Giving Credit

“I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world.” John 16:33

About a year ago a friend of mine opened a secured credit card from their bank. They had set a limit on the card and began using it. Over the last year as they spent the money on the card they would pay it back the following week to keep it at the limit they set. Just recently their bank increased their spending limit without her having to come up with more money because she had been faithful throughout the year with her payments.

This reminds me of how we give credit. When God is faithful to us and we have good things happen to us it's easy to praise God. We easily give Him the credit and praise Him.

But what about when things are falling apart or we have bad things happening in our lives? We suddenly begin blaming Satan for all that is going wrong. From bad weather, traffic, financial trouble and so forth. When we do that we are giving credit he doesn't deserve. We're saying he has the power to determine what happens in our lives, a power he does not deserve. Satan has limitations to time and space. He cannot touch us before asking God (Job 1:12, Luke 22:31-32).

However, Satan is the father of all lies and thrives on confusion. In John 16:2 Jesus warns us that this world will become confused and won't know right from wrong, but Satan will stand condemned (John 16:11).

Problems will disrupt our lives but we know Jesus won't give us more than we can handle and through each problem we are being refined for heaven (1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 Peter 1:7). Nothing can defeat us in this world because Jesus has already overcome this world. Because Jesus is faithful, to him goes all the credit, good or bad. Just like the bank and my friends credit, when we trust Jesus, give Him the credit (praise always), He will increase the good in our live in ways we have yet to see.

Always remember, while Satan accuses and confuses, God controls!