Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Hosea 8-11 GW; Romans 12 GW

Change the way you think.

Easier said than done.  After writing this devotion, I intend to finish a book on prayer geared towards changing our thoughts.  Connecting with God is how we change our thinking.  Allowing His word to fill our minds aligns us with God, not the world.  If we genuinely want to change our thinking, we have to take deliberate action.

“Short Prayers for Everyday Living,” the current working title of my book, is how I’ve changed my thinking.  Using scripture, I developed three-word prayers that help me keep my eyes on the Son.

For instance, we live in an outraged world.  I struggle with anger issues, so much so, my husband was hesitant to marry me.  “Grace not Anger” is the three-word prayer I used to help me change my thinking.  When the heat begins to rise within me, I cool it with those three words, “Grace not Anger.”  Like water on a fire, I pray on repeat, breathing deeply until the rage subsides.  After years of practicing this, God changed the way I think.  Anger doesn’t have the control over me it once did.  In Christ, I found freedom.

Control your thoughts.

What you put into your mind is what you will get out of it.  When you get squeezed, the juice tells the story.  Currently, our entire world is getting squeezed with the pressures we’re encountering.  Hatred is the juice that seems most prevalent.  But what if God’s love was overflowing from us instead?  What if our hearts and minds were so full of Christ, in the heat of the battle, Christ’s love is our response?

You can change your thoughts with God’s word.  Whether you use three-word prayers or favorite scriptures, meditating on God’s promises will help you find what is good, pleasing, and perfect.

Lord, thank You for everything.  Forgive us for thinking like the world.  Help us today change our thoughts.  As we read your Word, fill us with the Holy Spirit’s presence.  When life gets tight, let Your love flow from us.  Today is the beginning of capturing our thoughts, giving them to You, and allowing Your Spirit to cleanse our minds.  Let us find what is good, pleasing, and perfect as we follow You, today and always.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What’s one thing you can do to change your thoughts today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Hosea 7 GW; Romans 11 GW; Psalms 145 GW

Get comfortable not knowing.

Explaining why God does what He does isn’t our main purpose in life.  We can’t possibly understand the God of the universe.  Our limited perspective gives us the information we need to live our lives, not explain the world’s workings.  And even then, waiting on God to reveal the next step in our journey is a huge part of traveling with God.

Becoming comfortable not knowing is freeing.  Just because we don’t have all the answers doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy life.   My favorite phrase to use is, “God only knows….”

“We make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 NLT)

God directs our steps.

Every week I pray over my calendar.  Mark Batterson, the pastor of National Community Church, inspired me to do this years ago.  Using a planner, I write all of my appointments in it, then pray over them.  If you’re on my schedule, I pray for our meeting in advance.  At the end of my journaling, I always ask God, “Don’t let me miss any Divine Appointments.”  God lives up to His word.

Never does my week go as planned.  Appointments get added and dropped.  I never know how my week is going to go, but God does.  None of us knows what the future holds, except for God.  He knows exactly where He’s taking us and for what purpose.  We have to trust and follow.

Give up trying to answer every question.  At some point, accept God’s sovereignty in your life.  Realize, God’s thoughts are far above ours; we can’t possibly understand them.  But we can trust, follow and obey.  As we do, God will reveal more of His plan to us.  Now and then, we’ll get glimpses of the work God is doing in and around us.  Moments like those will make you want to follow God even closer.

You don’t have to know everything.  Just trust God has your best interest at heart because He does.

Lord, thank You for looking out for us.  Forgive us for trying to understand things above our pay grade.  Help us accept Your sovereignty in our lives today.  Draw us closer to You as we trust You more and more.  In You, we find life.  IJNP. Amen

Question for reflection

How is God asking you to trust Him today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Hosea 3-6 GW; Romans 10 GW

“Ouch, God!”

Today’s verse lives in the book of Hosea.  With a prostitute chosen by God for his wife, Hosea’s calling is to love her every time she cheated on him. (Hosea 3:1 GW)

Marriage isn’t the topic in this story, how the Israelites constantly turned their back on God, yet God loved them anyway is.  Chapter four of Hosea is the Lord’s legal case against Israel, which doesn’t start well.

God’s anger is at their lack of faith.  Because they lack faith, they don’t know God.  Without God, you can’t know unconditional love.  We’re just like the Israelites.  Every one of us is guilty of cheating on God, somehow, some way. God knows every time we do and still loves us.

God never leaves.

