The prophet Haggai gave a startlingly clear wake-up call to the people of his nation.
Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.” Haggai 1:5-7 NIV
He could be talking directly to us. He is saying, “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. You put all of this time and effort into your desires, your ways, your comfort, and your way of life. You thought that by doing this you would have something to show for it. You thought by doing this you would be fulfilled, happy, and satisfied. But God knows it did not happen. You put yourself first. How is that working for you? Why did these choices lead to pain and emptiness? Why did it not work? I planted much, I ate, I drank, I got a bunch of stuff, and I made a lot of money. But I still do not have anything to show for it. I am still not blessed or satisfied. What happened?”
Haggai speaks for God and challenges us to give careful thought to how we invest our time and resources. The best return is in what is given.
“Give careful thought to your ways.” He tells his people to pause and reflect on where they are and where they are going, emphasizing that their priorities determine the fruit – the outcome of their lives. Every choice they make takes them somewhere. The phrase “consider your ways” literally means “put your heart on your roads,” or in other words, deeply consider what direction your life is taking.
Haggai is delivering a powerful wake-up call, a call to self-examination and evaluating one's life in the context of eternity.
Let’s listen to Haggai’s wake-up call. It is for us. Have you become distracted and discouraged? Or are you always looking for more? If you feel like you’re wandering, or like nothing seems to satisfy, then this message is for you.
How are you living? God is calling each of us to a deeper spiritual commitment. Consider your ways. Take an honest assessment of what you are doing. Put these questions to your life. Ask God to bring any others to your mind that you need to consider. Honestly, what does my daily life show my priorities to be? Do I say one thing is my priority but in reality put other things first?
Why do my priorities look the way they do?
What is the most important thing I could do to improve my family?
What spiritual discipline needs my focus?
What is the biggest time waster in my life and how can I change it?
What’s the best and most significant way I can serve my church?
How can I serve my neighbors and community?
Who needs me to invest in them spiritually for their salvation?
Who can I mentor for spiritual growth and direction?
What relationship can I develop to mentor me?
What is the one thing I can do to make a difference that will matter in 10 years? Eternity?
What do I need to stop doing?
What do I need to start doing?
What mature Christian in my life knows me well enough to tell me complete truth about my life and choices? What accountability relationships do I need to develop? How will I do it?
What area of my life and character do I most need to develop? Where will I start?
“God, help me consider my ways and take the right action.”