In Haggai 2 In What Ways Can We Apply The Call To Consider Our Ways In Our Own Lives Today?
Introduction
The book of Haggai may be small, but its message is timeless and powerful. In Haggai 2, God calls His people to “consider your ways”—to pause, reflect, and realign their lives with His purposes. This call was given to the returning exiles who had neglected the rebuilding of the Lord’s temple, focusing instead on their own comforts. Today, this divine challenge continues to speak to us, urging self-examination and spiritual renewal.
Understanding the Call: “Consider Your Ways”
In Haggai 2:15, the Lord says:
And now, I pray you, consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of Jehovah. - Haggai 2:15 ASV
The phrase “consider your ways” appears multiple times in Haggai (see also Haggai 1:5 and 1:7). God’s people were encouraged to reflect deeply on the outcome of their choices. Their misplaced priorities led to dissatisfaction and lack, as they put their own houses before the Lord’s.
Applications For Today
The call to “consider your ways” is as relevant now as it was then. Here are several ways we can apply this principle in our own lives:
1. Examine Our Priorities
Are we putting God first, or are our own ambitions and comforts taking precedence? Jesus reminds us:
But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. - Matthew 6:33 ASV
Like the Israelites, we can easily become consumed by the demands of daily life. Regularly considering our ways helps us to realign our priorities with God’s will.
2. Reflect on Spiritual Fruitfulness
Haggai’s audience experienced “much labor, little fruit.” God called them to recognize that spiritual neglect leads to emptiness. Jesus taught:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. - John 15:4 ASV
We should assess whether our lives are marked by spiritual fruit—love, joy, peace, and so on (Galatians 5:22-23). If not, perhaps it’s time to consider our ways and return to Christ as our source.
3. Repentance and Renewal
The call to consider our ways is also a call to repentance. When we see where we have drifted, God invites us to return:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9 ASV
God’s grace is always available for those who humble themselves and seek Him afresh.
4. Investing in God’s Work
The people in Haggai’s day were called to rebuild the temple—the place where God’s presence dwelled. Today, we are called to build up the church, the body of Christ, through worship, service, and evangelism:
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh. - Hebrews 10:24-25 ASV
We should ask ourselves: Are we contributing to God’s kingdom, or are we preoccupied with our own plans?
Encouragement From God’s Promises
Even as God calls us to self-examination, He also promises His presence and blessing. He told the people through Haggai:
Yet now be strong...for I am with you, saith Jehovah of hosts. - Haggai 2:4 ASV
When we honestly consider our ways and return to Him, God graciously meets us with encouragement, strength, and renewed purpose.
Conclusion
“Consider your ways” is not a call to guilt, but an invitation to grace-filled reflection and realignment. By regularly examining our priorities, fruitfulness, repentance, and investment in God’s work, we can experience the fullness of life that Christ offers. Let us hear the voice of God through Haggai and respond with willing, obedient hearts.