Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Jeremiah 19-22 GW; Hebrews 4 GW

God rules with kindness.

Natural disasters, illness, and death of loved ones, job loss, broken relationships all make one wonder about God’s kindness.  How can a loving God allow such painful things to happen in life?  Maybe C.S. Lewis’s thoughts on pain provide an answer:

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains.  It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

In our pain, people do one of two things: turn to or from God.  During times of plenty, we don’t give God credit for what we have.  But when things go wrong, God gets all the accolades.  In reality, Jesus told us we would have strife in this world:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV)

Life is tough.

Anyone who says God promised a rose garden is lying.  No, where in scripture do you find that promise.  But you do see people enduring all types of hardships, God their strength in the storm.  David’s psalms are a collection of praises and laments.  As one friend said, David seems bipolar; one moment, he’s on the mountain top, the next in the valley.  But David’s constant is God, who never changes.

God doesn’t have highs and lows; He is constant.  Leading with grace, He is consistent in His love and adoration for you and me.  If God didn’t cherish us, Jesus wouldn’t have come.  But because God values us so much, He sent Jesus to create a way for us to connect with Him.  

If we don’t turn to God, we won’t receive.  Allow the pain you’re experiencing to draw you towards God, not away from Him.  Listen to the megaphone. Pour your heart out to Him, tell God how you are hurting.  Let Him into the deep crevices of your soul.  Receive God’s mercy and kindness as you give Him your hurts.

Lord, thank You for Your consistency in our lives.  Forgive us for the times we turn from You.  Help us listen to You in our pain.  As we move through the storms of life, keep us afloat.  Send us help when we need it; let us bless others when they do.  In all things, the glory is Yours.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

Where are you turning in your times of distress?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Jeremiah 17-18 GW; Psalms 35 GW; Hebrews 3 GW

Trees need roots.

Trusting in God is the acorn.  Placing faith in God means trusting Him more than humans or your circumstances.  As we journey with Him through life, the acorn begins to crack open and tendrils start to work their way into the soil of our hearts.  God’s living water is the stream the roots find.  As we grow and experience life, nourishment comes from the eternal flow of God’s grace and mercy with a firm foundation.  

Outside our house stands an Elm tree.  Planted 30 years ago, the tree stands taller than our house.  Storm after storm, the branches sway in the wind, remaining ever strong.  Some of the tinier stems will inevitably break and fall, but the tree perseveres time and again.  Why?  Because the roots are well established in the moist soil below.

Grow intentionally.

When you plant a seed, you have choices.  You could just put the tiny pod in the soil and see what happens.  Or, you could nurture the kernel with love and intention.  

A friend gave me an African Violet recently.  Having never grown one before, I’m learning as I go.  First I needed to find the perfect place for my new plant, ensuring it gets the right amount of sun.  Then I must monitor how much water I give to my purple blossoms.  And adding exceptional plant food designed for my African beauty helps it grow even more robust.  

When we nurture the seeds of our faith with intentionality, we’ll grow strong roots.  Daily time with God’s word is a starting point.  Developing a prayer life, becoming comfortable talking to God strengthen’s your roots.  Spending time with other believers helps even more. Putting scripture into practice in your life will reinforce your faith like nothing else.

Grow your root system.  Enjoy God’s streams of life.  Become firmly planted in the One who never leaves nor forsakes you.

Lord, thank You for being our stream of living water.  Forgive us for turning to other gods to try and fulfill our needs.  Today, as we intentionally seek You, grow our root system.  Create in us a strength that comes from You.  As the storms of life come upon us, let us stand firm.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How can you grow your root system today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 14-16 GW; Hebrews 2 GW

Jesus understands.

Becoming God in the flesh means Jesus gets us.  Without sinning, He was put on a cross and crucified.  Judged and condemned, not once defending Himself.  In reality, we are the ones who deserve the punishment.  Jesus paid the price for our misdeeds.  His mercy comes first; grasping what it means will make you merciful.

When I was twenty-nine years old, I was a District Manager for a clothing store.  Responsible for 17 stores, I accepted the job with one primary condition.  Floor coverage wasn’t part of my responsibilities.  In other words, I wasn’t going to work 9:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m. every day.  My superiors agreed to my request, assuming I’d change my tune once I was in the role. They were wrong; I didn’t.  Six months later, sitting in another impossible meeting, I felt a nudge from God.  Bullying doesn’t work with me; I responded by giving my two weeks notice.

They know not.