Our world has moved away from God, but He hasn’t moved away from us.  Recently, I spent a Saturday afternoon in a writing seminar titled “Writing for Healing.”  The topic was grief.  Each of the participants had lost loved ones, some tragically.  As we worked through the exercises, I realized quickly, I was the only person of faith in the class, or so I thought.  Listening to the conversations of people dealing with heartbreak without Christ to help them caused me to pray fervently for each of them.  God worked a miracle.

From one person who vehemently denounced God, the conversation turned to another whose grief awakened her relationship with God.  Working towards a close, we discussed the fear associated with grief.  And we ended with the opposite of fear: love.  The facilitator used John’s first letter to make his point:

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

1 John 4:18 NIV

Amid a group of people bashing God, they ended with God.  He is the only answer to our pain and suffering.  I never spoke; I just prayed, all glory is His.  In Him, we will find love.

Lord, thank You for loving us even though we’ve turned our back on You.  Forgive us for constantly straying away from You.  Always bring us back into the fold, Lord.  Don’t let us stray too far.  Protect us from ourselves, Lord.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

How is God growing your faith today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Hosea 1-2 GW; Romans 9 GW

God woos us.

Hosea is another favorite book of mine.  God speaks to Hosea and tells him to marry a prostitute.  Throughout the book, Gomer, Hosea’s wife, repeatedly betrays him with other men.  Yet Hosea continually takes her back time and time again. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers is a fictionalized version of this book set in the 1800s; I recommend reading it to understand Hosea better.  

Like Gomer and the Israelites, we constantly betray God.  Turning to Him, then away from Him just as quickly.  Yet God never stops loving us, just as Hosea didn’t stop loving Gomer.  Unconditional love means nothing can make God stop loving you.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)

God wants you back.

No matter how far you’ve turned from God, He’s waiting for your return.  God forgives whatever is keeping you from seeking His presence.  His love for you is unending.  Nothing you ever did or will do will make Him stop loving you.

Recently, I rejoined WW.  Offering a special deal for previous lifetime members, I couldn’t resist.  The reason I started was that my friend wooed me back.  First, she texted me and told me she had returned.  Then she texted me updates, telling me about the promotions.  Finally, two days before the opportunity ended, she texted me yet again.  I could no longer resist; her efforts brought me back to the proven method for losing and maintaining weight.  

God is doing the same to you.  Start looking for Him in your day.  You’ll find, He’s never left you.  Even if you turned from Him, God never turns from you.  He’s always present, waiting for every opportunity to connect with you.  

Don’t wait another day.  Turn back to God.  Pour your heart out to Him.  Let God do the healing.

Lord, thank You for always loving us.  Forgive us for the times we turn our back on You.  Show up for us today in unique ways that are undeniably You.  Help us understand the unconditional love You have for us as we move through this day.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

Have you strayed from God lately?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Job 41-42 GW; Romans 8 GW

God’s Spirit intercedes.

During highly charged emotional events in our life, we don’t know what to pray.  The heaviness of the emotions we feel is difficult to verbalize.  Knowing life is changing in ways you disagree with makes praying challenging.  At times when you don’t know what to say, God does.  His Spirit within you intercedes on your behalf.  

When one of my best friends was leaving to plant a church two states away, we didn’t know what to pray.  Realizing this would change our friendship forever, our hearts were heavy.  Neither of us knew what to pray, but God knew what our sighs meant. 

“You know what I long for Lord; You hear my every sigh.” (Psalm 38:9 NLT) 

God’s Spirit helped us in our weakness, knowing our needs better than we did at the time.  Years later, our friendship is closer than ever; God gave us what we needed when we needed it.

God knows your needs.

God knows your needs better than you do.  His Spirit within you allows you to relax.  You don’t have to know everything.  Words aren’t necessary for God to understand your emotions and feelings.  As your Creator, He knows you better than you know yourself.  God is in your corner, cheering you on in the race of life.  He provides your needs before you even need them.  One day at a time, God helps you persevere.

Just like wifi is an invisible connection between us and our devices, God’s Spirit does the same for us.  We’re always connected, whether we’re praying or not.  God is downloading our needs into our Spirit before we know we need them.  Just like wifi allows automatic updates, the communication between our Spirit and God does the same.  

Trust God’s Spirit keeps you connected to God at all times.  Even if you don’t know what to pray for, God’s Spirit does.  You’re never alone; God is always with you.

