Author: Beth Morrison

Two-minute read.

Our psychological condition affects our physical condition. When we have a cheerful heart, it heals the broken places. But a sad spirit saps our strength. Over Christmas, I developed a nasty chest cold that took days to go away. Spending several days on the couch recuperating, I watched holiday baking shows that lightened my mood. The bakers’ silly antics and themed challenges made me smile and brought me cheer, which helped me heal.

Friends texted and checked on me, offering to bring me anything I needed. Their thoughtfulness made me feel loved and valued, which also cheered me. With each day that passed, I felt a little better, and by Christmas Eve, I could attend service, which brought me more cheer than anything else. Surrounded by God’s children, singing my favorite Christmas carols, listening to the Pastor’s short message about Jesus, and then closing the evening with candlelight singing of Joy to the World, overwhelmed me with delight and proved the best medicine of all. Connecting my heart with others, united in Christ, gave me divine strength to persevere.

When we place faith in the Savior, He creates a heart connection with the Lord that no one can break. As we follow Jesus and put His teachings into practice, we’ll generate heart connections with other believers. Corporate worship generates cheerful hearts as we gain strength from each other. Developing loving relationships with Christ, our foundation, brings joy to the heart and good medicine for the soul.

Broken spirits need a dose of cheerful hearts to help them overcome the hopelessness that saps their strength. Without hope, we have no reason to keep going. But one spark of possibility can ignite an inferno of hope that helps us overcome even the direst circumstances. The beauty of living in a community of believers comes from shared hope. Because Jesus didn’t promise a rose garden, we know to expect struggles in this life. However, the Lord overcame the troubles of this world when He walked out of the tomb, defeating death, and giving us eternal life with Him.

Connect your heart with Jesus and His family. Allow cheerful hearts to provide good medicine for you, healing the sadness and giving you hope for the future. In Jesus, we have all we need to persevere. Through Him, we can have life in abundance, living fully for the Savior.

Journal Questions:

When has a cheerful heart given you good medicine?

When have you experienced a broken spirit?

How has connecting your heart to the Savior changed your life?

Friendship Application:

Connect your heart with Jesus and allow His joy to fill your soul.

Two-minute read.

Constructive criticism helps people grow and mature, enabling them to reach their full potential. People who genuinely love you will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Personally, I don’t want yes people in my life; I prefer to surround myself with people who help me flourish.

“I’m afraid they only tell you what you want to hear.”

Ron, talking about my Board of Directors, friends in my life I go to for advice, worried they only wanted to appease me. Many of the women I have known for decades, some not quite as long, but they all love Jesus and have walked with Him for years. When I turn to them for advice, they tell me the truth and guide me in the right direction.

For instance, in the year before I met Ron, my mom suffered a medical emergency that threw our entire family into chaos. Everyone reacted differently, tensions ran high, and relationships broke down. One weekend, my mom ended up in the hospital at the same time as my brother’s wife, who cared for both. Scheduled to go away for the weekend, I had coffee with one of my directors to share the developments with her.

“If you want a relationship with your brother, you need to stay home and help. Cancel your trip.”

Only hours away from departure, I knew she had told me a vital truth I needed to hear. Without hesitation, I canceled the trip, collected my mother from the hospital, and took her home, freeing my brother to take care of his wife, and salvaging our relationship. Years later, I consider it one of the best pieces of advice I ever received, grateful for a friend who sharpened me with her words.

Friends help develop each other’s character through constructive criticism that helps them see their blind spots, address them, and grow. We all have areas we can’t see that harm us. Only with trusted friendships can we deal with the issues that stunt our growth. Developing intentional relationships with mature followers of Christ will help us to become the person God designed us to become. Fulfilling our purpose takes a village; we need community to help us mature. Surrounding ourselves with wise friends will sharpen us, developing our character and helping us become more like Christ.

Journal Questions:

What friends sharpen you in your walk with Jesus?

How can you become better at telling the truth in love?

How can you develop Christ-centered relationships today?

Friendship Application:

Seek wise advice for an area you find yourself struggling in today.

Two-minute read.

