Honest Reflections

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Job 31 GW; Romans 2 GW

Give love, not judgment.

Paul is beginning a chapter and a half dialogue on judgment. He’s calling to task those who judge others because they themselves do the same thing. Scrolling through the 10 Commandments will remind you of your sin. As the old saying goes, if you say you’ve never lied, your lying. Who hasn’t lied? White lies told to spare someone’s feelings count as lies.

Judging is tough because we all do it.  And when we sum up another person, we do it from a limited perspective, ours.  We are basing our judgment on what we perceive.  Let’s face the facts; we don’t know much.  We may have information about particular things, but we don’t understand everything.  When we judge people, we are doing so from our own bias because of our limited knowledge.

Realize your limitations.

Growing closer to God makes me realize I judge people.  I’ve also realized that because I have high standards for myself, I place the same on others.  But God did not create people to live up to my standards.  God reminds me, He’s the Judge; my role is to love.

To help me battle my judgemental ways, I use these verses:

“Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1-3 ESV)

When I start down the judging road, I remind myself, I’ve got a plank in my own eye.  Imperfection defines me; even in my striving for perfection, I fall short.  Before I judge another, I need to take a look in the mirror.  We’re all sinners, all equal in the eyes of God.

Remember, we all have planks.  Each of us falls short of perfection.  But God loves us anyway.  And He expects us to love as well.

Lord, thank You for loving us, warts and all.  Forgive us for judging others unfairly.  Remind us of the planks in our own eyes.  Help us deal with our stuff before we ask others to deal with theirs.  Lead us to healthier relationships as we follow You.  Give us grace for ourselves and others.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What plank does God want you to deal with today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Psalms 17 GW; Job 30 GW; Romans 1 GW

Lies lead to false gods.

Cell phone worship is a good example.  Our external brain is something we all have.  If we lose our phones, we lose our world.  On a recent train trip, a gentleman left his phone with his brother.  While waiting for the train’s arrival, he realized his loss.  I let him borrow my phone to call his brother; the problem was, he couldn’t remember the number.  Why?  Because his contact information was on his phone.  Whether we realize we worship our phones or not, we all do to a certain level.  Our dependence on them is proof.

The lie we’re believing, we need our cell phones to live.  But in actuality, people lived thousands of years without phones just fine.  They may have led happier lives since they didn’t have the constant distraction of notifications and rings.  In today’s age, leaving our phones behind is a major crisis.  Phone worship is a real thing.  When we worship what is created rather than the Creator, we miss the blessing.

Focus on the Father.

To keep our eyes looking up, we must remember the truth about life.  God is our Creator; without Him, we couldn’t live.  He provides the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the homes where we live.  You can live without a cell phone, but you can’t live without air.  Oxygen is a gift from God we all take for granted.

Life is full of lies.  Every advertisement tries to tell you what the next thing, “You can’t live without…” is.  You must have this car, live in this neighborhood, or wear these clothes if you’re going to find happiness; complete lies, all of them.  None of these things will bring you the joy you will find following Jesus, not one.

True blessing is the peace that surpasses all understanding, a calm found only through a relationship with God.  Forget about the stuff.  Focus on the Father.

Lord, thank You for the blessings we have in our lives.  Forgive us for worshipping our phones more than You.  Help us remember today what is most important, relationship with You.  Let Your peace transcends our lives as we pursue a closer relationship with You.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What are you worshipping?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Psalms 111 GW; Job 28-29 GW; Colossians 4 GW

Think before you speak.

Planning your words prepares you for the tough questions.  On average, people spend 12 hours per week preparing for and attending meetings.  The worst part of the study, most of the meetings we prep for aren’t productive.  Unproductive meetings mean unnecessary stress.  The time and effort put into preparing are wasted, a well as the meeting time.  But yet, if we don’t prepare, we can get caught off guard without an answer.

Whatever the meeting, whether business or family, take time to prep.  Man wastes time, but God doesn’t.  Nothing you do for the Lord will go unnoticed, especially preparing your words so that you can answer questions about Him.

“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” (1 Peter 3:15 ESV)

Prepare a Two-minute testimony.

Over the years, I’ve heard different methods of sharing your faith, but my favorite is the “Two-minute testimony.”  Find a way to summarize your faith in God in two minutes.  Answer these three questions to help you get started:

• What does your relationship with God mean to you?  
• What is your most pivotal “God moment” in your life?  (Tell about a time that something happened that you knew God working in your life.)
• How are you continuing to grow your relationship with God?

Just saying “Thank God” for something He does in the moment opens up amazing conversations.

