Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 32-33 GW; 1 Timothy 6 GW

Contentment is key.

Paul, writing to Timothy, is explaining contentment. He wants Timothy to “teach and encourage people to do these things” (1 Timothy 6:4 GW).  Paul wants people to appreciate what they have instead of yearning for things they don’t possess.  As Paul says, we come into the world with nothing and leave with nothing.  Praising God for the food and clothing He provides us is something we should all do.

But instead, we complain because we don’t have the newest phone, car or gadget.  Our salaries aren’t large enough, jobs aren’t good enough, and houses aren’t elite enough.  My attic needs cleaning out at the moment; I don’t even know what all we have in it.  Yet, I think I need more.  When in reality,  I have more than enough, as most of us do in America.  Storage units are a hot commodity business; they make anywhere from $361,000-$798,800 a year.  Find a place to store other people’s stuff for them, and you’ve got a gold mine.

Godly living isn’t about stuff.

The profits a Godly life bring aren’t monetary.  Appreciating what you have, realizing, all you need is bare necessities brings the fruit of the Spirit:

“But the spiritual nature produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. There are no laws against things like that.” (Galatians 5:22-23 GW)

Contentment is a choice you make.  You either choose to thank God for the gifts you have or focus on what you think you need.  When we remember, all we need is food and clothing; we’ll begin to realize we’ve got a lot for which we should thank God.  As we lift our voices in praise, God fills us with His Spirit.  From the overflow of God’s presence, we’ll share His fruit with the world.

Choose contentment.  Thank God for what you have.  Live a Godly life, experience His presence.  Receive the vast profits that come only from God.

Lord, thank You for life.  Forgive us for constantly thinking we need more than we have.  Help us become content as we thank You for all our blessings.  Praise You for the food we eat and the clothes we wear.  Fill us with Your Spirit; let Your fruit flow from our lives.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What can you thank God for today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 29-31 GW; 1 Timothy 5 GW

Good deeds bring rejoicing.

Whether your acts of kindness are apparent or not, they don’t bring regret.  Knowing you did the right thing, despite the response received, is always uplifting.  God knows the condition of your heart; He understands your intentions.  Anything done with the right intent will eventually come to light.  God reveals all things in due time.

When a relational conflict occurs, the first thing I do is take inventory of my actions.  Reflecting on my deeds helps me take responsibility for my part in the disagreement.  For the things I did right, I rejoice, knowing the problem didn’t arise from them.  For instance, keeping my mouth shut instead of speaking is often something I rejoice over.  Words have power; using them wisely definitely brings joy.  But when words are spoken harshly, without thought, you will regret them.

Celebrate and fix.

One of my dear friends taught me to celebrate and fix.  As a sales director for Discovery Toys, a networking, at-home business, she had plenty of experience.  Part of her job was hosting parties in people’s homes to showcase the product.  After every event, she did a celebrate and fix review.  Celebrate the things you did right, fix the things you did wrong, a lesson I’ve not forgotten.

Everything is a mixture of both good and bad.  After finishing “Three Word Prayers for Everyday Living,” I had things to celebrate and fix.  After completing the last copy, I gave the book to two friends for one final proofread.  Both of them gave me feedback, celebrating what they loved, identifying last-minute edits.  When I thought I had nothing left to fix, I still did.  We are all a work in progress.

Feedback is necessary if we are to grow.  Everyone does good deeds.  Rejoice in the things you’ve done right.  Fix the things that need fixing.

Lord, thank You for all the good things You do for us.  Forgive us for not celebrating Your goodness more.  Help us shed Your light into the world by our actions.  In all we do, let our hearts align with Yours, sharing Your goodness.  Whatever issues we need to fix, help us become better.  Show us what we need to celebrate, help us repair what we need to correct.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What good deeds can you celebrate today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 27-28 GW; 1 Timothy 4 GW

People lie.

