GOD KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

JANUARY 25, 2023

TOPIC: GOD KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU

BY T. O. BANSO

“He fed you with manna in the wilderness (it was a kind of bread unknown before) so that you would become humble and so that your trust in him would grow, and he could do you good” (Deuteronomy 8:16 The Living Bible).

Have you ever watched someone before doing something that would harm him and you warned him but he told you to leave him alone because he knew what he was doing? He wouldn’t listen to the voice of reason because he sincerely believed that he was doing the right thing.

Sometimes some people are aware of the danger ahead and try to wave down the motorists or give them a sign to turn back but some of them could refuse probably because they don’t understand what the warnings mean or they want to see things for themselves. They could say seeing is believing. An attitude like this at such a time could be dangerous because of the consequences.

Many people’s attitude to God is like that of those who are going in the wrong direction or engaging in a dangerous venture but refuse to heed the warnings of those who know better. Such people believe that they know what they’re doing. God’s Word is clear on what He says is right or what human beings should do for their own good. But many people believe that they know better and, therefore, do what is contrary to His Word. However, a wise person will acknowledge that God knows everything and he doesn’t. He will also believe that God knows what is best for him. He will, therefore, obey the Word of God and the direction of the Holy Spirit. 1 John 5:3 says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (New King James Version).

God knows what is best for you. You may think you do but you will later see how wrong you are if you don’t obey His Word or follow His plan for your life. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 New King James Version).

Don’t be wise in your eyes. Don’t think you know more than God. Let Him show you what is best for your life and follow it. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 New King James Version).

God knows what is currently working but will soon stop working. He knows what appears to be good now but will soon become dangerous. He knows what is being celebrated now but will soon be rejected. He knows why, on a particular decision you want to make, it may be wrong for you to take the most attractive option to you or pursue what appears to you the best course of action. He knows the end from the beginning. Only He can tell you the future before it even happens (Isaiah 46:10a). That’s why you should not lean on your understanding and seek His guidance.

The LORD says in Jeremiah 9:23, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches” (New King James Version). Don’t be wise in your eyes and think you love yourself better than God does and, therefore, you know what is best for you. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise” (New King James Version).

God created you and knows what is best for you. Everything He does is for your own good. Even when He disciplines you or allows you to be disciplined, it is for your own good. “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11 New King James Version).

When God allowed the Israelites to go into captivity as punishment for their rebellion against Him, it was for their own good. See what the Bible says about the captives from Judah: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans’. For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up” (Jeremiah 24:5-6 New King James Version).

God refers to these Babylonian exiles as good figs. Also, take note of the phrases “whom I have sent out of this place for their own good” and “I will set My eyes on them for good”. God took care of them in exile. The Babylonian authority did not treat them as slaves. Indeed, some of them like Daniel and his three friends rose to positions of great honour. While punishing them, God still had their best interest at heart.

Moreover, their captivity was for their spiritual good because they had the opportunity to repent and were brought back. “Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land” (Jeremiah 12:15 New King James Version).   

God allows some things for our good. He knows what is best for us in every circumstance. Someone could be asking God in prayer for a serpent thinking that it is a fish or asking for a stone, thinking that it is bread. But because God, as a good Father, refuses to grant his request, he is complaining. He doesn’t know that God is saving him from himself. God knows that what he thinks is fish will later turn into a serpent and the bread into a stone. So God’s no is the best thing for the person.

God knows what is best for you. Trust in Him even if you don’t understand what He is doing. Later you will understand. The Bible says concerning the Israelites and how God fed them: “He fed you with manna in the wilderness (it was a kind of bread unknown before) so that you would become humble and so that your trust in him would grow, and he could do you good” (Deuteronomy 8:16 The Living Bible). The manna God gave them in the wilderness was for their good. It was meant to make things go well with them in the end. But they didn’t understand this and complained (Numbers 11:4-6). Do you complain about what God says is best for you or what will turn out best for you?

Deuteronomy 8:3 also tells us why God fed the Israelites with manna, which was best for them. “So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD” (New King James Version). Did you see that?

Believe that God knows what is best for you and joyfully receive or accept whatever He gives you. He will cause all things to work together for your good, even if it doesn’t appear so now. Don’t love or desire what God doesn’t want to give you.

God knew what was best for the Israelites. He already knew that they would set a king over them like all the nations around them long before they entered the Promised Land. But He said they must choose from among themselves and not set a foreigner as king. He gave some guidelines on the things the king must not do and must do (Deuteronomy 17:14-20).

However, when the people eventually asked for a king like the other nations, the behaviour of the king that God warned them about was contrary to the guidelines for a king that God had given. God asked the Prophet Samuel to warn them about the behaviour of the king that would reign over them but they insisted they must have a king over them (1 Samuel 8:9-19). Verse 19 says, “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, ‘No, but we will have a king over us’” (New King James Version). These Israelites accepted what was not God’s best for them.

God knows what is best for you. Do His general will that He has revealed in His Word. Also, find out in prayer His specific will for your life and follow it. God knows what is best for you.

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, thank You for You know what is best for me. Holy Spirit, as I do the will of God for all His children written in His Word, help me to know the will of God for my life personally and follow it. I shall not reject what is God’s best for me. I shall not be wise in my eyes. Father, let Your will be done in my life in Jesus’ name.

(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org