It can be frustrating to do right.  It can be hard to be faithful and follow God, especially when you see so many others, that in your mind, are not.  We can see the wickedness. The greed.  All the things that others are doing wrong.

It can be easy to give up, to say “why keep trying?”  Why should I work so hard to faithful when so many others are not.  Or it can be easy to harden our hearts against others.  To say, “they are all so wrong, I am better and more righteous than others.” It is easy to become like the Pharisee that prayed, Lord, thank you that I am not a tax collector.

How do we keep from falling into either of these traps?  Listen to what we are told in Micah 7: 4-7:

4The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge. The day of their sentinels, of their punishment, has come; now their confusion is at hand. 5Put no trust in a friend, have no confidence in a loved one; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your embrace; 6for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household. 7 But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

Micah sees the sin and corruption all around.  He sees how so many turn from God.  He sees how so many live opposite of the way that God wants.  It would be so easy for him to either give up or harden his heart.  What does he do?

Look at verse 7 – “I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”  Micah takes his eyes off of others, he takes his eyes off of himself, he looks at God.

Today, if you feel like giving up, if you feel like why should you keep trying when no one else even cars – are you looking first to God?

Today, if you feel judgemental towards others – angered at their unrighteousness – are you looking first to God?

Today, is God is our first look?  Do we look to Him, do we wait upon Him, do we turn first to Him above looking at others and ourselves. If we keep our eyes upon Him, above everything and everyone else, we will find our path forward.

We will be able to faithful in a world that doesn’t feel faithful and we will be able to love even those that are walking in ways that we don’t approve.

When we keep our eyes upon God first, we find our path forward to live.

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