When Jesus was on the cross, one of His most famous statements is:

 “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing.” (Luke 23:34 GW)

Walking out of the corporate offices that day, I thought of Jesus.  His words ran through my mind.  All of the anger and bitterness washed away thinking of Jesus on the cross.  In my mind, I prayed for them, “Father, forgive them.  They know not what they do.”

Jesus’s actions made me more merciful.  If I didn’t know Him, I wouldn’t forgive others.  Twenty-three years later, I’m still learning to forgive.  Every situation is different.  As I move through painful circumstances in life, Jesus teaches me.  But I have to go through the experience to learn the lesson.  As I do, not only do I grow in knowledge but also my relationship with Christ.

Get to know who Jesus is.  Experience His mercy for you.  As you do, notice how you become more merciful to others.

Lord, thank You for Your mercy.  Without Your grace, we can’t experience true freedom.  Forgive us when we’re not merciful.  Help us become more gracious with every day we live.  Guide and direct us in all we do.  Let us become more like Jesus today.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

Who can you give mercy to today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Jeremiah 11-13 GW; Hebrews 1 GW

God loves obedience.

Rick Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church, has a saying, “You do the parts of the Bible you believe.”  In other words, we pick and choose what we like and don’t like.  When I was single, following God, I ignored the part about premarital sex.  As a result, I endured heartbreak after heartbreak, never finding the connection I deeply craved.  What I didn’t realize, only God could fill that void.  Until I became obedient to Him, I didn’t learn the lesson.

Hitting rock bottom is something you never forget.  Mine came around the age of 30, broke and alone; life appeared hopeless.  Praise God; He gave me a mother who taught me where to look at times like these:

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

    where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.”

(Psalm 121:1-2 NIV)

Coming back to God was the best decision of my life.  I told Him, “My way ain’t working, I’m going try Yours.”  Which meant I paid attention to the part about premarital sex.  Over the following years, as I became more and more obedient to God, I realized something.  

God’s commands protect us.

Obedience to God protects you from yourself.  No one hurts you more than you hurt yourself.  When I ate two pieces of birthday cake, gaining a pound, no one forced me.  My actions caused the reaction.  God knows that about us. He understands we make poor choices.  His word helps us make better choices, ones that won’t hurt us.

Not sleeping with men didn’t hurt me; it helped me.  I began to realize; sex blurs our objectivity.  But taking time to build a healthy relationship protects your heart and body from pain.  As my husband loves to say, “He’s more committed with the ring on his finger.”

Choose one thing, become obedient to God in that area.  Watch as He draws you close and makes you His in a way you’ve never experienced before.

Lord, thank You for Your word, our instruction book for life.  Forgive us for picking and choosing the parts we like.  Help us today become more obedient in our lives.  Equip us for the journey as you draw us closer to You.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What’s one area you can become obedient to God in today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Jeremiah 9-10 GW; Psalms 79 GW; 1 Thessalonians 5 GW

Encouraging others encourages you.

Playing doubles tennis with different partners and personalities has one thing in common; everyone needs encouragement.  When the ball isn’t going where you want it to go, and the frustration begins to build, it’s easy to get down on yourself.  That’s when encouragement is needed most.  The tricky part is finding what works best to help people overcome their difficulties.

People need uplifting in different ways.  Some people need you to tell them precisely what to do to fix the problem; others don’t want coaching.  In a recent match, my partner was struggling.  No matter what I did to encourage her, it wasn’t working.  Finally, down 0-5 in the second set, I looked at her and said, “We only need to win 20 points to get back to even.”  For whatever reason, she received this well; pointing out the facts helped her focus and got her head back in the game.  Getting her back on track helped me do the same.

Find what works.

When you’re trying to encourage someone, find what’s best for them.  When I’m discouraged, sometimes I need a hug, other times I need a kick in the butt.  Different situations call for different tactics.  When sitting with someone experiencing grief, I’ve found the best thing is to say nothing.  But if someone is exasperated after many failures, they need a push to try one more time.

Helping others continue on the journey helps us keep going.  When I know a friend is struggling, encouraging them always lifts my spirits as well.  

“He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:25 NIV)

Encourage those around you today.  Find what works for the person.  Help downtrodden people persevere in the journey of life.  Watch as you’re encouraged as well.

Lord, thank you for encouraging us.  Forgive us the opportunities we’ve missed to spur others on in their struggles.  Don’t let us miss the chances you place before us today.  Let our eyes and ears remain attentive to those who need uplifting.  Give us the words and actions we need to help them.  As we encourage others, let us find encouragement as well.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

Who needs encouragement in your life today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Psalms 81 GW; Jeremiah 7-8 GW; 1 Thessalonians 4 GW

Quiet life is a good life.

