Devotions

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Laying Down the Need To Defend Ourselves
May 4, 2022
by Abby McDonald

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

As soon as I read the person’s comment on social media, I felt my blood pressure rise. The words insulted me on a deep level and questioned my integrity as a believer. Immediately, I wanted to defend myself. I began remembering and searching for scriptures that would disprove this person's opinion and validate my stance. But as I searched my Bible app, I sensed a conviction in my spirit.  Stop. Wait.  I admit I didn’t want to listen. After all, didn’t I need to prove this person wrong?

Didn’t they need to know their words were not OK?

But the longer I sat in my recliner, pausing instead of reacting, the more I knew a retort would not accomplish anything. A response made in self-righteous anger would only fuel dissension.  This was not the first time someone said something offensive to me, either on social media or in person. Often, the world around us can seem like a minefield where we never know how people are going to respond to our words.  So what do we do when we feel the need to defend ourselves?

How do we distinguish between defending ourselves and defending Jesus?

How do we know when to speak and when to stay silent?

Let’s look at the Gospels, in which no one claimed more fierce loyalty to Jesus than Peter did. He even said he would die for Jesus. (Luke 22:33) When the Roman soldiers and high priests came to arrest Jesus, Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant Malchus. But instead of letting Peter defend Him, Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:11, NIV).

Jesus made it clear that the disciple’s job was not to defend Him with violence or in anger.  Later, in 1 Peter, we see a complete transformation in this disciple. God opened his eyes to see that retaliation against those who wrong us does not serve His purposes, and Peter instead gave this command to the Church:  “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).

To be certain, we can trust that the Lord, our Advocate, never asks us to tolerate abusive situations or relationships and wants us to live in freedom. Seeking help and removing ourselves from such situations is different from knee-jerk reactions of wounded pride. In today’s world of instant replies, it has never been easier to react based on our first emotions rather than respond with intentionality and love. Our enemy knows this. He seeks to divide us and provoke arguments, and often we fall blindly into his schemes.

But when we let God take His rightful place as our Defender and respond to others in His love, something beautiful happens. Instead of the focus being on us, it turns to Him. People are drawn to God in us instead of being repelled because they notice something contrary to the me-first attitude our culture promotes.  Jesus has already won the battle against our true enemy. One day, Christ will return to claim those He calls His own. But until then, He asks us to love others. When we follow this simple but often difficult command, we don’t have to worry about fighting for ourselves because He fights our enemy for us. Our armor is His Truth, and it gives us surpassing peace.

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God’s Wild Love for You
May 5, 2022
by Lisa Bevere

“Be here the king is wild for you. Since he’s your lord, adore him.” Psalm 45:11 (MSG)

Before I knew Christ, I’d chosen a path of destruction that would have ground to dust every dream and hope I dared to harbor.  I still remember the tangible sense of relief I felt that night when I first heard that God actually loved me and wasn’t angry with me.  But the good news did not stop there. I learned that, on the cross, Jesus blotted out the record of each and every sin I’d ever committed. I felt immediately lighter. My breathing became deeper, and my jaw unclenched. The heavy shroud that sin and shame had layered upon my frame was stripped away, and a mantle of Christ’s righteousness took its place.  God is the only One capable of keeping an exacting record of our sins, and yet He refuses to. Rather than itemize our sins, He plunges any recollection of their taint and violations into oblivion, as Micah 7:19 says:  “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (ESV).

I love the imagery captured in this verse. Out of compassion, God crushes the very things that threaten to crush us. Our evil actions and vices crumble under the weight of His step. And once those idols of sin and shame are ground into unrecognizable fragments, He hurls them into the sea, where they sink to its cold, shadowed depths, never to rise again.  This is an invitation to tremble in awe and wild wonder of the Most High God, who knows all and yet loves us so well. In fact, it’s time for us to challenge the way we think God thinks about us.  Perhaps you’ve entertained beliefs like I once had that God is angry and displeased with you. I encourage you to apply what the psalmist suggests in Psalm 45:11: “Be here the king is wild for you adore him.”