Paul, writing to Timothy about the prophecy at the end of times, is warning him.  People who once followed Jesus will desert the faith believing false teachings.  We live in a world where incorrect information is rampant.  If Paul worried about Timothy, can you imagine his concern for our world? One article I read said, on average, a stranger will lie to you three times in ten minutes of conversation, friends lie to you once in the same period.  Talking to my friend Wendy about friend’s lying, she immediately responded, “Yeah, they say “I’m fine.”’

Wendy’s response answered a question for me.  Thinking about my friends, I wondered what lies they told me.  “I’m fine” is the biggest lie we all tell.  How many times have you said the words?  I know I’m guilty of saying everything is okay when inside, I’m falling apart.  Friends don’t know you need help unless you tell them.  The next time someone says, “I’m fine,” follow up with another question, “Are you really?”

Seek truth always.

Seeking truth in today’s world is more difficult than ever. As Christ-followers, we must become diligent in verifying the information we receive.  Dredging through the billions and billions of pages on the internet to find truth is mind boggling.  If we follow the wrong rabbit trail, unknowingly, we could believe lies, which means we become liars.

Don’t believe everything people tell you, or what you read.  Just like, “I’m fine” is a subtle lie, so is the information we receive from the internet and mass media.  Slight word changes make for huge lies.  Bots, automated computers, have social media pages that deliberately post things to generate strong emotions towards people or movements.  Facebook removed over 3 billion fake accounts between 2018 and 2019.  Even with their diligence, about 5% of the 2 billion active Facebook accounts are bots.

Read between the lines.  Seek the truth through Jesus.  Allow God to guide you along the right path.  Don’t fall for the lies; avoid the scars.

Lord, thank You for unending grace and mercy.  Forgive us for lying to others and ourselves.  Give us discernment and wisdom to know the truth.  When we believe falsities, correct us.  Don’t allow us to go down the wrong path.  Protect us from the lies of this world.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What lies do you believe today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Psalms 60 GW; Ezekiel 25-26 GW; 1 Timothy 3 GW

God trumps man.

People can’t do what God can do.  We blame God for our problems, but in reality, people are who hurt us.  When a friend betrays you, it cuts like a knife.  If someone ridicules you, it hurts profoundly.  And if you are ostracized because you aren’t on board with what the crowd is doing, you feel the isolation deeply.  God doesn’t do any of those things.  He never mocks us nor kicks us out for our differences.  God invites people into His family, and they reject Him.  God isn’t the source of pain; people are.

We must place our expectations on God, not man.  If you’re looking for a person to save you, then you will experience disappointment. God didn’t design people to have that much responsibility. We’re not capable of handling the pressure.  God wants us to rely on Him for assistance and stop looking to imperfect people for help.

Let people off the hook.

If I expect my husband to meet all my needs, I set him up for failure.  Our relationship would struggle, both of us miserable.  God never intended Ron to fulfill that role; he’s my husband, not my Savior.  Looking for Ron to do what only God can do dooms our relationship.  But when I put my expectations on the Lord, I let Ron off the hook.

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” (Psalm 118:8 ESV)

Nestled in the middle of the Bible is one of my favorite verses.  When someone hurts me, I think of these words.  In the heart of God’s word, the Lord tells us where to take refuge, and it’s not in man.  Stop expecting people to do God’s job.

Whatever situation you’re facing today, seek the King for help.  Ask your Creator to assist you.  Then give Him time to work.  God isn’t on our schedule; we’re on His.

Lord, thank You for helping us.  Forgive us for looking to people to do what only You can do.  As we face the trials of this day, please help us.  Let us take refuge in You while you take care of our problems.  Help us let people off the hook as we place our trust in You.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

Who do you need to let off the hook today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 23-24 GW; 1 Timothy 2 GW

Prayer softens.

