Daily Devotional Thursday Thoughts with Total Apex Media | September 4, 2025

It’s Thursday’s daily devotion. So, let’s get into it. There’s an interesting scripture in Proverbs that doesn’t mention God, but tells us something about His character. It’s easy to miss. Proverbs 5:22 says, ^“His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.” The word holden means held.

When most people see others seemingly reap for their sins, they think God is punishing them in His wrath. However, this scripture teaches that people’s own wrongdoings cause their downfall. Many people attribute everything that happens, good or bad, to God. It’s not only wrong, it’s unscriptural. In our daily devotion, let’s learn to attribute only good things to God.

What is Iniquity

Iniquity is sin. It’s disobedience against God’s word. It’s particularly insidious because it desires to hurt others. In Psalms 32:5, David prays and acknowledges his iniquity. David had killed Uriah and taken his wife. God forgives David, and he rejoices in God’s mercy; however, David faced consequences.

Consequences of Sin

Weren’t David’s consequences God’s wrath or punishment? No. All sins have consequences attached. God loves us and desires that we don’t stray into sin. But if we do, we may ask and receive God’s forgiveness. However, God set laws before the foundation of the world. He abides by the laws of holiness and righteousness. The laws of God are irrevocable.

God’s laws govern all things. Some laws sustain the universe.  There are natural laws, such as the law of gravity. If it goes up, it’s coming down. In our daily devotion today, let’s pray to stay on the right side of God’s law, realizing that consequences lie on the other side.

Held Accountable

Believers should know God’s word. David says he hid God’s word in his heart so he wouldn’t sin against Him. We must be proactive in getting the word into our hearts. As believers, we are to grow spiritually.

In today’s daily devotion, meditate on becoming spiritually mature. Then you’ll begin seeing Him as the good and gracious God. Nahum 1:3 says He is slow to wrath and mighty in power. Stop holding God accountable when things go wrong. As mature believers, let’s accept accountability for our own actions.

Stop the Blame Game

In Scripture, God gives us a choice between life and death; He doesn’t force or coerce us to obey Him. He has given us free will. He wants us to choose life. However, if temptation lures us into sin, God is not to blame. James 1:13 says this:

¹³ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

¹⁴ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

¹⁵ Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

In Romans 6:23, Paul says, “ For the wages of sin is death.” He goes on to say that God gives the gift of eternal life. So, the consequences of sin are destructive, whereas the benefits of God are life-giving.

Embrace God’s Goodness

In this daily devotion, let’s not only notice that Proverbs 5:22 doesn’t mention God, but that it doesn’t reveal His character at all. Old Testament scripture attributes nearly everything to God.  However, all it takes is spending time studying God’s word to understand His nature.

There is nothing about God that’s bad; the word declares He is light, and there is no darkness in Him. So rather than attribute negativity to His character, know that His goodness and mercy endure forever. He doesn’t create evil, but He delivers us from it.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, today’s daily devotion has shed light on God’s character. Man has blamed God for his own missteps since the beginning. Remember Adam? Rest assured, God loves you, and He’s not waiting in the shadows to punish you. He wants to give you life, but you must choose it. God wants you to be free from sin, but you must resist it.

In today’s daily devotion, lift your hands in praise as you thank God for His light of understanding. No longer attribute bad things to God, but celebrate Him for His goodness, mercy, and grace.