Obeying the Lord results in joy, which strengthens us. Yesterday I talked about shared purpose, which involves shared obedience. As you follow Christ and learn His principles, you begin to understand the importance of forgiveness, unconditional love, and that everyone matters to the Savior. Jesus went to the cross for all people, no exceptions. Following Him means loving all people for the Savior.

Watching the “Hiding Place,” which details Corrie Ten Boom’s story, she had an ally in her purpose, her sister Betsey. Hiding Jewish people from the Nazi regime, they saved many lives. But eventually, the Nazi’s learned of their activities, arresting Corrie, Betsey, and their elderly father, who died ten days into imprisonment. The two sisters, however, endured the hardship of Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, forced to do manual labor and live in flea-infested conditions with little food.

Miraculously, Corrie smuggled a Bible into the camp. Betsy, a devout follower of the Savior, kept the Son in her eyes despite their horrid conditions, encouraging her sister and obediently serving Jesus in any way she could. Together, they held Bible studies in the prison, leading other women to the Savior and enabling them to persevere in the worst conditions. At the bottom of the pit, Corrie and Betsy found a spiritual bond of joy as they faithfully served the Lord.

Our circumstances don’t determine our joy; our focus does. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will discover His joy. Walking with other believers helps us encourage one another, no matter the situation. Like Betsey helped Corrie persevere, we can do the same. When a friend takes their eyes off Jesus, we can help them refocus. In the stormy sea, Peter walked on water when the Savior called him out of the boat. However, the moment the disciple took his eyes off Christ, he began to sink. The same happens to us; we need people in our lives who will help us keep the Son in our eyes and experience the joy of the Lord.

Build friendships that practice obedience together. By doing so, you will share in the joy that comes from following the Lord and discover a spiritual bond that no one can break. Life lived in community, centered on Jesus, will bring divine joy, bonded together with love.

Journal Questions:

Who has helped you obey God?

In what ways has obedience brought you joy?

How does God’s joy strengthen us?

Friendship Application:

Partner with a friend to practice Godly obedience together and discover the Lord’s joy.

Two-minute read.

Shared purpose brings joy. Since Ron and I bought a fifty-year-old house, we’ve had lots of projects to do. Revamping our Florida room, we renamed it the sunset room, because we can watch the sunset over the field behind us. Old linoleum covered the cement floor, yellow and cracked. A mint green paint filled the walls, and a rack, purpose unknown, hung hideously. When we began preparing the room for paint, we quickly realized the project required more work than we had initially thought.

And so we dug our heels in and got moving. Ripping up the linoleum revealed black mold beneath it, which required more work. Nothing went as planned, and every step forward seemed to cause two steps backward. But we persevered. Instead of putting down more flooring, we painted the cement. When the last roll of paint covered the floor, the walls fresh and clean, fully repaired, the window-filled room gleamed from end to end. Ron and I shared a sense of satisfaction from completing our shared purpose.

Belonging to a faith community centered on Jesus gives us a shared purpose. The Lord gave us all the same command: love God and others, all while spreading the good news of the gospel. When we join others in the mission, we will find the joy of the Lord. Over Christmas, our pastor did a series on the Cast of Christmas. When he talked about Joseph, he made an excellent point. Joseph never speaks in the entire story, but he plays a pivotal role, guiding Mary and her baby to Bethlehem to fulfill a prophecy. Joseph had a shared purpose with his bride, and he did it with humility and little recognition, protecting the unborn babe and following God’s directions.

Friendships centered on Christ already have a shared purpose. Encouraging and uplifting each other as we strive to serve the Lord uniquely bonds us. As we grow together in the Savior, becoming more like Jesus, we will enjoy the benefits of shared purpose and a job well done. Surround yourself with God’s children and join them on the journey to love others for the Savior, and introduce them to the one who will transform their lives. Together, we can make heaven crowded and bless the Lord with our efforts.

Journal Questions:

When have you found satisfaction in a shared purpose?

How can you join other Christ followers on the journey?

How do other people help you fulfill God’s command for your life?

