Devotions

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But I’m Nothing Like the Proverbs 31 Woman …
December 12, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst
President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30 (ESV)

Do you ever feel like you don’t measure up because of what you’ve been through?

Me too.  When I first read Proverbs 31 which describes a woman of noble character several years ago as a young mom, I thought the Proverbs 31 woman was overwhelmingly perfect.  Through many other seasons and hard realities I’ve walked through, I’ve found myself feeling not just intimidated by Proverbs 31 but sometimes even defeated by this woman whose entire life seems full of praises.  That’s why I feel especially tender toward those of you who would rather skip over this passage of Scripture. I know what it’s like to have these words sit heavy on your heart with a resounding declaration of I’m not enough.  But what if I told you the intention behind Proverbs 31:10-31 is celebration and not condemnation?

The first thing I want us to take note of is that this isn’t just a chapter about a wife of noble character. It’s about a woman of valor. A courageous woman. A woman of strength and dignity.  And the fact that you are reading this devotion, seeking God, and pursuing healing for the painful circumstances you’ve walked through is evidence that you are a woman of valor, courage, strength and dignity. So Proverbs 31 is for you and me.  In Jewish culture, these verses are read out loud on the Sabbath as a celebration of women. This in no way condemns women for what they aren’t; it celebrates how each woman, in her own unique expressions, can live out the virtues detailed in this chapter. These aren’t words meant to tell a woman she is supposed to be more. They are a celebration of who she is.  Isn’t that the way it should be?

Courageous women celebrating each other and being celebrated by those they love. All under the banner of honoring God, serving out of love and smiling at the future. I also love how Proverbs 31:30 reminds us of what’s truly worth celebrating: “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

It’s not a woman with a spotless house who is to be praised. It’s not the mom with perfectly behaved children. It’s not just a woman who is married and has children.  It’s the woman who fears the Lord who is to be praised. And this type of fear refers to being completely in awe of God. It describes a woman who honors God by seeking Him in everything she does and trusting Him wholeheartedly. Her reverence overflows into a life of spiritual maturity and wisdom.  And let’s not forget to look at today’s verses within the context of why God gave us this book of the Bible. The very first chapter of Proverbs tells us it exists so we can gain wisdom, instruction, understanding, insight, knowledge, discretion and guidance. Proverbs 2:1-5 goes on to remind us that as we receive and apply God’s commands, we will be able to understand how to find the knowledge of the Lord.  Wisdom is both a gift from God and a process of learning. Proverbs 31 can easily trip us up but what if we take God at His Word and choose to believe these words hold good and pleasant things for us?

What if we challenge ourselves to look at this passage closely, receiving it as a gift to us and seeing what verses we need to learn from?

What if we speak these words over ourselves and the women in our lives as a form of celebration instead of condemnation, realizing that our stories don’t disqualify us?

God tucked these words into His Word for all eternity, dear friend. And that tells me they are needed and meant for our good. Let’s ask Him to help us learn from them today.

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Open the Door to God’s Gifts
December 16, 2024
by Bob Goff

“… Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.” Acts 12:16 (NIV)

Sometimes we can be so busy, distracted or doubtful that we don’t realize what we were praying for is already knocking at the door.  Picture this: The Apostle Peter’s in prison in Jerusalem, about to go on trial. He’s chained to two guards while other guards stand at the prison gate. Then an angel shows up in his cell, the chains fall off Peter’s wrists, and the angel leads Peter past the guards as the jail doors open. The angel disappears as soon as they’re out on the street.  “Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches …’” (Acts 12:11, NIV).

Peter ran from the prison to John Mark’s house, where “the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (Acts 12:5, NIV).

When he knocked at the door, a servant named Rhoda came to answer. But when she heard Peter’s voice, she hurried to tell everyone else.  Wait, what?

she must have thought. Isn’t everyone upstairs praying for Peter, hoping he will escape jail?

She was so stunned she didn't even open the door! Certainly her motives were not bad, but she left the gift standing on the doorstep.  The people gathered upstairs did the same. Rather than believe it could be true that their prayers were answered, they told Rhoda, “You’re out of your mind.  It must be his angel” (Acts 12:15, NIV). As they rifled through explanations and possibilities, “Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished” (Acts 12:16).