Adoration results from revelation of His wild love for you!  The God who is Truth cannot lie. He is wild about you!  As daughters and sons of our Lord, we are under His rule, and His rule is love. One way we can honor His lordship is by choosing to accept how He feels about us. His love for us is not subject to how we feel about ourselves, no matter what we’ve done or how tempted we are to dwell on the past.  His love is selfless. He is love. His love is independent of how we look, feel or act. We might as well surrender to this love that is beyond our comprehension.  This revelation that God, who is love, loves us is exciting. If we are bored with the idea that God loves us, it could be because we’ve heard it but never experienced it. This realization that He constantly thinks of us is thrilling and should awaken a fresh enthusiasm in every aspect of our walk with the Father.  He means what He has said about us. His heart is set on us, and nothing we do or say can remove His seal of love from us. In Christ, His love is forever settled.  It is now time for us to settle it for ourselves.

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Chuck Lawless
June 24, 2022
Why We’re Sometimes Surprised When God Answers Prayer

The early church had been praying for Peter’s release from prison, yet they were surprised when God actually responded (Acts 12:1–17). The story would be comical if it didn’t so clearly describe us, too. It happened to me, in fact, recently God answered a long-term prayer, and I was astounded. Here are some reasons we’re sometimes surprised when God answers our prayers:

1. We haven’t studied enough of the Bible’s stories of answered prayer. God’s always been a prayer-answering God. In the Scriptures he answered prayers for Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Hannah, David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Hezekiah, Jesus, Paul and so many others. When we don’t know the stories, though, we don’t always expect God to hear us.

2. We fail to consider the incredible truth that God welcomes us coming to his throne boldly (Heb. 4:16). He wants us to come to him. He’s a good, good Father who wants to give us good gifts for his glory and our good. Indeed, he gave himself to us that we might have a genuine relationship with him. When we forget these truths, God’s answers to our prayers might catch us off guard.

3. We struggle believing prayer works. We know prayer matters because we know it’s in the Bible. We talk about it. We read about it (though not enough, as No. 1 shows us). We hear sermons about it. We might even write about it but still battle unbelief. Prayer demands faith, and faith is sometimes hard and we’re pleasantly surprised when God responds.

4. We’ve prayed prayers sometimes for a long time God hasn’t answered yet, and the delay hits at our faith. I suspect that the longer we wait for an answer, and the deeper the need that evoked the prayer, the harder it is to keep trusting that God’s listening. We cling to what seems to be diminishing hope and when God comes through, we have not been expecting it.

5. We know our hearts and we know we’re hardly perfect. Perfection is not a requirement for answered prayer, but obedience does matter if we expect God to listen (Isa. 59:1–2, Ps. 66:18). We’re still sinful people, however, so we wonder if God will respond to us. When he does respond, we’re surprised. 

6. We don’t always hear of answered prayers even when God does answer. Most of us are guilty here. Even when God does indeed meet our requests, we’re not inclined to let others know of his gracious response. Churches do the same thing when they publish a prayer request list but never update the congregation when God answers a prayer. We never hear these testimonies so it sometimes surprises us when God intervenes in our lives.

May God help us to be amazed not surprised when he answers our prayers.

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Do You Need To Feel Seen by Jesus Today?
May 25, 2022
by Beth Knight

"neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39 (NIV)

Jesus unexpectedly showed up at my cash register that day.  Although my heart was hurled into the depths of despair before my shift, I had a job to do. So I wiped away my tears, buried my emotions beneath a pasted-on smile and strolled through the door with my head held high.  I worked at a local Christian bookstore, so books about Jesus surrounded me, and songs about Jesus serenaded me, but the grief inside me made me feel separated from Him. I was a champion at hiding my pain from God and others, and my trophy was gut-wrenching loneliness.  By God’s provision, one customer saw past my pretenses. As I rang up her items, she stopped me and said, “I sense the Holy Spirit leading me to hug you. May I come around the counter?”

I agreed to her proposition and watched her slowly walk around the counter to embrace me. My tense shoulders softened within the warmth of being seen.

This happened 20 years ago. I don't remember the woman's name or what she looked like, but I will never forget what God taught me through her obedience.

1.  Our deepest sorrows do not signify a separation from God’s love. In today’s key verse, Romans 8:39, “separate” comes from the Greek word chorizo, which means to divide, separate oneself, depart or go away from.  Paul makes it clear that “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate [chorizo] us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Praise God! Not even the depths of despair can cause God’s love to depart from us.

2.    Feeling separated from God often stems from a longing to feel seen. While we may be surrounded by people at church, at the grocery store or in our own home, our inner turmoil can seem invisible to others. Yet God sees us so clearly that He knows every single hair on our heads. (Luke 12:7) And sometimes, He’ll send a willing vessel to remind us that He sees us. At other times, we can be that willing vessel to those who are grieving.  Unforgettable, holy moments can happen in unexpected places when someone is sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. Because of one woman's obedience, I carry a vivid reminder that God is near to the brokenhearted. (Psalm 34:18) Are we willing to have the same obedience?

