Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

Job knew where temptation lay. We know what temps us, don’t we? We have enough experience with sin and mistakes to know our own weaknesses. Making covenant and keeping covenant can be an important aspect of spiritual life, but when we make a covenant with self, we have a weak covenant partner.

When the enemy attacks we know it. Self-preservation kicks in and self cooperates with will and safe haven is sought. But the enemy isn’t stupid. Rarely does he make the obvious attack. He knows the obvious will be met with the trumpet call and he hates the trumpet call. The enemy is more subtle than that.

Sunday I told the church that I had been troubled lately. I announced that I have the keys to the kingdom, there is no room denied me. I also said that leaving the keys in my pocket availed me nothing.

Sunday night I found myself fumbling with the keys trying to unlock the door to safe haven. The Lord came along beside me and said, “You have the right key. This is the wrong door.”

So many times we fail to reach safe haven because we seek the wrong door. All the frustration I had been feeling these past weeks was in trying to gain access outside His will. I saw a need and I wanted to help. It was like a covenant with myself. Self didn’t cooperate.

Right key, wrong door.

Romans 7:18b for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Where there is a will there is a way.

You have heard this phrase before haven’t you? Perhaps that is true in some situations. Determination is a part of success. You have to try. We tell our kids to at least give it a chance. We hope that something will happen in a moment to build confidence or character or joy in our children. Effort is esteem building.

There is nothing more frustrating in life than to have the confidence, talent, training and experience to succeed yet fail to find the right path to success. Sometimes winning isn’t as important as how you win. You might consider that there are many paths to success. Which path you choose will lead to the same end. Each path has its own obstacles. When we focus on the obstacles we must overcome them in order to move one.

When we focus on obstacles we lose focus on the goals. As servants of God and servants to people God’s will is the goal, not just to win. People who do not know God need to see God and that cannot happen if all I care about is showing people how good I am at overcoming and winning. To God be the glory, not me. So how is very important.

Rather than adding scripture to end here, I would like to rephrase the opening sentence.

Jesus is the Way to God’s will.