August 2
Psalms 97:10
Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
Sarah sat by herself, wondering if it was really worth it to try to live a clean, Christian life. Everyone thought she was so old-fashioned and prudish. She wouldn't drink, hated dirty jokes, refused to gossip, and had no desire to engage in sex before marriage. She didn't like going to parties with her friends, but she hated to be alone all the time. Every once in awhile, Sarah felt like just giving in and doing what all her peers were doing. Those feelings passed, though, and Sarah felt a special peace and comfort in refusing to give in.
Being different is difficult. To say no to wrong-doing and evil can be excruciatingly hard. Yet, out Lord calls us to be different; to stand apart from the crowd. If we will continue to say no to evil, while saying yes to God, He will preserve and strengthen us. We are never truly alone if we will only love the Lord.
Prayer: Father, I want to do what is right, but sometimes to wrong is very tempting and appealing. Please grant me strength to resist and hold onto what I know is right. Amen.
Own Your Own Copy of this Devotional