When you pray for someone, God softens your heart.  Not at first, especially if the person hurt you deeply.  I have people in my life who are extremely difficult to bring before God.  Pain inflicted intentionally isn’t easily forgotten, especially falsely accused.  But pray for them we must:

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” (Matthew 5:44 NIV)

Our path to healing comes through prayer.  If we’re going to overcome the offense, then we must soften our hearts.  A prayer I’ve begun praying, “God, keep my heart soft,” illuminates how hard it is.  Every time someone hurts us, our hearts harden.  We build walls to protect us from further injury.  But walls don’t heal, they separate.  If we’re to become whole again, we mustn’t let our hearts become hardened towards our offender.

“Bless them, fix me.” 

Priscilla Shirer

Author Priscilla Shirer has a simple prayer she uses for praying for others, “Bless them, fix me.”  These four words are potent for hardened hearts.  Easy to utter, prayed on repeat; eventually, you genuinely want God to honor the prayer.  When you reach the point where you feel no more angst, your heart is once again soft.

What happens, over time, God reveals the truth to you.  Typically, whether God shows you something about yourself or the other person, it helps you see the humanity in the situation.  All of us are sinners in need of grace.  Prayer reminds us of that fact, which in turn helps soften our hearts.

Soft hearts produce kind actions.  Instead of causing more hurt in the world, you stop the vicious circle.  Healing people help others heal; hurting people hurt them.  You have a choice.  You can help solve the issue or become part of it.  Prayer enables you to deal with the situation without causing more harm.  Keeping your heart soft will help all of your relationships, especially the one with God.

Lord, thank You for keeping our hearts soft.  Forgive us for hardening them when we’re in pain.  Help us today seek You first and foremost.  Bless those who have hurt us, fix the things in us that need fixing.  Help us become healthy and whole, spreading Your light wherever we go.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

Who do you need to pray for today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 21-22 GW; Psalms 5 GW; 1 Timothy 1 GW

God is kind.

Paul recognizes God’s kindness in his life.  Once a persecutor of Christians, Paul now has new life in Christ.  Paul stoned and killed people for the sake of the law, yet one day, while walking to Damascus, God intervened. Forgiving Paul, God changed his world with one interaction.

Forgiveness is God’s kindness.  Whatever you’re beating yourself up for today, God forgave you.  When we place our trust in Christ, we receive unconditional love and forgiveness.  In God’s sovereignty, He knows our sins.   Thankfully, I’ve not killed nor stoned anyone, but I have committed sins that I find hard to forgive.  I know all the skeletons in my closet, and some of them seem unforgivable from my perspective.  But they are not from God’s.

God’s mercy never ends.

Understanding God forgives you is His kindness.  We must have faith to receive God’s mercy.  All God wants is for us to believe and accept the grace He offers.

My husband shows me grace constantly.  Recently, we had a miscommunication.  I misunderstood something he said; his communication wasn’t clear.  Both of us were at fault, but more me than him.  During our fight, I said words I regret.  But he forgives me, not holding them against me.  His act of grace causes me to love him more.  Ron doesn’t bring up our past arguments; once over, he lets them go.  Because of Ron’s grace for me, I’m learning to have more grace for others.

God’s grace is kindness.  When God says He forgives, He does so entirely.  What you deem unforgivable, God forgives.  If we’re to start fresh every morning, then we need to receive God’s mercies anew.  God wipes the slate clean; we get a chance to fill it with different choices.  

Receiving God’s kindness is genuine.  Grace is a free gift offered to us.  Nothing we do can earn God’s mercy.  God’s kindness leads to faith.

Lord, thank You for Your kindness towards us.  Forgive us for not accepting the gifts You offer.  Help us accept Your grace and mercy today.  As we receive Your kindness, help it build our faith.  Let us share what we receive with all we meet.  Help us shine Your light brightly today.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How do you receive God’s kindness?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Psalms 80 GW; Ezekiel 19-20 GW

Everyone wavers.