Friendship Application:

Join a friend on the journey today, loving God and others together.

Two-minute read.

Peter outlines the duties of Christians, stating that we should share the same mindset, have sympathy for each other’s struggles, love one another with compassion and humility, all in the same way Christ did for us. We need to look no further than the Son for an example of how to live out this verse. Throughout the New Testament, we see many instances of Jesus loving the people before Him with compassion and humility. From feeding thousands to healing the one, the Savior loved all.

Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

Mattew 9:22

On His way to heal a 12-year-old girl, Jesus encounters the woman who had a bleeding issue for 12 years. Having enormous faith, the ailing woman knew if she touched Christ’s cloak, she would experience healing. The moment her hand met His cloak, the Savior felt the energy leave Him and knew something had happened. Turning to her, Jesus answered her with compassion and humility. Instead of getting angry at the lady for interrupting Him, God’s Son poured His kindness into her world, and her life changed forever.

Christ wants us to love God and others, sharing the good news of the gospel with all we meet. When we share that mindset, putting the Savior first in our lives, we will learn to love one another compassionately and humbly as He did. Whoever the Lord brings before us, we can know, without a doubt, He wants us to love them. Finding ways to love difficult people will grow us closer to the Son. We can’t love without Him, nor can we have compassion or exhibit humility.

As we learn from Jesus, growing each day, He will teach us how to love. Studying the stories of His actions in the New Testament will guide us on our journey. Becoming interruptible and responding with kindness helps us connect with others on a heart level. With the Lord as the cord that binds us, our relationships will take on a new depth that we cannot find elsewhere. Grace and mercy flow from the Savior, transforming our lives and helping us become a new person, one known for their love.

Set your mind on Christ and adopt His mindset. Lead with divine love, showing sympathy and compassion towards others, serving them with humility.

Journal Questions:

How would you define a like-mindedness?

How does Christ represent compassion and humility to you?

In what ways do you need Jesus’s help to love others?

Friendship Application:

Align your mind with Christ and love others with compassion and humility.

Two-minute read.

“Ask God to help you keep your heart soft.”

When my therapist first said those words to me, I didn’t know what they meant. Early in our sessions together, I had some tough feelings towards people who hurt me, and I didn’t realize the toll carrying that hardness with me took on my life. Emotions like anger, hurt, envy, and jealousy had hardened my heart. Not until the therapist pointed out my blind spot did I begin the journey to softening my heart through forgiveness, mercy, and grace. As we worked together over the next few months, I dove into the hard places and asked God to help soften my heart, and He did, creating in me a tender, responsive one.

As life takes its toll on us, surviving one storm after another, we can quickly develop a hardened heart. If you think of an onion and all its layers, we can compare it to our hearts. Each time we get hurt or feel offended, another layer forms. Over time, the layers create a hardness in our souls. Where we once trusted easily and looked for the best in others, it has now turned into distrust and an expectation of the worst. However, God gives us a new heart and helps us find our way back to the expectant heart we once had as children.

If you spend any time around children, their pure, unscathed hearts trust easily and don’t look for ulterior motives. Kids take things at face value and have no problem telling you what they think. Soft and pliable, their hearts readily receive the seeds God wants to plant. And if they stay focused on the Savior, their hearts will remain soft as they lead with His grace and mercy. But typically, life happens, and things change, and we must tap into divine strength to keep our hearts tender.

Thankfully, we serve a Savior who will give us a new heart, no matter what the situation, and help it stay soft. As we encounter the challenges of life, instead of allowing them to harden our hearts, we can give our burdens to Jesus, and He will give us the tools we need to keep our hearts soft.

Forgiveness leads the way to tender hearts. First, the Lord forgives us, then we forgive others. As we embrace a life of grace with the Savior, keeping the Son in our eyes, He will replace our hardened hearts with a tender and responsive one, ready to receive the seed He wants to plant.

Journal Questions:

What has caused your heart to harden?

How can giving the burden to Jesus help soften your heart?

What can daily time with the Savior do to help you keep your heart soft?

Friendship Application:

Ask Jesus to keep your heart soft and pliable, ready to accept the seeds He wants to plant.