As we approach a new year, think about what this story tells us. Sometimes God is at work doing things we either don’t notice or don’t believe. God has answered our prayers, but we come up with another explanation for what’s occurring.  In other words, we say, “Nothing is impossible with God” (see Genesis 18:14a, Matthew 19:26 and Luke 1:37).

But deep down, we don’t believe it. We get stuck in our ruts even in prayer and forget to open our eyes.  God does not want us to spend our lives caught up in figuring out His will for us but instead wants us to discover an adventurous, trusting relationship with Him, one full of connection, wonder and possibility.  The new year is a great time to fling wide the door and celebrate what God is already doing in your life. To wake up each morning committed to growing closer to the God of the impossible. You are surrounded by the miraculous every day. Don’t dismiss it or ignore it and don’t leave what God has done in your life standing at the door, waiting for you to pay attention.

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Finding Joy in a Complicated Christmas
December 25, 2024
by Elizabeth Laing Thompson

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14 (NIV)

On Christmas night in 2005, I watched my father hold my daughter, his first grandchild, for the first time. Only an hour old, she blinked bright eyes up at him, and his eyes filled with tears. I felt a riot of emotions: transcendent joy, heart-bursting gratitude, and lurking underneath a shadow of fear. Watching Dad, I couldn’t forget his announcement two nights earlier: “I have cancer.”

We’d spent years praying for our miracle baby, and here on Christmas night, God had given us the greatest gift of our lives. Our joy should have been complete, but a fearful voice kept whispering, This joy is fragile. What if Dad’s not here next Christmas?

I couldn’t help but ask God, Tonight of all nights, why can’t we just be happy?

Maybe you know the feeling of a complicated Christmas. For one day, we long to feel peace and to celebrate unhindered but a chair at Christmas dinner sits empty. Work and finances are overwhelming. A relationship feels distant. We might sing “joy to the world,” but the joy in our world is incomplete.  Two thousand years ago, celestial music the first Christmas carols rang out to celebrate Jesus’ birth:  “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’” (Luke 2:13-14, NIV).

Heaven’s delight resounded over fields and flocks, inviting all to celebrate. Meanwhile, an evil king plotted from a crooked throne: When King Herod heard that a Jewish king had been born, he felt threatened and eventually killed all the baby boys in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:13-18). The heartbreak defies words. Jesus was born into the mess of a world gone mad, a world that desperately needed Him to save it.  Was the first Christmas a perfect day, free of sin and sorrow?

No.  But was it still a day of astounding joy?

Yes.  Angels interrupted a sleepy night to throw a surprise party with shepherds. God ushered happiness into a humble stable and a young couple’s arms. He surprised them with joy just as He does for us.  No Christmas is ever perfect, but if we watch closely, we can catch God’s joy breaking through: in knee hugs from exuberant toddlers, in silly dances in the kitchen while cooking Christmas dinner, in sentimental tears as we retell cherished stories.  When Jesus was born, joy broke through. Heaven’s light surprised our dark world. For a few sparkling moments, shepherds saw beyond the veil past the imperfection of the here and now glimpsing heaven’s glory and hearing heaven’s songs.  Because of that day, we can stand with the shepherds and sing with the angels. We can sing whether today feels like a miracle, a mess, or a muddle of both. We can sing because God’s light overcomes darkness, and His joy breaks through.

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How Do I Know It’s God’s Will?
December 30, 2024
by Abby McDonald

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12 (NASB)

I could hear the apprehension in my friend’s voice.  “How do I know it’s God’s will?” she asked.

Her question was one I’d wrestled with many times. We had been discussing an aspiration she’d had for months, and I heard her passion and desire to share God’s love with others. I knew she wanted to move forward, but she hesitated.  So I responded, “Well, why wouldn’t this be God’s will?”

She sat there for a moment, considering my words. “That’s a great question,” she said. “I don’t know.”

I understood my friend’s hesitation because I’ve lived it I often don’t trust my own desires. After all, doesn’t Jeremiah 17:9 warn us that the human heart is deceitful?