Every year, I choose a word to guide the days.  Selah, meaning stop and rest, is my word this year.  After finishing graduate school last December, I had no idea what I was going to do next.   Reading my devotional one day, God impressed upon me the word.  For the first time in my life, instead of rushing into the next chapter, I paused, allowing God to do the leading.

As this year began to unfold, I found rest difficult.  But as I submitted to God, my spirit began to calm, and my prayers began to change.  I realized a quiet life is a good life.   Friends struggling with illnesses, loss, and financial struggles help me appreciate what we have.  Trouble always comes; when life is uneventful, enjoy the peace.  Thank God for your blessings.

Each day when my husband comes home from work, I praise God.  Writing this the day before the 20th anniversary of 9/11, I’m very aware, some people don’t.  Those who went to work that day had no idea what was about to happen.  We take life for granted until something occurs to remind us of its fragility.

Appreciate the mundane.

Routine can make you lose track of time.  Monday after Monday begins the same way.  But when the world gets turned upside down, you wish the routine back.  Every sandwich you make for packed lunches,  every piece of laundry you fold and floor you sweep, praise God.  Thank Him that your day is typical.

Quiet lives are a gift from God.  Appreciating normal is something we rarely do, thinking we’re missing out on something exciting.  You’re not.  Nothing is more precious than having good health, a roof over your head, and food on the table.  These things are gifts from God that come in the form of a quiet life.  Praise God for them.

Lord, thank You for our quiet lives.  Forgive us for craving excitement instead of showing gratitude for what we have.  Today, help us take stock of our lives.  As we think about the typical routines, we engage in each day, help us praise You for them.  Remind us; a quiet life is a gift from above, one that we should cherish.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How does your quiet life make you thankful?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Psalms 14 GW; Jeremiah 5-6 GW; 1 Thessalonians 3 GW

Love never fails.

Paul is praying for the Thessalonians that their love will increase.  He knows, love is the answer.  John Albrecht gets credit for the shortest sermon preached.  An Episcopal priest, he stood up, looked around and said “Love.”  Then he sat down, message over.  Love is the answer.  We need to pray for all of us to become better lovers:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV)

Tender strength comes to those who love well.  Instead of taking offense, loving people see the hurt behind the actions. Actively loving others, putting their needs before yours creates bonds that are hard to break.  When God is the motivator for your actions, He becomes the third cord in all you do.

Strengthen the muscle.

For weight lifters to achieve the finely chiseled look they crave, they must exercise.  Sitting around eating Doritos doesn’t give you six-pack abs.  Crunching the stomach instead of chips gets the job done.  Day after day of doing sit-ups will develop the core.  Our love muscle needs strengthened in the same way.

Every time you love instead of hate, you’re increasing the muscle.  Every person you interact with today is someone you can practice loving.  Choosing patience over irritation requires self-control over our actions as well as our thoughts.  Not boasting about self, instead encouraging others is always the right choice.  The natural resistance we feel to God’s instructions on loving is what makes us stronger.  Just as lifting weights increases the size of your physical muscles, loving increases your love muscle.

Pray for God to increase your love.  Ask Him to do the same for others.  Strengthen your muscle with each person you meet.

Lord, thank You for defining love for us.  Forgive us for not loving better when we had the chance.  Help us today strengthen our muscles.  Let us love everyone we interact with today as You have us do.  Give us what we need to become better lovers.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

Who can you love for Jesus today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Jeremiah 3-4 GW; 1 Thessalonians 2 GW

God tests our motives.

We have to decide in life, are we going to please God or people?  If God is our choice, we won’t please everyone.  People who want us to take vengeance, lie, cheat, and steal won’t like putting God first.  But spreading the Good News is a daily task we do with love.  Every act of kindness we do for Jesus pleases God.

God knows our hearts.  If we care more about what people think, He knows.  We may not even realize our motives aren’t pure, but God does.  Everyone wants others to like them.  We all want to fit in with the crowd.  

Zebras are black and white because it helps camouflage them from predators.  They travel as a herd, making it difficult for lions to distinguish them apart.  But if you put a red mark on one of the zebras, the lion can spot the difference, making the easy animal prey.  People are the same as zebras; they don’t want to stand out from the crowd because they’re afraid of the consequences.

Faith requires trust.