Lord, thank You for our lasting connection to You through Your Spirit.  Forgive us for not trusting You more.  Thank You for always having our back.  As we move through our day, provide our needs.  Help us represent You well in all we do.  All glory is Yours.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What area of your life are you struggling with prayer?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Job 39-40 GW; Romans 7 GW

Natural tendencies frustrate.

If you asked people, “Why do you do the bad things you do?” They probably wouldn’t have an immediate answer.  Temptation is hard to resist. If a piece of German Chocolate Cake is sitting in front of me, even though my goal is to eat healthily, I doubt I could resist the temptation of the moist chocolate cake with creamy coconut icing.  I’m also sure guilt would set in quickly after I finished my treat.  Why do I do what I don’t want to do?

Because I’m human, and so are you.

Sin nature is part of the human condition.  Whatever the reason we justify doing something evil, it’s still evil.  Instead of doing good, we do bad.  When arguing with someone, you know the best thing to do is stop talking.  But instead, you let words flow; you know you shouldn’t speak.  Instead of working to restore unity, you create further division. If you’re not careful, the divide can widen quickly, causing permanent damage.  Yet we keep going, not stopping, causing more harm.

More God, less you.

The only way to combat my sinful nature is to ask God for more of Him, less of me.  In my humanness, I’m going to sin.  Only with God can I control my actions.  And I need a lot of God to control my quick temper and fast tongue.  My best solution to not say anything in a heated conversation is to put my hand over my mouth and physically stop myself from talking.  I learned this trick from my pastor’s wife, a wise woman.

Accept your humanity.  Recognize the battle against your sinful nature is one that will exist while you’re on earth.  We never reach a place of perfection, not until we move into eternity.  Only when God calls us home will we stop fighting against our natural desires and tendencies.  Accepting our limitations means we know where we need God’s help.  God is ready to assist, whatever we need.

Life is full of regrets.  No one means to cause themselves harm.  But yet we do.  Give your shortcomings to God.  Ask Him to help you do better.

Lord, thank You for loving us warts and all.  Forgive us for doing the things we don’t mean to do.  Fill us with Your Spirit, more of You, less of us.  Help us do good, not evil, all the days of our lives.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What area of your life do you need God’s help today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Psalms 104 GW; Job 38 GW; Romans 6 GW

Let go of the past.

Jesus forgives our past and makes the future bright.  Whatever skeletons are in your closet no longer have power over you.  When God forgives, He does so entirely.  Today is your opportunity to start new.

“Devenir” is the French word for becoming.  To help me remember that I’m becoming a new person in Christ every day, I created a license plate with the word on it.  Every time I see the adjective, it reminds me of God’s continuous work in me.  The person I was ten years ago, I no longer am.  Following Jesus leads us away from the sins of yesterday into the fullness of life with Him.

When we place our faith in Jesus, He brings light into our lives.  Our past mistakes help others not follow the path we once did.  Sharing our struggles with others helps creates community.  Turning our lives over to Jesus allows Him to take what was once old and make it new.

Transform.

Let your life change as you follow Jesus.  God doesn’t expect perfection, just effort.  Changing your ways takes time and energy.  Transformation occurs when we do what God wants instead of what we want.  Saying yes to God means saying no to our fleshly desires. 

When a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it has to go through a metamorphosis.  Transformation occurs when the caterpillar enters the Pupa stage.  Wrapped inside a cocoon of silk, the caterpillar is undergoing massive change.  From the outside, nothing appears to happen, but on the inside, a beautiful butterfly is forming.  Some caterpillars take up to two years to transition, while others only a few weeks.

God is transforming us.  We might not see the change immediately, but over time our wings will grow.  Our old self is left behind as our new one emerges. 

Lord, thank You for transforming us.  Forgive us for resisting the change you are trying to make.  Help us today transition into a new creation.  Allow Your Spirit to guide us as we navigate through our days.  In all things, we are becoming new, one day at a time.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How is God transforming you today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Job 36-37 GW; Psalms 29 GW; Romans 5 GW

Suffering breeds confidence.

When you face the worst-case scenario and overcome it, you gain confidence.  Only when you go through something, do you know you can survive it. 