Precious friend, if you are alone and hurting today, I pray the Lord will miraculously show up through His Word and through His people. He sees He is near and as John 10:28 says, nothing will ever snatch you out of His hands.

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Living Unrushed When Work Is Unfinished
May 30, 2022
by Christina Patterson

“But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’” Luke 10:40 (ESV)

I grew discouraged as I put away the seemingly infinite amount of folded laundry, knowing there was already another load, ready to fold, in the dryer.  I’d promptly get to it after I put the groceries up, which I couldn’t do until I cleared the refrigerator to make room for said groceries.  The magnetic calendar on my refrigerator door reminded me of a project I’d put off for months and the endless list of other responsibilities awaiting my attention and holding hostage my hope for accomplishment.  I immediately felt like the list of tasks I needed to finish that week: undone.  If I can speed up, I thought to myself, I can get more done faster. However, I only ended up feeling like a hamster on a wheel, moving fast but getting nowhere. This rushed pace of life left me frustrated with my work, impatient with my family and restless in my thoughts that were more focused on what needed to get done than on my God, who would empower me to do it.  As busy women, it’s easy to think our worth is tied to our productivity and fall into the temptation to speed up our pace so we can get more done. This lie only leaves us empty and agitated with ourselves, those we love and even God.  When Jesus visited the house of Martha, in Luke 10, Martha was in a rush to get preparations together for His visit. I imagine her cleaning the house, cooking the meal and preparing the table, only to realize there was more to be done than there was time to do it.  In her rushed frustration, she accused her sister Mary of not helping and blamed Jesus for not holding her sister accountable.  “... ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’” (Luke 10:40)

The same woman who had the heart to invite Jesus into her home allowed her own rushed pace to make her accuse her most honored Guest of not caring. The danger of a rushed life is that it hinders us from loving well because love is patient; it’s not in a hurry. (1 Corinthians 13:4)  Like Martha, we often rush in an attempt to outrun the unfinished work always looming over our heads because we believe unfinished work means we’re undone. But that’s not true. We find the truth in Jesus’ loving response to Martha’s hurried heart:  “‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:41-42, NIV).

Jesus did not condemn Martha for her unfinished work but invited her to let go of the trap of rushing so that she could embrace what was more important.  The truth is, we have a choice. We don’t have to live rushed lives and accept overwhelmed hearts as a usual way of life. There will always be “many things” to worry about or do, but not all things are an emergency deserving of a rushed heart.  Jesus invites us to focus on one thing better than them all: Himself.

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Finding the Beauty in Our Limitations
May 31, 2022
by Meredith Houston Carr

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every aspect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)

I am not a fan of limitations.  Apparently, my daughter feels much the same way. This fact became painfully evident as we undertook the all-important job of decorating her Valentine’s Day “mailbox” where she would receive cards and candy from her elementary-school classmates on February 14.  Her creative little heart worked for hours at our kitchen table cutting, painting, coloring and finally gluing on all her ornate creations of felt puffs and pipe cleaners. But as she found out the hard way, there’s only so much a bottle of glue can do.  When her mental masterpiece turned out to be a dismal disaster, that sweet baby lay on the floor and cried her big blue eyes out. I’m not the crafty-mom type but even if “Miss Pinterest” herself showed up at our door, this mailbox was never going to look the way my daughter had envisioned.  The limits of glue and gravity left her heartbroken, discouraged and defeated.  Boy, can I relate to those feelings. I wonder if you can, too. Our world preaches the gospel of “you can do anything” and “transcend your limitations” yet deep in our souls, we know this gospel is false.  We face limits in our bodies, minds and jobs every day. We experience roadblocks in our relationships. We reach the end of our talents. And when we regularly run into limitations of our character like those temptations we can’t seem to resist our confidence wanes.  We may even begin to wonder if our limitations render us unusable to God. When we beat our wings against the walls of our weaknesses, Satan taunts us with the fear that we’ll never measure up to our own standards much less God’s.  But God knows we can’t measure up on our own; that’s why He sent His Son, Jesus.  “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

Graciously, the writer of Hebrews reminds us how much our Savior relates to and sympathizes with our humanity. Jesus was fully divine, yet we can’t forget He was also fully human. Like us, Jesus became tired and hungry. He experienced temptation. (Luke 4:1-13) He wept from heartache. (John 11:35) He fully understands the limits of our humanity.  And still He calls us into Himself. He says, “I understand, and I have the mercy and grace you need most.” (Hebrews 4:16)

As we invite Jesus into our limitations, prayerfully answering these questions can help us make progress and grow in faith:

1. What do I believe this limitation prevents me from achieving or becoming? God often uses our weaknesses to reveal areas of misplaced trust or idolatry. Are we looking for worth in a particular relationship? Are we putting our confidence in our accomplishments? Asking these questions can help us root out beliefs and motivations that may be hindering our growth.