I taught a private tennis lesson to a six-year-old on a 90-degree day when a cooling wind blew.  In relief, I raised my arms to heaven and said, “Thank You God for the breeze.”  When the wind blew again a few minutes later, my little student raised her arms to heaven and thanked God.  Just like that, I shared my faith with another, using few words.

Prepare your God story.  Pray for God to give you opportunities to share your tale.  Give God all the glory.

Lord, thank You for giving us something to talk about today.  Forgive us for missed opportunities to share You with others.  Help us prepare our Two-minute testimony, then give us the chance to share it with others. IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What’s your God story?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Job 25-27 GW; Psalms 26 GW; Colossians 3 GW

God’s word teaches and encourages.

When my friend Denny died after a long illness, I spoke at his memorial.  Bedridden for months, minutes before I was to speak, God brought this verse to mind:

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Phil. 4:8 NLT)

In my moment of grief, God knew how to make me smile.  As I pondered this verse, thinking of my friend, I began to smile.  As I said at his memorial that day, Denny was all of these things, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy.  And now he is in the arms of his heavenly Father, completely healed and whole again.  My heart found joy thinking of Denny’s peace.

Fix your thoughts on God.

Setting your mind on God, through His word, will help you find His peace.  Only when we are intentional about what we think will our actions reflect our thoughts.  Even in the midst of heartache, God’s word can penetrate the pain.  Releasing our feelings to God helps us to move through difficult situations.  Journeying with God means continuing to move forward and through our pain.

“The best way out is always through.”  Robert Frost

Since I’ve spent a lifetime trying to avoid pain, I’ve come to realize, it’s unavoidable.  Hurt is part of growth.  But we must move through the hurt to find the joy.  Experiencing the pain will help us heal from it.  If we didn’t love so deeply we wouldn’t feel sadness.  In order to appreciate a good day, we must have bad ones.  Life is a mixture of both.

Filling our hearts with God’s hymns, psalms and songs help us to move through the pain of life.  God’s timeliness brings joy at the right moment.  As we fix our thoughts on God, He’ll make us want to sing.

Lord, thank You for making us smile when we need it most.  Forgive us for getting stuck in our pain.  Help us today move through the hurts we feel, finding joy as we focus our thoughts on You.   Fill us withl Your word, create joyful hearts in us today.  Fill our lungs with songs of praise.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What verse brings joy to your heart?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Job 22-24 GW; Colossians 2 GW

Bask in Sonlight.

In life, getting off track is the easiest thing to do.  Our minds get focused on an event or project, and it occupies our thoughts.  Before we know what happens, we’re on a completely different path, and we don’t even know how we ended up where we are. Unintentional living will take you to unwanted places.  Intentional living will lead you to Jesus.

Choosing to follow Jesus is a conscious decision.  You’re saying that the way Jesus wants you to live is better than the way the world does.  Intentionally applying Jesus’s teachings to your life will change it in ways you can’t imagine.  God exposes the truth to you with each obedient step you take.  When you follow the world, you will quickly find, you’re following lies and half-truths.

Currently, in our world, truth is hard to find.  Misleading news articles, partial stories, and opinion pieces taken as facts make reality hard to decipher for everyone.  Even my husband, who is a wise man, struggles with discerning who is telling the truth.  If we keep our focus on the world, we will lose all faith in humanity.  Thankfully, our trust isn’t in man; it’s in Jesus.

Focus on the Son.

You can train your brain to focus on God.  Studies show how you start your day impacts how it will go.  If you spend your first waking moments with God, you’re more likely to have a God-driven day. 

How you spend your time with God is up to you.  I read my Bible. As is evident by my daily devotional blog, I find it easiest to find one plan for the entire year.  All I have to do is open up my Youversion app; I fill my mind with God’s word first thing in the morning.  Over twenty years later, I can testify that this 10-15 minute habit started long ago is still transforming my life decades later.

Get your day started right.  Begin with a Sonrise. Spend time in God’s word first thing.  Let Him lead the day.

Lord, thank You for providing light in our life.  Forgive us for not seeking You but the world.  Help us get back on track today.  As we focus our thoughts on You, help us see and know the truth.  With each breath we take, draw us closer to You.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

How can you start your day with God?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Job 20-21 GW; Colossians 1 GW

Just listen.

When someone you love is in pain, you don’t have to talk.  Words aren’t necessary, but open ears are.  During tragedy, I hear these words often, “I don’t know what to say.”  Neither do I, which is why saying nothing is a good choice.  

Three and a half years ago, one of my best friends’ sons became a murder victim.  While helping his father finish a project for a homeless veteran, two 18-year-old boys accosted them.  My friend’s husband miraculously recovered from five bullet wounds.  Her son died from two shots to the heart.  What do you say in a moment like this one?  Nothing.

No one knows what to say when the worst-case scenario happens.  I called and left a simple message.  “I have no words. I’m here for you whatever you need, day or night.  I love you.”  Then I just kept showing up, over and over again.  Not just at her son’s memorial but week after week.  Not offering advice, listening when she wants to talk, continually praying for her and the family, moving forward with them, one step at a time.

Silence helps heal.

Choosing to remain silent allows others to talk and heal.  Discussing things you never thought you would isn’t easy for anyone.  Create a safe place for them that will enable them to vent.  Trustworthy environments allow hurting people to release their pain which helps them heal.

Forty-two months later, I’m still quiet.  We talk about whatever topic she wants.  When God nudges me, I send encouragement.  With Jesus, we’re healing together, one day at a time.  You don’t have to have all the answers for a heartbroken person.  All you have to do is show up and say nothing.

Listen with love.  Allow others to vent, knowing they’re safe with you.  Hugs heal more than words.

Lord, thank You for always listening when we’re hurting.  Forgive us for trying to explain the unexplainable.  Help us today listen more than we talk.  Give us open ears to hear the pain in our loved ones’ voices.  Please help us to let others express themselves to us; however, they want. Keep our mouths closed and ears attentive.  Let us love well today for Jesus.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

Who can you listen to today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Job 17-19 GW; Psalms 102 GW

Stick to your ways.

Seventeen chapters into Job’s saga, and he’s still debating his circumstances with his friends.  Only halfway through the book, God doesn’t start talking for another 21 chapters.  This means Job is defending his faith to his friends for a very long time.  Clean hands grow stronger,  but the journey isn’t without its problems.

“Now my eyes are blurred from grief.  Now all my limbs are like a shadow.” (Job 17:7 NIV)

Standing strong in the midst of adversity requires perseverance.  When the world crashes around you, the best thing to do is wait.  Don’t try to make sense of things you were never meant to understand.  Like Job, keep your eyes on God. Let Him restore calm to your chaos. Stick to what you know.

God’s consistency stands the test of time.  He is present in times of trouble as well as when you rejoice.  Understanding God is something our human brain can’t do, but we can trust even if we don’t know.

Develop discipline.

Job clung to God because of his discipline.  Remember the beginning of Job’s story:

“In the land of Uz, there lived a man whose name was Job.  This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” (Job 1:1 NIV)

Job didn’t start following God in the middle of the crisis; he began long before trouble hit.  Developing a spiritual discipline means making time for God in your daily life.  Whether you spend five minutes or five hours, any time you give God is better than none at all.  Then, when the storms of life happen, you already have a firm foundation in the Big Guy.  In the midst of your grief, like Job, you will find God.

Cleanse and repeat.  Just like bathing, we must clean our spiritual souls often.  Developing a spiritual discipline will strengthen you.  When the storms hit, you will withstand the gale winds.  You can stand strong before the Lord, knowing He is the One who controls the storm.

Lord, thank You for keeping us clean.  Forgive us for not making time with You a priority in our lives.  Help us today start again.  As we come before You, cleanse us from within as You fill us with Your Spirit.  Let us stand firm in the face of adversity as we keep our eyes on You.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

What can you do today to develop spiritual discipline?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Job 15-16 GW; Psalms 69 GW

Agree to disagree.

Eliphaz is responding to Job; they are in the middle of a disagreement.  Eliphaz thinks Job sinned, so God punished him by taking his family, servants, and livelihood.  Job disagrees:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21 ESV)

Starting in chapter four, their conversation is still going on eleven chapters later.  Both men standing firm in their positions, neither one of them budging. Finally, Job says:

“I have heard many things like this before.  You are all pathetic at comforting me.” (Job 16:2 GW)

If this conversation was taking place on social media today, name-calling is a likely response.  People don’t handle disagreements well on the internet. Someone needs to lead the way.

Start with you.

When you’re in a disagreement with someone, neither side bending, agree to disagree.  Don’t allow the conversation to degrade into name-calling and meanness.  Take the high road first.  Allow the other person to have their opinion; they are entitled to it.  Whether you’re right or wrong isn’t as important as preserving the relationship.  No one is going to agree with you all of the time; that’s ok.

Agreeing to disagree takes practice, especially for someone like me.  But the more comfortable I become, allowing others to express their opinions, even if different from mine, the better I get at this lost art.  Somewhere down the line, this notion that everyone has to do things the same evolved.  Nothing is further from the truth.  Our purposes on earth are as unique as the stars in the sky.  

Not everyone will look at life the same way as you; thank God.  Sameness doesn’t add spice to life. We need salt and pepper to balance a meal. However, agreeing to disagree that is flavorful.  

Spice up your friend’s list.  Practice agreeing to disagree.  Watch how flavorful life becomes.

Lord, thank You for constantly challenging us to grow.  Forgive us for not accepting the challenge.  As we move through our lives today, help us not force our opinion on others.  If an argument hits a dead end, give us the courage to agree to disagree.  Help us lead the way in promoting peace in the world.  All glory is Yours.  IJNIP. Amen

Question for reflection

Who do you need to agree to disagree with today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading: Psalms 25 GW; Job 13-14 GW

God’s ear is listening.

Job is responding to his friends.  They are sure Job’s suffering is the result of sin in his life.  But they are wrong.  Job’s suffering is part of his life journey.  Only God knows why He allowed the events to happen that He did.  One thing I know, we all suffer in this life.  Somehow, someway, everyone you encounter in your day today is walking wounded.  Hurts exist inside of them that you can’t see on the outside.   Heartache is part of life.

Teaching a tennis camp this summer with another coach, God reminded me of this fact.  On our second day of camp, my co-worker arrived a little late, looking tired.  From the outside, my good-looking court mate’s life looked picture perfect.  Looks are deceiving.  When I asked him how his previous night was, he shared his heartache with me.  The previous night he put his house on the market because his wife left him eight months ago.  His marriage didn’t survive the pandemic.

Don’t fill the silence.

My shock at the coach’s confession was a reminder from God.  Don’t judge what you don’t know.   Every preconceived notion I had in this situation was wrong.  After offering my sympathy for his current position, I just listened.  When he told me he just wanted to have fun and make it through the day, I made his request my mission.  We enjoyed coaching the kids, forgot life’s problems for a bit, and all left smiling.

Friend’s in despair need company, not advice.  Their quarrels are with God, not us.  Job was politely telling his friends, your words are fruitless.  They had no clue why these things happened, but they wanted to act as they did.  Job knew God is the only one that knows; therefore, God is the only One with answers.

You don’t have to explain God’s actions to anyone.  God does what God wants to do.  Point them to the One who has the answers.  Going directly to the source saves time and money.

Healing begins when we talk to God.

Lord, thank You for having a plan for our lives.  Forgive us for trying to figure out what You’re doing.  If we need answers, help us seek You and no one else.  Strengthen our faith as we turn to You in our storms.  Help us survive the tornadoes that sweep through our lives.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What do you want to speak to God about today?

2 minute read.

Daily Reading:  Psalms 39 GW; Job 10-12 GW

God wants to hear your complaints.

Job’s relationship with God was intimate.  He was willing to tell God how he felt.  After losing everything, Job wasn’t a fan of life.  Although Job never turned his back on God, he did ask God questions.  Job lived his life “right” before the Lord, yet tragedy happened.  Why would God allow such heartache to enter into his life?  Job wanted to know, and so do we.

When I was single, I felt like Job, but mine was more of a first-world problem.  I didn’t like my life because I didn’t have a spouse.  Every failed date made me question God.  The worst weekend of my lonely life, I had a blind date on Saturday, as well as an online possibility.  The date was a bust, and my online friend closed communication. I went from hope to discouragement in 60 seconds flat.  

Did I mention Saturday morning, before the bad date and online dumping, I was maid of honor for one of my best friends? Like Job, I hated my life and didn’t know why God wasn’t answering my prayers. 

Let God have it.

Seriously, don’t let fear stop you from expressing how you feel to God. He doesn’t expect us to put on airs.  People pose in life, but God knows the truth.  God isn’t interested in posing; He wants honesty.  Releasing feelings and emotions to God allows us to process them in a safe place.  God’s healing begins when we give Him our pain.

For years I quarreled with God.  Finally, after celebrating my fortieth birthday alone, I surrendered.  “God, if Your will means I live life single, I’m good with that.” 

A YEAR later, I met the love of my life. We just celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary.  God’s timetable is different from ours; trust His clock.

Honesty with God is what He wants.  God knows He makes you mad.  You aren’t telling Him anything He doesn’t already know.

Lord, thank You for loving us completely.  Forgive us for trying to hide our feelings from You.  Help us today talk to You honestly.   Search us and reveal where we aren’t honest with ourselves.  Let us tell You how we feel today, knowing, You still love us.  IJNIP.  Amen

Question for reflection

What are you mad at God about today?