It’s easy to forget that when we follow Jesus, He transforms our hearts. The more we spend time with Him and study His Word, the more He reshapes our desires. While our motivations will never be completely faultless in this life, God equips us to discern His will and His voice. In fact, our desires are one of the ways God leads us.  Proverbs describes the beautiful outcome of a desire fulfilled:

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12).

In the original Hebrew language, the word for “desire” used here is taavah. Do you know where else this word is used?

In Genesis, before Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight [taavah] to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate ....” (Genesis 3:6, NASB).

So what causes some desires to lead to life and others to spiritual death?

Our desire will always follow our delight. When we delight ourselves in the Lord, our desires will follow (Psalm 37:4). But if something else takes precedence, our desires like Eve’s will be misguided.  God’s will is for us to seek Him first. When we do, our desires can become thriving trees of life, bearing good fruit and displaying His love for others to witness.  Friend, I don’t know what desires and dreams you’ve kept buried, hidden from God out of fear of what may happen if you share them but can I tell you something?

God’s will is for you to share all of you with all of Him.  His will is for you to confide in Him dreams, desires and ambitions. And as you do, He will bring forth new life.

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It’s Time for a Fresh Start!
January 2, 2025
by Rachel Booth Smith

“Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” Genesis 1:31a (NLT)

When my family joined a new church, I was eager to make friends. Even though I was in my 30s, I felt a childlike nervousness about entering an unfamiliar room, finding a seat and making introductions with strangers.  Unfortunately, a rash on my eye exacerbated my awkward feelings. Doctors hadn’t yet discovered it was ocular rosacea; they only knew it wasn’t contagious. With my one puffy, red and watering eye, I looked either very sad or very sickly.  As I arrived, I imagined the room emptying, people eager to protect their families from my mysterious ailment. I worried my first impression would be not great.  We’ve all had different first impressions of God too. Some were warm and inviting; some were misinformed or even painful. Either way, as we grow and learn more about God’s character, we find ourselves adjusting and allowing God to introduce different aspects of Himself.  Genesis invites us to get to know God from the beginning: the beginning of the Bible and the beginning of the gospel. Genesis is His introduction to humanity. When we open the first page, laying aside all of our not-great past impressions or presets, what does God really want us to know?

“Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” (Genesis 1:31a).

In Genesis 1, we see God repeatedly make good things (including people!) because goodness flows from Him. It is the essence of who He is.  The very first thing God wants us to know about Him is that He’s good.  After introducing God as Creator, Genesis then confronts a question that still plagues people today: What will a good God do when His people choose evil?

As we read Genesis, we discover God is unendingly patient. He waits and restores. He teaches and works behind the scenes to bless. When people make plans for harm or evil, God turns them around for good (Genesis 50:20). Why?

Because as all of creation testifies, He is good. One of my seminary professors says Genesis shows “God is just itchin’ to bless!”

All of His attributes are worth mentioning, but God wants us to know deep in our bones that He is good.  Maybe your first impression of God didn’t emphasize His goodness. Or maybe you’ve lost sight of who He is and what He cares about. Perhaps you’ve simply never learned to hear His voice, and you’re desperate for whispered words from His gentle heart. If so, are you ready for a fresh start?

I want to personally invite you to open the pages of Genesis and allow the God of all good things to reintroduce Himself to you.  At the beginning of the greatest story ever told, let God give you a new first impression of who He is. Watch Him interact with flawed people, turning things meant for evil into good and see how He is still doing the same for you.  Are you ready to experience His goodness?

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Let God Make Your Plans
January 7, 2025
by Shirlee Abbott

“Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD.” 2 Kings 19:14 (ESV)

Before email and the internet, I was a high school senior collecting printed college flyers and catalogs and stashing them in a cardboard box. After sorting through the contents and picking out the likely possibilities, my parents and I made some visits. Then I made a final decision and asked God to bless my plan.  Once settled on campus, I sensed that my decision while not exactly wrong wasn’t quite right. Wiser now, I know it was the whisper of the Holy Spirit. Back then, I didn’t understand, but that uncomfortable feeling sent me back to the box. I selected a different school for the next year.  If I hadn’t transferred then, I wouldn’t be where I am now not because of the curriculum but because of the people at my new school. A dorm-mate invited me to a Bible study, where I met folks who didn’t ask God to bless their plans; they asked God to make their plans.  In the Old Testament, we find a few kings, priests and prophets who asked the Lord to make their plans. They took their issues into the Holy Place of the temple and prayed, What should we do?