2. What lesson or truth might God be trying to teach me through this limitation? Our shortcomings frustrate us, but more often than not, they are packed with important lessons. We can better hear God speaking new spiritual insights into our hearts when we take a step back and ask Him for wisdom.

3. What specific scriptures can I pray over my heart? God’s Word is full of Truth that equips us for any and every weakness we encounter. We can invite the power of His Word into our weak spots by praying specific verses over them.

It’s easy to feel like our limitations disqualify us from meaningful Kingdom work, but what if we rejected the enemy’s lies and began to view our weaknesses through a different lens? What if they’re not simply something to cover up or conquer but are an invitation into deeper fellowship with the God who understands and loves us?

Dear one, our shortcomings don’t have to hold us back or rob our joy. Here’s the beautiful truth: When our limitations lead us to Christ, our souls find the comfort they crave. So today, may we willingly lean into our limits and let the strength of our Savior carry us through.

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Letting God Reshape What’s Shattered
June 2, 2022
by Lisa Appelo

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10b (ESV)

I hate my life.  With my hands wrist-deep in sudsy dishwater, I couldn’t believe I’d let that admission bubble to the top of my thoughts. The house had quieted with my kids tucked in upstairs for the night, and now, alone with my thoughts, my honest confession startled me.  Months before, I had gone to bed happily married and woken up the next morning a widow. On the pillow next to mine, my husband was taking his last breaths as I slept. Though his strange breathing had awakened me, neither my efforts at CPR nor my prayers for God’s mercy had brought the miracle I desperately wanted.  In the space of one night’s sleep, my life had shattered into a thousand pieces. So much of the life I’d wanted and the life I’d hoped for had been buried with my husband. Now, my days were a mix of brutal grief, single parenting, decision overwhelm and juggling a too-long list of tasks meant for two.  We often tell God: This is not the life I ordered. There are lots of ways a life can shatter in loss.  Maybe for you, it’s been a diagnosis that has upended life as you know it.  Maybe a spouse you should have been able to trust has walked out, or maybe, like mine, your spouse has died far earlier than you ever imagined.  Perhaps you’ve buried a child in an unthinkable turn of events, or maybe miscarriage has forced you to grieve a dream that feels farther and farther away.  What do we do when life doesn’t turn out like we planned? Do we simply consign ourselves to live out the leftovers of the life we wanted?

John 10:10b shows us another way. In our key verse, Jesus tells us He came so that we would “have life and have it abundantly.” That doesn’t mean “life abundant” only when things are going well. Or “life abundant” when we get the outcome we want.

The abundant life Jesus died to give us doesn’t start and stop based on our circumstances.  The night of my honest admission over a sinkful of dishes, I had to let go once more of the life I wanted. As I did, I leaned into the truth that while our circumstances may change, God’s promise of abundant life does not.  Yes, life felt bad. And while this was not my plan, God had allowed it. As such, God had as much abundant life on this side of loss as He did all the time before.  Over the last few years, as I’ve let go of the life I wanted and worked to embrace the life God has given, I can see the fresh beauty and goodness God has for me here. And while life is never perfect, I can honestly say, Thank You, God. I love this life.  God doesn’t give us second best. There are no leftovers in a life with God. When we trust God with the broken pieces of our life, He can reshape what’s shattered.

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Hope When Life Just Doesn’t Make Sense
June 3, 2022
by Stacy Lowe

“‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lᴏʀᴅ. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT)

My life has a lot of moving parts that I’m constantly trying to keep organized. But speaking reminders into my phone is a great way to help.  Instead of voicing well-structured sentences and ideas, though, I tend to speak in a shortened code of sorts. Most of the time, this works out well. Sometimes, though?