Two-minute read.

“Lord, give me some of their pain.”

Years ago, I heard those words, and they struck me. I can’t remember the details of the story, but I have never forgotten their prayer request. And, at times, I’ve prayed the seven words for me when walking through a valley with someone in excruciating pain. What the person asked, and what I’ve asked, doesn’t mean we want pain, but instead we want to take some of the pain away from our loved one.

Having had several friends who have lost children, I have wanted to take away their pain. Mothers, when they give birth, retain some of their children’s cells in their bodies. They have a connection that no one else on earth can share. Losing an offspring means losing part of themselves, and I will never understand the depth of that pain. They never stop grieving their loss, and they always carry the heartache with them. Nothing anyone can do will take away their devastation, but we can empathize with them, grieve with them, and do our best to share their pain.

“The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share its joy.”

Proverbs 14:10

Respecting someone’s pain helps share their burden. Whether you’ve experienced something like the person or not, everyone grieves differently, whatever the loss. Loving them well means giving them space to do what they need to do and not expecting them to do it the way you would. Often, we want to rush people through their heartache so that things will go back to normal. But when someone experiences a profound loss, the old normal no longer exists, and we shouldn’t try to force it. Instead, we should come alongside them and do our best to support them in their time of need. By doing so, we will bear one another’s burdens and help each other persevere through the tough days of life.

Everyone has hurts, whether we can see them or not. Reminding ourselves that everyone has hidden struggles will help us lead with grace. As we become more like Jesus, we will learn to carry each other’s burdens, whatever they may look like. Sometimes we become prayer warriors, other times we become God’s hands and feet. Whatever the Lord calls us to do, He equips us to do it. We don’t need all the answers to every situation; we can trust the One who does and follow Him. Jesus will show us how to carry others’ burdens.

 Journal Questions:

Who has helped carry your burdens and how?

Share a time when you helped carry someone’s burdens?

How does Jesus help bear your burdens?

Friendship Application:

Bear with one another today by finding a way to share their burden.

Two-minute read.

Conflict happens everywhere: at school, at work, at church, and at sporting events. Wherever people gather, conflict arises. The Lord made us unique; different life experiences and education give us different perspectives and opinions. Our human frailties can make us feel defensive when someone holds a different viewpoint, prompting us to strike out, rather than discuss. We don’t have to agree with everyone, nor do we have to like each other, but we do have to love others and strive to live peacefully with them.

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Romans 12:18

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, tells us to live at peace with others to the best of our ability. He doesn’t say agree, nor did Jesus give us that command. Peacemakers don’t force people to see things their way; instead, they respect other people’s viewpoints and strive to love the person, despite their differences. Possessing the ability to share thoughts and ideas with others, whether you agree or disagree, and do it with love, will exemplify compassion in a conflict.

Think of Jesus during the last days of His life. From the time the guards arrested Him, the Savior endured slanderous accusations and beatings, yet He did not retaliate in kind. Instead, God’s Son stood quietly, not rising to the bait. When they hung Him on the cross, Jesus went willingly, making peace between sinners and the Father.

The Lord exemplified peacemaking, striving to unite, not divide. Conflict causes division, tearing apart relationships and hurting hearts. Peacemakers break the cycle, creating harmony and unifying people. Instead of taking offense when conflict occurs, and people say things they don’t mean, we can do what Jesus did: respond with mercy and love. As Christ hung on the cross, He said eleven words that epitomize compassion in conflict:

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they do.”

Luke 23:34

Compassion starts with forgiving offenses. Letting go of the hurt allows us to seek peace in the conflict. Finding resolution through understanding will create peace. Becoming more like Jesus means seeking peace rather than revenge. God will bless our efforts, knowing our hearts and the motivation behind our actions. Peaceful hearts seek unity and resolution. When we keep the Son in our eyes, we will find ways to show compassion in conflict instead of rising to the bait and inflaming the situation.

Journal Questions:

How does Christ show compassion in conflict from your perspective?

How can you seek peace and resolution in current conflicts in your life?

