VIRTUE PROTECTS YOUR FAITH – Matthew 6:25
Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
The things of this world love to draw your attention away from God. It is so easy to lose track of the things of God and to allow your problems to become your main focus. However, Jesus commanded you during the Sermon on the Mount that you were not to allow worry to abide in you. Instead, your focus was to be upon your relationship with God. Jesus reminded you how God is faithful and that by worrying you are taking your attention off of God.
You cannot serve two masters. So likewise, your mind cannot be full of faith and full of worry. If you are going to be all that you can be for God, then you must not allow your problems to control your mind. There are times that you will have very large problems. However, God desires that you live your life in such a way that HE can work through you and take care of your needs so that you will experience HIS’ power.
Worrying about food, clothing and shelter sounds like legitimate worries. Nonetheless, Jesus commanded you that you were not to allow yourself to worry about even your most basic needs. Instead you are to renew your mind and put your trust in HIM. God was capable of making this entire world out of nothing. HE is capable of solving even your greatest need without any problem.
You must change your focus in life. You cannot allow the things of this world to distract you. Instead, you must fill your mind with the things of God. You must fill your heart with testimonies of what God has done for you in the past. As you remember God’s faithfulness to you in the past, you shall have the strength to not allow the things of this world to put fear and doubt in your mind. How can you expect to do great things for God if your mind is full of worry regarding your next meal?
Your virtue will help protect your faith. Jesus said that if you allow worry to control you, you are of little faith. Virtue is the process of ensuring that your mind is full of the things of God. If your mind is full of the things of God and the testimonies of HIS’ faithfulness in your life, than you will not have room in your mind for doubt. If you do not have room for doubt, then your faith will be strong and you will be single minded for God, ready and willing to do great things for HIM.
Your mind either belongs to God or it belongs to the things of this world. God desires to use you to do great things for HIM, however as long as your mind is upon your needs and the things of this world, you are preventing HIM from using you to the full potential that HE sees in you.
Fill your mind with the things of God. Look for all the ways that God can use you. As you look to HIM to provide your needs, HE will be glorified through you and be able to use your life to touch others. Adding virtue to your life will protect your faith so that you can do great things for God. Until you have removed the things of the world from your mind, the world has a hold of you that prevents you from doing God’s perfect will.