The last thing I want to deal with as I set out to sail in my faith is the experience of spiritual dizziness and confusion. I want vision and direction before me that is guided and directed by the Lord Himself. There is great danger in not being single minded, and it can cause severe consequences. Just as a compass keeps you on track, being single-minded with all that God has for you will also keep you wise, discerning and very sensitive to the voice of the Lord in the midst of trouble. Your spiritual “compass” will keep you right on target and you will remain strong, steady, and focused in the midst of a storm. With God’s compass, there will be no wavering, and your path will be sure, and you will stay on course. Let us purpose to seek to be single minded by keeping ourselves full of God’s Word and drawing upon His wisdom.