Asaph, the author of today’s Psalm, is asking God to restore Israel once again.  Repeatedly, the Israelites turn from God, then back to Him.  Just like us, we are no different than them.  False gods still exist, as do idols.  We can find lots of things to worship other than God.  But none of those things will fulfill us as God can.  When we realize we’ve strayed, restoration is necessary.

“O God, restore us and smile on us so that we may be saved.” (Psalm 80:3 GW)

No one goes from the womb to the tomb without strife.  Everyone who is born has struggles.  Sometimes, they take us to God; other times, we turn away from Him.  When my father died, I spent ten years running from God.  Angry, full of unexpressed emotions, I isolated myself from God and people.  When I finally found my way back, my prayer became simple. “Don’t let me turn away again, God.  I don’t want to go through that ever again.”

Let God Restore you.

Asking God for His power and strength will restore you.  God provides for us what we can’t do for ourselves.  We’re incapable of restoring ourselves, we can’t save ourselves.  Only God has the power to rescue us.  You can always call out to Jesus, He’s never out of hearing.

Currently, I’m listening to “Hinds’ Feet on High Places” by Hannah Hurnard.  The novel depicts the journey we all take as we follow Jesus.  Our heroine, “Much-Afraid,” crippled and rejected, chooses to trust the Shepherd who will lead her to high places, renaming her “Acceptance with Joy.”  Her companions are Sorrow and Suffering; anytime Much-Afraid needs the Shepherd, all she has to do is call out to Him.  We’re “Much-Afraid,” God wants us to become “Acceptance with Joy.”  We can, knowing the Shepherd is always near.

Call out to God.  Let Him restore you today.  Let go of fear; replace it with joy.

Lord, thank You for proximity; when we call, You answer.  Forgive us for turning from You.  Help us never leave You again.  Let us cling to You with fervor, experiencing Your unending joy.  Strengthen us for the journey; help us find the high places with You.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What do area of your life needs restoration?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 17-18 GW; Psalms 24 GW

Rest is God’s mic drop.

David is our speaker today; he’s talking about God’s sovereignty.  Everything on the earth is God’s; He controls the wind and the rains.  David ends the psalm with my word for this year, “Selah,” which means to pause for reflection, resting.  Found only 71 times in the Psalms, the placement after David’s exclamation did make me pause.

God is in control, period.  No ifs, and, or buts about God’s sovereignty.  We are not the ones running the world; God is.  Definitely a good place for a mic drop, don’t you think?

One of my daily tasks on my phone reminds me to stop and listen.  Selah. Defining Rest in an Age of Productivity is the Youversion reading plan where I found these words:

“Selah: stop and listen.  Man’s blessing didn’t come from what he produced; rather, what he produced stemmed from his blessing.  Let that blessing fuel your work so that striving ceases and what you produce comes out of a place of rest.”

Selah

Stop striving and start resting.  Let God’s mic drop impact your life.  You don’t have to control everything; it’s not on your job description.  As my therapist likes to remind me, my job isn’t to save the world; that’s God’s work.  My mission on earth is the same every day, love God, love others.  Only by resting in God can I accomplish my goal.

Transitioning this year from graduate school into a new career was difficult for me.  For the first time in my life, I didn’t rush into the “next thing.”  Instead, I did the best  I could to let God do the leading.  Patience isn’t my virtue, but after this year, it’s better than ever.  What I find is I’m talking less and listening more, both with God and people.  I’m becoming better at having uncomfortable conversations that lead to healthier relationships.  And I’m writing because I know that’s what God created me to do.  Each morning I ask Him to let the words flow.  So far, so God.

Rest is God’s mic drop.  Selah.

Lord, thank You for controlling the world and removing that burden from us.  Forgive us for trying anyway.  Help us today; rest in You.  Let Your mic drop change our lives.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How can you stop and listen to God today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 16 GW; Galatians 6 GW

God isn’t a fool.