Take today’s key verse, for example:  “Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD” (2 Kings 19:14).

When the powerful Assyrians were on their way to crush Jerusalem, King Hezekiah received a threatening letter. The message said nothing could prevent the coming destruction, not even God. Hezekiah prayed, What should we do?

The answer came through the prophet Isaiah (read it for yourself in 2 Kings 19:20-37): God had a battle plan far better than anything Hezekiah would have chosen.  If I’d done it Hezekiah’s way, I would have prayerfully sorted through my box in the presence of God. Instead, I worked the problem my own way, using my worldly wisdom, and then asked God for His stamp of approval. God saw beyond the degree programs, course offerings and cost to what I could not see: relationships, experiences and spiritual growth. God could have led me through a godly adviser (like Isaiah was for Hezekiah). He might have used circumstances. In the end, He worked through His holy nudge in my heart.  To this day, I don’t know if my first college year was God’s original plan or my mistake. Either way, I learned a life lesson that has served me better than any college degree.When faced with a hard choice, it often helps to list out the options and carefully consider the pros and cons. But may we prayerfully invite the Lord into the decision, spreading it out before Him and asking for His guidance.

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Many Small Dependences
January 8, 2025
by Alice Matagora

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (NIV)

My phone was broken and out of warranty. No problem, I won’t mind a few days off the grid or so I thought. What began as a minor inconvenience quickly illuminated just how dependent I was on my phone for everything.  First, there was the emotional and mental dependence that was exposed as I mindlessly reached for my phone several times that day. My mind had difficulty being bored. My spirit had difficulty simply being.  Then there were the functional difficulties of being phoneless. I couldn’t log in to work documents. I was completely cut off from non-iPhone users. My husband and I had to coordinate meeting locations and times. I had to wear a watch just to know what time it was.  How had I become so dependent on my phone to the point where I was nonfunctional without it?

I wish I could say I lived with this kind of dependence on God. To be honest, it sometimes takes a while for me to feel the effects of “God withdrawals” when I skip my Bible reading or go days without praying.  Using the analogy of a vine and branches in John 15, Jesus spoke with His disciples about a life of abiding in Him: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

As we remain relationally connected and dependent on Jesus the source of all life and goodness we flourish and bear fruit that will last. I don’t know about you, but I’m certain the fruit of a life dependent on Christ far surpasses the fruit of our dependence on anything else apart from Him. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness. Yes, I want more of that! But how?

Maybe it’s not as daunting as it seems. It wasn’t one major decision that led to my unhealthy dependence on my phone but many smaller ones. Perhaps cultivating a life dependent on Christ is the result of many small dependences.

    Instead of filling my time with mindless scrolling, I can fill my mind with God’s Word and let it dwell in my heart richly (Colossians 3:16).

    Instead of turning to Google for the answers to my questions or crowdsourcing advice, I can seek out the wisdom of Christ (James 1:5-6).

    Instead of reflexively reaching for my phone when I’m bored, I can pray (Colossians 1:9).

    Instead of many brief touchpoints on social media, I can spend time fellowshipping in person with other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25) or connecting with my non-Christian friends.

The new year offers a chance to reflect on the life we’re living and the life we want to live. May we ponder the many small opportunities we have every day to live in intentional dependence on Christ above all else.

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The Gift of Being Seen and Known by God
January 16, 2025
by Hadassah Treu

“She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” Genesis 16:13 (NIV)

I called my closest friend with joyful expectation. Sunday afternoon was our time to spend together. However, she told me she had promised another friend she’d go to the cinema, and we couldn’t meet. She didn’t invite me to join, nor did she offer me another time to talk or meet.  I felt the rejection hardening my stomach with its icy sting.  Have you felt this sting too?

Have you struggled with rejection from your family, friends or co-workers?

Rejection is truly one of the most painful human experiences. It cuts to the core of our being and projects powerful and heart-shattering messages like:

You are not enough.
Your work is not good enough.
You are not loved.
You don't deserve it.
You don't belong.
You are worthless.
You will never measure up.

These harmful messages can damage our identity and relationships if we believe and internalize them.  But God’s Word has a different message. One of my favorite passages in the Old Testament is the story of Hagar an abused and rejected woman who experienced God's love and care.  Genesis 16 tells us Hagar was the slave of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, who was barren and used Hagar as a surrogate mother. This changed the dynamic in the family, and Sarah began to mistreat Hagar. Rejected and despised, Hagar fled to the desert.  There, God sent an angel with a personal message for her. God Himself manifested His presence with Hagar in a powerful way: He came to this woman and brought encouragement, comfort, vision for the future, and a magnificent promise to bless her family.  Hagar gleaned hope from the angel’s words about God’s love and acceptance of her, and she trusted the message. She heard God saying:

I see you.
You are valuable to Me.
I love you.
I accept you.
I have a plan for you.
I will take care of you.
I will not abandon or reject you.

Hagar gave a name to the Lord right then and there: “‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me’” (Genesis 16:13).

Imagine this for a moment: God sees, understands and loves every part of your being. He sees your past, present and future. God sees the hurt and even the invisible wounds in your heart. He sees the light and the darkness.  And He stays; He does not reject. He sees your true self, and all parts of your story come together as His plan unfolds.  May we accept this gift of being seen and known by God, letting Him heal our wounded hearts as only He can.

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The Perfect Friend
January 17, 2025
by Megan Fate Marshman

“We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 (NIV)

For a long time, I assumed everyone else had the “friendship” thing figured out. I thought everybody had satisfying friendships and wondered how in the world I was missing out.   From time to time, I had good moments with people, but my problem was with maintaining good friendships.  I thought friendship started with meeting a “good fit” a person who would show up when I needed her, love the Lord with all her heart, parent her children (who happened to be the same age as my children) in the same way I did, listen to my struggles compassionately, be vulnerable about her struggles (but need only, like, 15 minutes a week to get in all the relevant info), and be consistent in “just checking in.”  Guess what?

I never found her.  But I did realize the freedom in focusing on being a good friend instead of searching for perfect friends. And that’s because I already have a perfect friend: Jesus. As 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.”

In our relationship with Jesus, He lovingly pursued us first.  That’s not to say Jesus has to be our only Friend. He knows we also need deep, meaningful friendships with the people around us. But by extending His perfect friendship to us, He gives us the strength to love imperfect people.  Once we find true friendship with God, we find not only the most essential relationship we need but also a model for how to be a friend to others. In Luke 6:31, Jesus said, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (NIV).

His words here are so practical. What do you wish someone would do for you?

Do that for someone else.  There are fun ways to live this out. Do you wish someone would drop off a coffee for you at work?

Drive right now and pick up one for them. Do you want someone to check in on you?

Shoot a text to someone else. Do you wish someone would follow up on whatever you discussed last week?

Try to remember what someone else talked about last week and follow up with them about it.  Like any good friend, Jesus doesn’t hold back the advice we need to hear. About friendship, I hear His Word saying something like this: Once you discover the riches of friendship with Christ, focus on being a friend instead of trying to find another perfect one.  So where do we begin?

Well, maybe just think of one friend. What do you wish they would do for you?

 Now follow Jesus’ advice and example: Go first!

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The Love You Can Give Is Enough
January 22, 2025
by Alli Patterson

“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5 (NIV)

The command to “love your neighbor as yourself,” found in Galatians 5:14 (NIV), used to overwhelm me. I felt like Jesus was asking me to love everyone with the same level of intimacy and commitment as I love my husband or my best friend. It left me feeling like nothing I did to love others was ever good enough.  But I discovered a divine blueprint for relationships in Jesus’ life. Now, I have fresh eyes and the strength to love all my neighbors.  In a careful reading of the Gospels, it became clear to me that Jesus had five different types of relationships in His life: a core, a circle, comrades, a community and crowds. Jesus needed all these relationships, just like we do, for a thriving human life. He was not only fully God but also fully man, the ultimate example of God’s perfect design for the ecosystem of human connection.  How I love others changed when I saw what was at the center of this divine design: a connection to the Father. This connection to the Source held up every other relationship in Jesus’ life. It enabled Him to welcome others wherever He encountered them never trying to meet His own needs at others’ expense or avoid connection truly loving others in all spaces. We have the same invitation to be filled with the love of God through His Spirit! And we won’t be free enough to love others without Him.  “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).

