Are You Stubborn? Are You Living for Yourself?

      

Wild donkey
Near Yuma, Arizona
Are you stubborn like this beast?

Stubborn. Unyielding, obstinate, unreasonable, unchanging attitude, or refusing to learn from mistakes. You may think of stubborn as a donkey or a four-year-old kid, but adults and teens can have stubborn personalities, too. Paul warns us that a day is coming when God’s anger and righteous judgement will be pronounced by what people have done. Our rewards will be given or withheld because of our actions. But remember that we are saved from our sins by God’s grace, not by what we do. Our salvation doesn’t depend on our goodness but on our humble submission and repentance. Jesus paid the price for our sins—no goodness could wipe those away or cancel them out. He is the way, the truth, and the life for those seeking eternal life. I think the natural response to receiving eternal life is gratitude to Jesus and it is reflected in good or righteous actions by the believers living to serve the Lord and others, not themselves.

Paul also advises that those who refuse to obey God’s truth, but choose to live wickedly, will face trouble and disaster because of their evil ways. Glory, honor, and peace will be bestowed on those who do good. Which will you choose? Are you stubborn? Are you living for yourself?

 

But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. Romans 2:5-11

 

Prayer – Lord, just as You had Solomon write, “people who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.” Proverbs 28:13-14 I know I’ve sinned and fallen short of Your glory, forgive me, and cover me with Your grace and peace. Thank you for not showing favoritism, but treating Jews and Gentiles the same as we enter yo

 

Meditate. Read God’s word, listen and obey.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9

 

© 2025 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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