Heart business is God’s passion.  Without a doubt, God understands the motives of our actions.  Turning to Him is an opportunity for healing, but often we go in the opposite direction.  After all, if God was so good, why did something terrible happen?  Don’t we have a right to rebel against our Creator?  But we never fool God; he knows what we’re doing.

If you plant meanness, you’ll receive it in return.  Whatever we put out is what we get back.  In my younger years, my anger over the loss of my father made me unpleasant.   Walking around with a chip on my shoulder, feeling like the world owed me, is an accurate description of those days.  Resentment towards others’ good fortune caused me to isolate myself.  If I didn’t let anyone near me, they couldn’t hurt me.  Self-defense doesn’t make sense sometimes.

But I was heading in the wrong direction.  Instead of running to God, I ran from Him.  Hindsight three decades later gives me a perfect vision.  No one harmed me but me.  

Plant spiritually.

“If you plant in ⌞the soil of⌟ your corrupt nature, you will harvest destruction. But if you plant in ⌞the soil of⌟ your spiritual nature, you will harvest everlasting life.” (Galatians 6:8 GW)

Doing the right thing is something we must choose every day.  Reading God’s Word, connecting daily with Him helps us to accomplish divine tasks.  Without God’s intervention, we can’t plant in our spiritual nature.  Our corrupt nature only causes trouble; God’s pure nature produces a bountiful harvest.

Remember, everyone is struggling; you’re not the only one.  Each person is born into their battles.  How we respond to the unpleasant side of life is our choice.  Let God’s Spirit help you plant the right seeds.  Create beauty from ashes by giving God your pain.

Bad seeds produce wicked crops.  Good seeds produce bounties from heaven.  You can’t fool God. With Him, all things are possible.

Lord, thank You for caring about our hearts.  Forgive us for trying to fool You.  Grant us an extra measure of grace as we move through our days.  Don’t let us get caught in our corrupt nature.  Help us plant vibrant seeds in Your spiritual nature that will produce everlasting life.  IJNIP.  Amen.

Question for reflection

What kind of seeds are you planting?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Ezekiel 13-15 GW; Galatians 5 GW

 Fresh fruit depends on God.

Allowing God’s Spirit to work within us will help us produce good fruit.  When we let God take control, He works inside our hearts.  We can’t grow spiritual fruit without God’s help. Our human nature has a different plan: 

“Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity, idolatry, drug use, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, factions, envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and similar things.” (Galatians 5:19-21 GW)

Yep, left to our own devices, we get into trouble.  Personal experience knows this truth too well; allowing God to lead changes things.  We can overcome our sinful nature with the Father’s mighty power.  No way can we exhibit the fruits of the Spirit without the Spirit.

Develop sensitivity.

Years ago, at Christmas, God inspired me.  Studying the fruits of the Spirit, I created a fun activity to get through the holidays.  Writing out each fruit on paper, I made cute little bags for them.  Then I gave the festive pouches to each of my friends, with simple instructions.  Each day during the holiday season, we drew a fruit from the bag.  Throughout our day, we were to practice that particular fruit.  Over the month-long project, we had the opportunity to actively engage with each fruit, relying on God’s Spirit to help us in our efforts.

As in all things, we have a choice.  Choosing to focus on the fruit of the Spirit means denying our selfish desires.  One can’t practice self-control and drunkenness at the same time.  God’s Spirit guides us in the opposite direction of our sinful nature.  Letting God take the wheel is worthwhile.  No one ever regretted not drinking alcohol, but many people regret overindulging, including me.  I’d rather wake up full of God’s Spirit than a hangover from the night before.

Let God’s Spirit lead you today.  Become sensitive to His promptings.  Produce good fruit by relying on God.

Lord, thank You for Your Spirit within us.  Forgive us for ignoring Your promptings and following our selfish desires.  Today, help us become more sensitive.  Let us produce good fruit that will uplift and encourage others.  As we learn to rely on Your Spirit more, bless our efforts.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What fruit of the Spirit do you want to focus on today?