Jesus was free to embody love, in all its different forms, to anyone from a stranger to His best friend or mother. His love was patient and kind, not just seeking what was easiest in the moment. He freely gave and received, never holding grudges or becoming jealous. The love of Jesus looked all different ways. He always loved, but He loved each person in their own unique way!  And we can do the same! This truth is key to fulfilling the command to love our neighbors as ourselves. Depending upon the type of relationship, Jesus’ love looked different, sometimes leading with gentleness and intimacy, sometimes saying “no” and setting boundaries. He was free enough to act in any way that ascribed worth to another person, even if it cost Him something. The Source at His center was always renewing and overflowing with love.  Loving others isn’t a religious exercise; it’s the very heart of God on display. This could mean simply looking a stranger in the face with a warm smile instead of ignoring them telling the truth instead of making an excuse forfeiting your plans in order to help a friend. In Christ, you are free to love people the way you are uniquely able.  Come with me to start loving others in a better way.

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What Is Your Reaction to Grace?
January 27, 2025
by Taylor Joy Murray

“Jesus looked at him and loved him.” Mark 10:21a (NIV)

I wasn’t sure if I was more embarrassed by my mistake or by my tears.  Phone pressed against my cheek, I sat in my car, alternating between crying and apologizing to my friend on the other end. She had called because I was late for dinner. A dinner I had completely forgotten about.  “It’s OK, Taylor. Really.” Her tone was warm, steady and entirely unfazed. “We’ll reschedule for next week.”

Heat radiated from my body as we said goodbye. How could I have forgotten? Why on earth was I so emotional about this?

I should have.  It was then, mid-thought, when God impressed something on my heart that startled me: I want you to notice your reaction to grace.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled to receive grace. During some seasons, grace has felt freeing and close. Other times grace has seemed like a melody sung, particularly in church circles, in a language I could not understand.  Maybe you can relate and we're not alone. Mark 10 tells the story of a man with a similar struggle. Mark records this man's conversation with Jesus about how to obtain eternal life. First, Jesus referred him to the Ten Commandments. The man’s immediate response in Mark 10:20 makes me smile: “‘Teacher,’ he declared, ‘all these I have kept since I was a boy’” (NIV).

Translation: “I’m trying so hard. Look at all the things I’ve done right!”

The life he was living was neat and shiny and sealed off from grace, as if he did not need it.  Jesus' nonverbal cues are rarely described in the Gospels, and that’s one reason I think the next verse is so captivating. Mark recorded Jesus' facial expression: “Jesus looked at him and loved him” (Mark 10:21a).

If compassion clothed itself in a human body, what would it look like?

Just imagine the look in Christ’s eyes. He offered endless kindness toward this young man who was trying so hard. He blessed the man's effort and invited him to “have treasure in heaven .... come, follow me” (Mark 10:21).

It seems Jesus was less concerned about him getting everything right and more concerned about loving him.  What is your reaction to grace?

How we respond to human grace is often a mirror of our response to divine grace.  The God who looks at us with love does not get flustered by our shortcomings. His heart of gentle embrace is never outmatched by our mistakes.  God waits to enwrap us in His shame-obliterating arms of grace, welcoming us into self-compassion, repentance and repair. Or sometimes simply a deep breath before we try again. He offers not just general grace but specific grace. A gift carved with our individual names, for our unique stories.  He holds more space for our humanness than we often do.  I’m learning that truly trusting in the unconditional love and sovereignty of God compels us to relax. In your life and mine, there is an eternal plan unfolding that none of our mistakes or failures can stop.

