1 Corinthians 9: 25 The athlete knows how to draw from focused inner strength in order to win the crown; for them all their effort translates into a mere moment celebrated by a fading wreath of honor. For us to win your faith is of imperishable value! (TMB)

Who has chosen you?

In group structures, no matter the size, there are the chosen ones. It is simply a function of interpersonal dynamics and human behavior. More often than not, performance and ability are not the primary reasons for the choices made; the one doing the choosing also uses likeability, politics, the goal for the group, etc. Often, no matter how hard you work, it won’t be you. Sadly, you have no control over the matter.

There should be a difference when laboring in the kingdom. Even if there isn’t, there is a difference when you realize you are working for the Lord. You don’t have to work for Him to choose you. It does not matter what you have done, what you are doing, or what you have planned to do. It does not matter if you have skills or not, or if you are the smartest one or not. It does not matter if you are male or female. You don’t have to worry about being chosen.

Jeremiah 1:4-5 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], And before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own]; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (AMP)

Being chosen is only the beginning. God has given you promises and gifts as well. You can access the promises and be effective in using the gifts if you spend time with the Lord in prayer, study, meditation, and worship. 

Proverbs 18:16 A man’s gift [given in love or courtesy] makes room for him And brings him before great men. (AMP)

Don’t spend the time with the Lord, so men/women of influence in the secular world will choose you as well. Don’t make your goal the high esteem of those in the spiritual arena that you respect. Neither of these will last forever. You will grow old and be forgotten. They will grow old, and their opinion will not matter as much. There is always someone else who will come along and be chosen instead of you. Spend time with the Lord because that is why He chose you. 

Ephesians 1:4-5 God chose us to be in a relationship with Him even before He laid out plans for this world; He wanted us to live holy lives characterized by love, free from sin, and blameless before Him. 5 He destined us to be adopted as His children through the covenant Jesus the Anointed inaugurated in His sacrificial life. This was His pleasure and His will for us. (TVT)

Spend the time with the Lord because you want to hear “Well done, My good and faithful servant, you have gained My rest (Matthew 25:23).” Here are some more wonderful things to know. In the Kingdom, you will grow old and there will always be someone else. However, He will not forget you and He will not replace you. God wants as many as will come. He wants everyone to know Him. However, He will always choose you, because when He chooses you, it lasts forever.

Please agree with me as I pray. Then ask the Lord what your prayer should be and wait for His response:

Father, thank You for choosing me and welcoming me into Your Kingdom. It’s a wonderful feeling. I learned not to care so much about being accepted by the organizations I was a part of or by my jobs. I ran to the church for acceptance. I should have been running to You. I repent for allowing negative experiences, in the body of Christ, to affect my joy. Sometimes the “organized church” can be politically driven and influenced by individual desires and under the table interactions. I also repent for any part I played. Thank You for transforming my mind. I am so grateful self-serving behavior is not acceptable in Your Kingdom. In the world, they say, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” In Your Kingdom it’s both. Every Christian knows You, that’s not an individual advantage. I have to decide if I want to be fit for Your use. Being in Your presence, studying Your word, and laying aside every weight and sin are the things I can choose to do. I will do them. I want to hear You say, “Well done, Pam. You have been a good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things; I will make You ruler over many things. You may enter into My joy.”…

Ask the lord what he wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal it here: