Author: Beth Morrison

Two-minute read.

Diamonds form under pressure. Taking an enormous amount of time, carbon atoms crystallize into a diamond because they undergo intense heat and pressure. Man-made diamonds take a few weeks to generate using modern technology.[1] The more pressure diamonds experience, the purer they become.

Silver and gold, when heated, separate the dross from the precious metals, causing it to float to the surface. Metal workers scoop the impurities off the top of the boiling treasures, purifying them. Silver and goldsmiths repeat the process until the precious metals reach the desired purity.

And God tests our hearts through similar methods. Immense pressure and turning up the flames in life reveal quickly what resides in our hearts. For years, whenever I felt the fire of life’s challenges intensify, I responded with anger, a response I had learned in my childhood. But since I’ve submitted my life to Christ, I respond differently.

Jesus never used harsh words, always responding in love. When we mimic Him, we’ll do what He did. Allowing Christ to lead our lives transforms them, but only if we let go of our old ways and choose to respond in a different way. In the most recent testing, I performed better than I ever have before, but I still have areas where I can improve.

Life with God doesn’t happen all at once, but instead takes place day by day. On a journey with God, like the goldsmith, He continues to refine us, removing more dross from our hearts the longer we walk with Him.

Allow God to test your heart, exposing the areas that need work. Let the Creator transform you each day, living into His purpose, becoming more like Jesus, and experiencing life in abundance as He intends.

Journal Question:

In what ways has God tested your heart?

What dross has God removed from you?

Describe what a purified heart means to you.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for testing our hearts and purifying them. When the flames roar up around us, help us to respond like Jesus, with love and grace, so that His light may shine through us.

IJNIP. Amen

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[1] https://www.forevermark.com/en-us/our-diamonds/natural-diamonds/the-miracle-of-a-diamond/#:~:text=Deep%20in%20the%20earth,how%20truly%20rare%20diamonds%20are.

Two-minute read.

Peace has value. However, some people thrive on conflict, creating it if none exists. Often, abundance brings strife as people’s emotions get tied to material things. Having too much of a good thing doesn’t necessarily make it better, and in some cases, make it worse.

Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest man to ever live, understood that inner peace and harmony have more value than wealth or lavish surroundings. More money brings more problems, and although people think it holds the key to happiness, wealth often causes conflict.

People fight over stuff. Feelings like envy, greed, and jealousy rise when someone thinks they haven’t received their fair share. Peace over prosperity means a poor home filled with harmony far outweighs a house full of conflict because of affluence. Relationships matter more than material things, but often, we prioritize our possessions over our connections with others.

Finding contentment with simplicity helps pave the way for peace. Cultivating healthy relationships brings peace to homes as people learn to communicate clearly with each other, respecting differing viewpoints and giving people space for their own journey. By seeking inner contentment and accepting Christ’s grace and mercy, we can create a peaceful environment.

We have couple friends who argue constantly, bickering with each other over the most minor things. Spending time with them always requires effort and can leave me feeling exhausted. Compared to our friends who have peaceful homes, they seem like night and day. Why would anyone want to live in a state of constant conflict, I don’t know. But some people can’t understand the value of peace.

Strive for peace and harmony in your home. Live contented with simple things, not allowing conflict to steal your inner joy.

Journal Question:

When have you experienced peace in your home?

When has feasting caused you strife?

In what ways can you cultivate contentment in simple things today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us access to Your peace and contentment. Please help us find joy in life’s simple pleasures and not let stuff cause us conflict.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“Black four,” I said to the roulette table attendant. Only once have I ever thrown the dice; in August of 2016, I placed a bet in honor of my nephew. Cody died two months before his 21st birthday. He had planned a trip to Vegas to celebrate the milestone. We went two years later, doing the things he wanted to do in remembrance of him. I actually won a few bucks on that roll, betting on his birthday. I gave the money to his sister.

In life, every decision we make rolls the dice. Some choices have obvious outcomes, while others do not. But in every decision, God determines how the dice will fall. Biblically, they cast lots, drawing sticks, stones, or coins to make an impartial decision, divide property, or discern the will of God. The soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ clothes at His crucifixion.

Personally, I find comfort knowing God controls the outcome. Since I know, when the game comes to an end, the Lord wins, I trust His guidance. The Creator knows all things, sees all things, and hears all things. And in Him I trust to make the best decision for me at any given time.

Not running the world takes a huge load off my shoulders. Foolishly, in days gone by, I thought I controlled the situations and circumstances around me. But I have learned I control nothing but how I respond to any given interaction.

Throw the dice, go for broke, knowing that God controls how they land. Living for the Savior, in His grace and mercy, will make your path straight as the Lord leads the way, one roll at a time.

Journal Question:

How much control do you perceive you have over life?

In what ways does knowing God controls the roll of the dice comfort you?

In what ways does God’s sovereignty intimidate you?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for wanting the best for us. Even if we don’t understand life’s situations, we trust that You do. Please let Your plan for our lives unfold, despite our best efforts to derail them.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“Pride goeth before a fall,” words I often say. Whether in myself or someone else, the minute we think we do anything in our own power, we set ourselves up for quick decline. Scripture characterizes pride as an excessive belief in one’s own importance, achievements, or abilities, which leads to rebellion against God and disregard for humility. [1]

Rebelling against the Lord never goes well. As I study Jesus’s life, I realize He never became prideful. The Son of God exemplified humility, never speaking harshly to anyone, and always showing love. And, as documented so well, He died on the cross, taking our punishment for us, giving His life for ours.

Yet we forget Christ’s sacrifice and act as if we don’t need Him. Self-exaltation never ends well. We all fall short of the mark; when we forget that fact, we become prideful. I know myself, I have let self-righteousness destroy relationships and separate me from the Savior. Christ never leaves us, but we move away from Him.

Thankfully, God usually humbles me quickly. Like in a round of golf, each hole has a set of strokes to complete it, called par. When I shoot par, I quickly become prideful; it never fails. I usually play the next hole poorly, humbling me and bringing me back to the reality of my ability. Just because I feel like a golf professional for a moment doesn’t make me a pro.

Everyone struggles with pride, selfishness a common obstacle to humility. But if we keep the Son in ours and remember, we live for Him, it will help us stay humble and hungry for more of the Lord.

Journal Question:

How have you experienced pride in your life?

How has God humbled you in the past?

In what ways can you stay humble and focused on the Lord?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for keeping us humble and hungry for more of You. Please help us identify pride in our life quickly and give it to You, staying grounded in Your truth, not ours.

IJNIP. Amen

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[1] https://www.britannica.com/topic/pride-deadly-sin#:~:text=In%20the%20theological%20sense%2C%20pride,the%20heavenly%20virtue%20of%20humility.

Two-minute read.

Commit in today’s verse means “roll” as in rolling one’s burdens onto the Lord. Illustrating complete dependence on God, when we include the Creator in our plans, seeking His guidance, He either clears the path or closes the door. Blessings mean the Savior’s best for us, and not all our ideas fall into the “best” category.

Each Sunday morning, I write this verse in my journal and pray over the week ahead. Looking at my calendar, I talk to God about what I’ve scheduled and ask Him to guide my steps. And every week, I ask the Lord not to let me miss any divine appointments.

Since I started praying over my calendar, not one week has gone as planned. Each day, as the Lord leads me where He wants to go, appointments get added and dropped from my calendar. Knowing I’ve given my schedule to God, when things turn out differently than I thought they would, I know without a doubt who made the schedule change.

When you study the life of Jesus, it becomes apparent that He didn’t mind interruptions. Crowds of sick people surrounded the Savior, interrupting His preaching. When the four friends lowered their paralytic friend through the roof, it interrupted Jesus’ talk. And the bleeding woman who touched Christ’s cloak stopped him on His way to heal a 12-year-old girl. Never does the Lord get irritated at the disruption of His schedule, handling them all with grace and love.

Submit your plans to the Lord and let Him adjust your schedule. Discover the joy of letting God fill in your calendar, knowing He wants to give you the best!

Journal Question:

How have you submitted your plans to the Lord?

How do you respond when things don’t go your way?

In what ways can you let God lead you today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for wanting the best for us. Please open the doors you want us to walk through and close the ones you don’t. Let us not miss any divine appointments, and in all things, may we bring glory and honor to You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

When seven-year-old Grace answers the door, she always has a smile on her face, full of life and bursting with ideas. You can see it all. Her mom hosts our women’s Bible study, and every Monday morning, I get to enjoy Grace’s hospitality, which brings me joy.

And so does the good news of the scriptures as I study them with my friends. Each week, as we share our struggles and find biblical truths to apply to our lives, it unburdens and uplifts us, while also drawing us closer to one another and to the Lord.

The best news came from the cross, when Jesus gave His life for ours. Christ made a way for us in the darkness, lighting our path and giving us a new life, grounded in Him. Gospel means “good news” of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. The Savior gives us “do-overs,” as many as we need to try again. We can change our behaviors and reactions, responding more like God’s Son and less like our human nature.

Jesus inspires me to strive for excellence in all things. Because of the grace I received from the cross, I want to respond in love, speak with gentleness, and always lead with grace. I have not mastered any of those things, but because of the Lord, I’ve come a long way as He continues to transform my life.

Share the good news of the gospel, allow Jesus to transform your life, one day at a time. Let the joy of the Lord flow from your heart, creating a cheerful face that encourages others. Nothing compares to life in Christ, living in His love and sharing it to the best of your ability. Life in abundance comes from the Savior.

Journal Question:

How has a cheerful look brought joy to your heart?

What do you consider good news?

How can you reflect a cheerful look and share good news today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for the good news of the cross that brings health to our bones and a cheerful look to our faces. Please let us bring joy to others as we relish in the gift of grace Jesus gives us.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

“Joy. I wished you’d show more joy.”

Reading “The Next Conversation” by Jefferson Fisher, to have productive dialogue, he says you must first know how people perceive you. To understand how others perceive you, he suggests asking five questions to a trusted family member or friend for feedback. When I asked Ron what emotion he wishes I would show more, he said joy.

Surprised by my husband’s answer, I feel a deep joy and gratitude for God’s blessings every day. However, according to Ron, he doesn’t see the joy as much as I feel it. Joyful people overflow with happiness; their faces reflect their inner joy. Broken hearts crush the spirit and leave our outward faces downtrodden.

Thankfully, Ron didn’t think I had a crushed spirit; he just wanted to see more of my joy. To accomplish that goal, I must relinquish my anxieties to the Savior and trust Him with my fears. Joy comes from the Lord, and through it, He gives us strength. As we relax into Christ’s arms and receive the gifts of grace and mercy He offers, we can release our worries to Him and enjoy the benefits of a life submitted to Jesus.

As an author, I lug books around. Small, heavy boxes require physical exertion to carry. When I set the cardboard crates down, I feel immediate relief from the burden of carrying them. In the same way, when we lay our anxieties, fears, and worries at the foot of the cross, we immediately feel lighter. Unburdening our hearts, emptying them to the Lord, allows Him to fill them with His joy, which will become apparent on our faces.

Let go of anything that weighs you down. Give your cares to the Lord and let Him fill you with joy. Wear a happy face that starts from a joyful heart.

Journal Question:

What emotion do you wear on your face?

What burdens can you lay at the foot of the cross today?

How can you experience more joy in your life?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us a way to release our burdens and fill our hearts with joy. Please let us reflect the joy of the Lord on our faces as we strive to honor and serve You.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Communication has two aspects: sending and receiving. How we send things to someone determines how they will receive it, and since we communicate more through our body language than words, replying with a gentle answer requires total self-control.

Some people enjoy fighting, but I don’t. Negative emotions require too much energy and don’t produce anything productive; they waste time. When under attack, only the strength of the Lord helps me restrain my natural response. My entire body tenses up, and I quickly go on the defensive.

Responding with a gentle answer doesn’t add fuel to the flame and helps diffuse the situation. In retail, we learned to lower our tone, which caused grumpy customers to have to stop and listen, breaking the rhythm of their rant. I struggle not to engage when someone attacks me, but I’ve made significant progress in not letting them get to me. Since I used harsh words as a protective measure for many years of my life, I’ve got a knack for annihilating someone with my words.

Thankfully, Christ has transformed me and helped me let go of that protective technique, trusting Him instead with my pain and allowing the Savior to make me whole again. Jesus always spoke with gentle words, even when beaten and bloody, during His persecution. Through Him, we can respond gently, controlling our emotions and avoiding escalation of the situation.

Give Jesus control of your communication and watch as He transforms your life.

Journal Question:

What does sending and receiving information mean to you?

In what ways can you strengthen your communication skills?

How can you respond with a gentle answer amid chaos?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for setting an example of gentleness for us. Please help us respond with love when we come under attack. Let us speak gentle words, as you did, and diffuse tense moments.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

Have you ever experienced a fool’s reckless, self-assured, and overconfident behavior? Not only have I had the pleasure of receiving a fool’s rant, but I must also confess, I have done the ranting. However, as I daily give my life to Christ, He has helped me become wiser and more cautious.

When we receive the grace given to us from the Cross, the Lord forgives our past sins but also teaches us from them. Ron and I went to dinner after a long day of working on his parents’ property, cleaning it out in preparation for selling. We drove a truck, pulling a trailer piled high with items for donation and trash. Because the restaurant’s parking lot didn’t have space for the double vehicle, we parked in a nearby lot.

“Where’s the truck?” One of us said when we left the restaurant. Without realizing it, we had parked in a tow zone, and during the hour we ate, they towed the vehicles. When we arrived at the facility to pick them up, we beat the tow truck to the garage. My anger flared, and I went off like a fool, a memory that still brings shame to my heart when I think of it.

But God has used that night to teach me wisdom and caution. Over the past decade, I have faced numerous other situations that have caused my temper to flare. However, knowing I never want to act like that again, I have learned to control my emotions, thoughts, and words more effectively. Although I haven’t reached perfection, I’ve come a long way since that starry night.

Following Jesus transforms our lives as we apply His teachings to our everyday situations. Responding with love takes help from the Lord to intentionally, and with self-control, not let our emotions and thoughts get the best of us.

Journal Question:

When have you responded foolishly?

How can you learn from those moments you let emotions rule you?

In what ways can you develop wisdom and caution today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us the wisdom to make the best decisions at any given moment. Please help us always love people with our words, thoughts, and actions. Let us become more like Jesus as we apply and live His teachings.

IJNIP. Amen

Two-minute read.

No one can understand what lies in someone else’s heart, whether bitterness or joy; we have emotions personal to us. When I lost my nephew, my pain differed from everyone else’s who knew him; we all grieved differently. The day I married Ron, joy overflowed my heart, unique to me after the long wait for my mate.

People can have sympathy or celebrate with you, but they don’t entirely understand the workings of your heart. Only God truly knows the feelings you have in the recesses of your soul. Respecting other people’s emotions, whether you agree or disagree, goes a long way towards loving them.

Five of my family and friends have lost children in various ways. I can’t understand the pain they experience because I don’t have kids. Never once have I told any of them that “I know what you’re going through,” because I have no idea the intense hurt they feel from such a profound loss. By the same token, I can’t comprehend the joy they felt when their children entered the world.

Acting like you know someone else’s experience when you don’t does more harm than good. You can still comfort someone even if you don’t completely understand their pain. People in pain need space to process their emotions; we provide it by coming alongside them and walking with them on their journey. Sometimes talking, sometimes saying nothing, but showing up for them during their crisis helps them move forward from grief.

Give people space to feel their emotions and process them. Don’t presume you understand; instead, join them on the journey, walking with them through the good and the bad.

Journal Question:

How have you processed pain and bitterness before?

What does a joyful heart mean to you?

How have people misunderstood your feelings before?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for understanding and knowing the emotions of our hearts. Please give us sensitivity towards others, not presuming we know what they do or don’t feel. Help us love like Jesus always.

IJNIP. Amen