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You Are Not Behind in 2025
January 30, 2025
by Meghan Ryan Asbury

“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” Psalm 16:6 (NIV)

This time of year, I feel all sorts of behind like on my to-do list for today and on all my New Year's resolutions. (Why do I act like they all have to be accomplished in January? There’s still a whole year left!)  Even deeper, I also feel like I’m not where I thought I would be in life at this point. Which makes me wonder if God’s plan for my life is as good as I hoped. I’m tempted to believe I need to take matters into my own hands to try to catch up to where I want to be.  As you can imagine, that rarely ends well.  When those doubts and lies from the enemy start to enter my mind, I try to remember Psalm 16:6: “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”

If we believe that God’s Word is true and that He has put us where we are right now on purpose then we can rest in the fact that we aren’t behind. What He has for us is pleasant and delightful, even here.  We don't have to stay defeated, thinking we're stuck, or white-knuckle our way through life as we try to get ahead. We can enjoy what’s right in front of us and trust that God is leading us where He wants us to go.  So how do we stop feeling like we’re behind and live like Psalm 16:6 is true?

Here are three practices you can try today:

1. Get grateful. Gratitude often helps us feel more at ease with where we are right now. It can be simple write down the first three blessings you can think of, and thank God for each of them. It doesn't have to be big stuff, but once you write it down, you’ll feel more hopeful about what’s ahead.

2. Quit comparing. Comparison is rooted in the sin of coveting, or jealousy. So let’s get rid of the places and habits that tempt us to envy others. We can confess our comparisons to God and maybe a trusted friend. Don’t “play nice” here actively find ways to stop looking at what others have as a measure of what you don’t have.

3. Remember God’s faithfulness. Reflecting on God’s past faithfulness to us makes us more hopeful that He’s working in our lives now and will continue to work in the future. The Bible constantly charges us to remember who God is and what He’s done (Psalm 77:11; Psalm 78:35; etc.).

You are not behind. You are here, right where God has you. He’s not forgotten you. He has a good plan and a good purpose for where you are right now.

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A Direct Line to Your Heavenly Father
February 6, 2025
by Crystal Paine

“For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers …” 1 Peter 3:12 (KJV).

Walking into the bathroom, I discovered our toddler at the sink with the water turned on full force and gushing all over. I went to turn off the water and noticed my phone sitting nearby, subjected to the deluge of water.  Uh-oh.  As a mom of six kids, I’ve learned firsthand how resilient smartphones are, but I was uncertain this time if the manufacturer’s promise of water-resistent tech would hold up.  And unfortunately, the next morning, I was met with the “black screen of death.”

I tried plugging my phone into a different outlet and using a different cord setup. I tried pushing all the buttons really hard. (It sounds irrational, and it was, but I was feeling a little desperate at this point!) Still nothing.  Finally, I resolved I had to get a new phone. That’s when I had a mini panic moment.  How was I going to drive without my phone’s GPS?

What if someone needed to get a hold of me?

What if I got a flat tire? (I’m the queen of imagining worst-case scenarios!)

Then the thought hit me: You might not have a working phone, but you always have a direct line to Jesus.  Why was I worrying about not being able to pick up a phone call or send a text when I have access to the Creator of the universe at any time, any place, anywhere?

So often we get busy with our lives, schedules, daily decisions and struggles, and we feel like we need to figure out everything on our own. We feel stressed and stretched trying to do it all in our strength, forgetting we have a heavenly Father who is eager to help us.  Scripture says “the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers” (1 Peter 3:12).

The Lord is waiting and ready to hear our cries. He wants to help us if we will only ask.  The psalmist who wrote Psalm 34 reiterated this important truth: “When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17, ESV).

Today, when you feel like you don’t know what to do, cry out to Jesus.
When you don’t know how to respond to a difficult situation, cry out to Jesus.
When life feels daunting or discouragement creeps in, cry out to Jesus.

You never have to worry about your connection to Him getting cut off. Because you have a direct line to your heavenly Father, you don’t have to navigate life’s challenges and struggles alone.

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Waiting on God’s Best
February 10, 2025
by Kia Stephens

“Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’” Genesis 2:18 (ESV)

My husband proposed six months after we started dating. I was fresh out of college and secretly hoping I would meet my forever “knight in shining armor” when he asked me on a date. By the end of the year, I was already thinking, He’s the one. And he was, but I had no idea our courtship would come to a screeching halt not long after he proposed.  As the product of a single-parent home, I desperately wanted my future marriage to work. I wanted to defy the odds that were stacked against me. This is why I chose to confess an area of sin in my life to my fiancé, our marriage mentors and our church leadership. With grace, they advised us that we were not ready to get married, and we both had some more introspective work to do.  Whereas we could have made a beeline for the county courthouse, we opted to submit to their guidance in our lives. Immediately, we stopped planning our wedding and began individual counseling. It was difficult, humbling and slow, but I believe it was necessary.  With the help of a therapist, I worked on my dominant thoughts and corresponding actions. I countered lies with the Truth of the gospel, and I focused on myself as a woman and not just a future wife.  This is the image I have of God with Eve in the garden. Meticulously He formed her before He presented her as a helpmate for Adam. Genesis 2:18 says, “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’”

In Hebrew, the word for “helper” in this verse is ezer, which also means “support” or “assistance.” Just in case you think the word “helper” is a weak description, God also used this term to refer to Himself in verses like Hosea 13:9. This means Eve was a pretty big deal. God took her formation seriously.  The Hebrew word for “fit” in Genesis 2:18 means “that which corresponds to.” Nothing in creation was suitable, so God performed the very first surgery to remove a rib from Adam and use it to create Eve. When God brought Eve to Adam, she was ready to be his suitable helpmate. Adam’s response was, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man” (Genesis 2:23, NIV).

God formed Eve and then presented her to Adam. He formed me, too, in my waiting. My unexpected waiting season before marriage prepared me for many waiting seasons in marriage and beyond.  Friend, God is working in our waiting. And if He has called us to marriage, even after we say “I do,” He continues to form and shape us, making sure we not only experience His best in marriage but also become His best for our spouse.

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If God Feels Far Away Today
February 13, 2025
by Lysa TerKeurst
President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” John 16:7 (ESV)

I feel so alone. Where do I go from here?

I think we’ve all been here at some point in our lives whether it’s the result of circumstances beyond our control or isolation of our own choosing.  I remember an incredibly difficult season in my life when I found myself pulling back from everyone, even my closest friends. Before I knew it, I woke up one day feeling lonelier than I’d ever felt in my life. I kept smiling and saying things like, “I’m fine. Everything is good. I’m doing well.”

But I was crying on the inside. Jesus, where are You?

Why does it feel like You aren’t here?

I don’t understand why You’re allowing all these hard things to happen!  Being alone doesn't just make us discouraged. It's also a dangerous place to be. If the enemy can isolate us, he can influence and mislead us. One of his favorite entry points is through the loneliness we feel.  That's why I'm so grateful for the words of Jesus in John 16:6-7: “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (ESV).

We may feel lonely, but because of the Holy Spirit, we are never completely alone and never without guidance. Jesus promises that the Spirit “will guide [us] into all the truth” (John 16:13, ESV).

Jesus’ words in this passage would have felt completely unfathomable to His disciples. They must have thought: After all we’ve gone through together, You're just going to leave us?

But Jesus dying and departing from earth wasn’t an act of cruelty. It was an act of kindness. When He left, He promised to send the Holy Spirit, which was to the disciples’ advantage.  In case you feel like you're navigating difficulties all alone today, remember these truths about the Holy Spirit for those who are Christ followers. The Holy Spirit will ...

    Help you (John 14:16; John 16:7).

    Convict you (John 16:8).

    Guide you (John 16:13).

    Dwell in you (John 14:17).

    Teach you (John 14:26).

    Intercede in prayer for you (Romans 8:26).

In my season of intense loneliness, my perspective changed when I started asking the Holy Spirit to speak to me. I didn’t make this a complicated exercise. Instead of being afraid of the silence, I tried to lean into it, whispering, Holy Spirit, what do You want to say to me right now?

I’m listening. Please lead me. Comfort me. Convict me. And when my heartbreak starts to make me forget the Lord’s faithfulness, help me to see it.  Maybe you need to pause and pray these words right now, friend. The Holy Spirit will guide you when the road ahead feels uncertain. Remember: God isn’t hiding from us. He’s waiting to be seen by us. And no one can help us see the faithfulness of God more than the Holy Spirit. He is with us. And in the midst of so many uncertainties in life, He is a certainty we can always count on.