Following Jesus means we don’t do what the rest of the crowd is doing.  Sometimes, we’ll stand alone in the face of adversity.  Jesus had twelve disciples; three were with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.   Peter denied Jesus three times at His arrest, afraid of suffering the same fate.  When Jesus was on the cross, He was alone.

Someone has to go first.  Jesus had to go where we couldn’t so we could enjoy eternal life with Him.  Because Jesus suffered alone, we don’t.  God is always with us, even on our darkest days.  You may feel like you’re on a solo mission, but you aren’t.  God created us for community, not isolation.

Put God first.  Care about what God thinks of our actions. Don’t worry about what people think.  Spread the good news of Jesus with love.  Draw people to Christ by making your actions pleasing to God.

Lord, thank You for giving us, Jesus.  Forgive us for caring about what people think than what You think.  Help us today put You first.  When faced with the decision of who to follow, let us always choose You.  Let us spread the good news to everyone we meet, loving them right where they are.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

Who are you putting first, God or others?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 1-2 GW; Psalms 28 GW; 1 Thessalonians 1 GW

Pray passionately.

Paul is writing to the Thessalonians on behalf of himself, Silas, and Timothy.  He tells the Thessalonians how grateful they are for them and that the boys are covering the church in prayer.

Praying for people is the best thing you can do for them, no matter who they are.  The closer the relationship, the more fervent the prayers.  Someone told me long ago, “Mothers are only as happy as their happiest child.”  If one of the kids is in pain, moms feel it too.  Not a mom; I can’t speak from experience.  But I know when someone I love is struggling, my prayers for them become more passionate than ever.  In extreme situations, I fast and pray.

Fasting is “abstaining from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance.”  When partnered with prayer, fasting takes conversations with God to a deeper level.  Hunger pangs create an awareness of your physical need and turn your thoughts to why you’re hungry.  Thinking about the topic of your prayers will begin a heart conversation with God that can happen no other way.

Become passionate.

If you have a loved one who is suffering, fast and pray for them.  Although usually connected with food, you can abstain from anything.  Maybe take a break from social media; every time you subconsciously open the app, pray instead.  Television is another option; turning off the screen for some time will give you ample time to talk to God.  Whatever you choose, set a time you are going to fast, then do it.

On day three of a fast for one of my relationships, I can tell you, it works.  Fasting breakfast and lunch by 11:00 a.m., my prayers are passionate.  Today, my fervent prayer was for God to change me.  When you love someone, you’ll do the hard work to become healthy for them, enabling a more beneficial relationship.

Pray for those you love.  Become a passionate prayer.  Allow God to do the work.

Lord, thank You for wanting to talk to us.  Forgive us for trying everything else before we try You.  As we fast and pray, do Your work from within us.  Help us become healthier, helping those we love become healthy as well.  Hear our prayers, heal our wounds, calm our hearts.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

Who needs your prayers today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Habakkuk 1-3 GW; Philippians 4 GW

God brings joy.

Our hope is in God, which is where our joy originates.  No other way can we find God’s peace except in Him.  Joy doesn’t come from our circumstances; it cultivates within the heart.  Only when we allow God into our soul can His joy become part of us.  God’s an interior designer:

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10 NIV)

Our heart is where our natural human emotions live: jealousy, hatred, greed, lust—our wants and desires.  However, following our longings doesn’t go well.  I tried that lifestyle in my twenties; it led me to rock bottom with no place to look but up.  Our actions do have consequences, ones we must face.  Looking in the mirror at our misdeeds isn’t fun.  But with God’s grace, we can.

Plant the seed

In all we do, we plant seeds, good or bad.  When I act out of my human emotion, I leave broken relationships behind in my path.  But when I let God enter into the conversation, I build them.  Giving my negative feelings to God allows Him to redesign my heart.  When God holds the mirror up for me to see my sin, He does so with love.  

God’s interior design is grace and mercy.  Instead of allowing negative emotions to control us, He helps us lead with love.   As we begin to love others better, the seeds we plant will produce joy in our lives.  Our desire to submit to God will strengthen as we become joyful, allowing Him access to more and more of our hearts.

Joy is found in the Lord, nowhere else.  Let Jesus into your heart today.  Allow God to redecorate your heart with His love.

Lord, thank You for Your love.  Forgive us for rejecting You time and again, choosing our way instead.  Soften our hearts, help us allow You access to the rooms that need the most work.  Redecorate our souls with Your love, grace, and mercy.  As we move through our days, let us share Your gift to us with everyone we meet.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What room in your heart do you need to let God into today?