We all will experience things in life we wish we never would, but we will grow more confident in God through those times.  Applying God’s word to our troubles will guide us through our heartaches.  Believing in God’s promises give us hope to face the day.  Jesus overcame the world for us:

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

When my dad died, I was a junior in high school.  Passing away in June, I will never forget returning to school in the fall.  People either avoided me because they didn’t know what to say, or they told me how strong I was for surviving my dad’s death.  Nothing irritated me more than people admiring my strength.  From my perspective, toughness wasn’t part of the equation.  I wasn’t strong; I just didn’t have a choice.  Whether I liked it or not, I lost my father at a young age, and nothing I did would change that fact.  Not strong, just accepting.

Lean into God.

God helped me persevere.  When my young heart railed with anger against God for taking my father, God took it.  As I struggled through my days, God was ready with outstretched arms every time I turned to Him.  Looking back, I can see the actions God took to protect me from myself; my pain caused self-destructive actions.  Living caused endurance; I had no choice but to keep going.  God became my confidence; with Him, I persevered.

God is working in your suffering.  Each day, His presence is with you.  Lean into Him for strength.  Let Him help you endure.  As you do, your confidence will grow; God will help you persevere.  God is dependable; face today confidently with Him.

Lord, You are our rock.  In times of trouble, You do not move.  Forgive us for forgetting that fact.  As we face our struggles, help us endure them.  Let our confidence grow as we place our trust in You, no matter what the circumstances.  In You, we find hope for a better day.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How do you need God to help you endure today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Job 34-35 GW; Romans 4 GW

God wants you to believe.

Faith is what wins God’s approval, not good deeds or works, just belief.  God’s gift of grace and mercy is accessible to all who choose to believe in Him.  Eternal life is something only received when we trust what God says is true.  No matter how hard you try, you cannot save yourself.  Only with Jesus can you find true salvation.

Journeying with God begins when we choose to believe in Him.  As soon as we accept our need for God in our lives, He is ready and waiting to start leading us.  Instead of trusting in your understanding, you lean into God’s

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

As soon as you trust in God, you gain His approval.  God understands that you aren’t perfect. He doesn’t expect perfection.  God’s reason for creating you is specific.  God designed you for your purpose, no one else’s.  What you consider a weakness, God considers strengthing.

Accept God’s approval.

God loves you just the way you are.  His plan for your life is full of adventure.  God never intended for you to have an uneventful journey.  Potholes are part of everyone’s path.  Unexpected bumps in the road are what God uses to draw us closer to Him.  If everything were perfect, we wouldn’t need God.  Our imperfections are what draw us closer to Him.

God’s approval comes when you first believe. Nothing can change God’s mind about you. Neither your mistakes that lie in the past nor the ones that will happen in the future will change God’s affection for you. You are His; He is yours.

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:5 NLT)

God is pleased with you.  You are His beloved.  You are God-approved.

Lord, thank You for adopting us into Your family.  Forgive us for not believing we belong.  Help us know today how deeply You love us.  Let us feel Your approval for us in our soul.  In all things, the glory is Yours.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

How do you feel God’s approval in your life?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Job 32-33 GW; Psalms 103 GW; Romans 3 GW

God separates sin.

When God forgives, He does so entirely.  God removes our sin from us as far as the east is from the west.  In other words, our misdeeds are gone for good.  We’re the ones who don’t believe in His forgiveness.  I struggle with forgiving myself, which means I’m the one who is holding on to my faults, not God.  

When we confess our sins to God, He immediately forgives us.  We are to go then and sin no more (John 8:11 NIV).  As I’ve grown closer to Jesus, I have become more sensitive to my sinful nature.  When a nasty thought pops in my head, I’m much quicker to ask God for forgiveness.  I know what we feed is what grows. 

Trust in God’s forgiveness.

Take the clean slate God is offering.  Whatever you are beating yourself up about today, give it to God.  Allow His grace and mercy to flow into your life.  Believe God takes your sin and separates it from you as far as the east is from the west. 

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)

We need God’s mercies every day.  No matter how hard I try not to sin, I still do.  Our human nature can’t help itself.  My sins aren’t what they were twenty years ago.  Like the adulterous woman, I’ve left those sins behind.  But I still struggle with common human emotions, jealousy, pride, gluttony.  Life means battling our sinful nature; we all have our weaknesses. Perfection isn’t acquired until we reach the pearly gates. 

Accept God’s forgiveness.  Each morning His mercies are available.  Begin your new life today.

Lord, thank You for Your forgiveness.  Forgive us for not grasping how far you remove our sin from us.  As we start this day, help us find new life in you as we leave yesterday’s sins behind, striving to run the race You have for us.  Our lives are Yours; without You, we are nothing.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What sin are you holding onto that God forgave?