In what ways does seeking peace make you more like Jesus?

Friendship Application:

Work towards peace and resolution in whatever conflicts you encounter today.

Two-minute read.

Loving each other genuinely means understanding what they need emotionally. Sometimes friends need a pat on the back, other times they need a kick in the butt. To understand someone’s emotional needs, we must pay attention to their communication, not only what they say, but also how they say it and their body language. People can say one thing and tell you something completely different with their nonverbal cues; we must pay attention to both.

When a previous student left the tennis court after a tough loss, her body language reeked of disappointment and despair. However, when I asked her, “How are you doing?” she responded, “I’m fine.” I knew she didn’t feel fine and needed encouragement, so I spent the next several moments lifting her spirits. I pointed out everything she did right in the match and helped her identify what she learned from it. Then we talked about things she wanted to improve for the next match. By the time we finished speaking, she felt better and had a more positive attitude.

On the other hand, sometimes I miss communication cues and get it all wrong. Once, while training an assistant in how to deal with unhappy customers, we did a role-playing scenario. Playing the disgruntled customer, I drew on past experiences I had handled for my material. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that the stress of handling complaints had gotten under her skin. Only when she started crying did I recognize my mistake.

As we get to know people better, we’ll pick up on their emotional needs faster. Over time, we’ll begin to recognize the telltale signs of their feelings. Married to my husband for over a decade, I understand him much better now than when we first met. I can tell when he feels irritated, something most people don’t recognize because he hides it well. In the same way, he can identify my emotional needs much better now than when we first met. Taking time to invest in people and understand their emotional needs creates a stronger bond in the relationship and a much healthier friendship.

Become a better friend by understanding others’ emotional needs. You can always ask them what they need if you don’t know. Sometimes, they may not know. But the more time you invest in getting to know and understand someone, the better the friendship. Nothing brings more joy than having healthy relationships with those you love.

Journal Questions:

Describe someone who understands your emotional needs?

How can you become more alert to what others need emotionally?

Who has invested in your life and friendship that sets a good example to follow?

Friendship Application:

Become more attuned to your friend’s emotional needs and help meet them.

Two-minute read.

As a huge advocate for therapy, having someone listen to you, without fixing, but instead helping you understand, brings a special kind of freedom. I love my therapist, and make monthly appointments for what I call “mental maintenance.” We’ve done hard work together, overcoming ingrained childhood responses, addressing stunted emotional issues, and digging out negative roots and replacing them with the Lord’s promises. As a result, I live freer than I ever have, only regretting that I didn’t do the work sooner.

As friends, we can listen to others’ heart issues without trying to fix them. Seeking wise counsel can help work through the complexities within everyone, but it all starts with a listening ear. Becoming more self-aware and able to verbalize our strengths and weaknesses allows us to evaluate our lives and fine-tune them as needed objectively. At my last mental maintenance check, I discussed with my therapist the fact that I will always have more work to do. Because of our imperfections, we can’t expect to reach perfection on this side of heaven. But we can learn to accept ourselves, good, bad, and ugly, giving us the freedom to live fully.

Listen without trying to fix the next time a friend calls you to talk. Ask questions that help them think through their situation and look at it from all angles, but don’t try to fix it for them. Actively listening requires us to give the person our full attention. We must suspend judgment, ask clarifying questions, and then summarize key points to let them know you heard what they said. Only offer advice if asked for it, and even then, do so cautiously.

When we pour our hearts out to the Savior, He listens without fixing. The Lord knows, we need to get it out of us, whatever the issue, so that we can bring it into the light. Once we bring our problems into the light, they take on a different hue and become solvable. Often, we already know what we need to do, but talking about it helps bring the solution to the forefront.

Become an active listener and allow people to talk without trying to fix their problems. Draw out what lies beneath the surface by asking clarifying questions and giving them space to discover the answers they seek.

Journal Questions:

When you think of a good listener, who comes to mind?

How can pouring your heart out to Jesus help you deal with issues?

How can you become a better listener for others?

Friendship Application:

Listen without fixing, allowing people to talk about whatever they need to discuss.