1. I am thankful that God understands me, remembers me, and cares for me and that He is long suffering (15:15). I am also thankful He has a good purpose for my life (15:11).

2. Sometimes we have to take unpopular stands against the majority. "I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation" (15:17). This brings to mind a time from my college days when a gathering at an apartment in Washington DC turned into a drinking party. Stuck in a situation with no access to transportation for an escape, I "refused to make merry with them" and I "sat alone" because I felt the Lord's hand on me. I also remember feeling indignation when, at one point, they asked me, as the only non-drinker and the only one sober enough to borrow someone's car, to drive to a store for more liquor.  Of course, I refused, and even though it was an unpopular thing to do, they actually seemed to respect my stance. I thank The Lord for His hand upon me in situations like that. 

3. I can serve The Lord and be His spokesman to others if I will be repentant of my own sins and utter worthy, not worthless words (15:19).  

4. It's important that we are in the world but not of the world. As we deal with the lost, we should seek to have them turn to The Lord through our witness and testimony and guard ourselves from turning to their ways (15:19). We may face resistance as we represent God, but He will not let us be overcome (15:20). 

5. God's eyes are on all our ways. Nothing is hidden from Him and our sins are not concealed (16:17).  Also, The Lord searches our hearts and examines our minds and rewards us according to our conduct and what our deeds deserve (17:10). These are good accountability checkpoints and reminders for us to make righteous choices in life. 

6. There are noticeable differences between those who place their trust in man and those who trust in The Lord. Those who depend on the flesh for their strength will "be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives." But those whose confidence is in The Lord "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; it's leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit" (17:5-8). If we are looking to The Lord, even when trials of life (heat) are bearing down on us and even when it seems nothing is happening (drought), we don't have to fear and fret. We will still have green leaves and continue to bear fruit. 

7. We must not let our feelings be the sole guiding force in our lives.  "The heart is deceitful above all things" (17:9). Feelings can change like the wind and are so easily influenced by our outward circumstances. We must live by faith and in the knowledge of Whose we are. 

8. God is the potter and I am the clay. If I am a marred pot, thankfully He can form me into another pot, shaping me as seems best to Him (18:4). This brings to minds 2 Timothy 2:21:

"Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work."

9. At His will, God can build up and plant nations, or He can uproot, tear down, and destroy them according to their doings (18:7-10). God is God. He is the great "I AM."  He is the Creator of all things and all authority is His. 

10. There is a right path for believers to follow. This is an old path established by God long ago. It is a narrow but a high and a holy way.  We should seek to stay on that road and not stumble or get sidetracked taking shortcuts and bypasses (18:15).