Not so much.  Not too long ago, I spoke such a direction to my phone. Instead of complying, my phone verbalized that it didn’t understand what I meant. Not that it couldn’t understand the words, but it didn’t understand the meaning behind them.  I tried again with the same results. Frustrated, I spoke at my phone, “You don’t need to understand because I know what it means. Please just do what I’m asking!”

Truthfully, though, I can relate to my phone. Maybe you can, too.  There are days I wonder what in the world God could possibly be up to with my life. Surely, this piece of who and how I am couldn’t possibly be a part of His plan. This piece must be a mistake.  But then there are today’s key verses from Isaiah:  “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lᴏʀᴅ. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

If God’s thoughts are nothing like my own, and neither are His ways, it stands to reason there will be times when I don’t understand. There will be situations where nothing makes sense to me. And that can be hard because I want to know how it all fits together. If I could just understand the purpose behind this one thing, it would make it all so much easier to swallow.  Just like my phone, though, I don’t need to know what it all means because He does.  God sees a far bigger picture than we could ever hope to grasp. He sees how each part of who and how we are fits into the tapestry He’s been weaving since before time began. Even those broken pieces from living in a broken world are made into something beautiful and useful when placed in His hands.  While we may not understand it all in the moment, one day we will. One day, we will see how God lovingly looked after each and every detail of our lives to bring His plans and purposes to fruition. Until then, we can remember God’s incredible love for us and choose to trust Him.  That’s what I’m choosing today. Will you do the same?

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Shaping Worries Into Prayers
June 13, 2022
by Sharon Jaynes

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

Recently when my niece’s daughter Harper and I were having a visit on FaceTime, she told me all about her new best friend: Skittles the guinea pig.  He went down the slide with her, nibbled on baby carrots at her tea parties and nestled in her mini stroller during walks. Oh, how she loved Skittles.  “I had a guinea pig named Oscar when I was a little girl,” I shared.

“You did? What happened to Oscar?” she asked.

“Did he die? Did you give him away? Do guinea pigs go to heaven?”

I was not expecting those questions and wished I had kept my guinea pig history to myself. When we said our goodbyes, I realized Harper, even at 5 years old, was worried about her little friend. She was anxious about Skittles’ future. Goldie the goldfish had a short life, and well, do guinea pigs live longer?

It seemed like such a small thing and then I wondered if my anxious thoughts seem like small things to God.  I worry about my son, and then I remember God has a host of angels surrounding him. (Psalm 91:11-12) Protecting Steven is a small, easy thing for God.  I grow anxious about COVID-19, and then I remember all my days have been numbered since before there was even one of them. (Psalm 139:16)  It is so easy to fall into the trap of worrying about world events, especially wars and rumors of war. The media shows us horrific details of bombed-out buildings and burned-out homes. People fleeing and parents weeping.  And I get anxious. I grow worried. But when we witness such suffering, God calls us to respond out of trust in Him, not worry: “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed ....” (Isaiah 1:17, NLT).

When we face circumstances vastly out of our control, like a pandemic and war, we can also be reminded time and time again of who God is, and what He does, through the Scriptures.  He runs things. He is not aloof. He is not absent in life’s happenings. As He told Moses at the burning bush, He sees, and He hears He is concerned. (Exodus 3:7)  I need to remember God has a providential, not accidental, plan for history. The word “providential” means “to see before,” to have a particular end or goal in mind. What happens in history, and with you and me, is not happenstance. He is in control of the sacred and secular. World history and my history.  I imagine God saying, Oh honey, don’t worry about what’s going on in the world at large or in your life right now. The circumstances are not a surprise to Me. I’m still in control. I’m still on My throne. And remember: Nothing is too difficult for Me. Your worries may loom large for you, but they are not too difficult for Me.  So what do we do when those anxious feelings creep in? When our hearts start to race, our palms start to sweat and our blood runs cold with worry?

As tempted as we might be to feed the worry, obsess over it with our friends or loved ones, or go into “fix-it mode” with Google, our first action should be to pray and give our burdens and worries to God. (Psalm 55:2)  Paul wrote, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6).

The Message paraphrase of Philippians 4:6-7 says it this way: “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

Don’t you love that?

“Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers.”

Like a potter shaping clay into beauty, we have the opportunity to shape our worries into beautiful petitions to God.  I don’t know what you’re anxious about today, but I do know God is in control. And He is good.

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Strength in Stillness
June 14, 2022
by Sarah Freymuth

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14 (NIV)

The afternoon sun streaks through my living room window, and I settle into my seat, finding just the right spot for the light to warm my body. On my windowsill, books bend into one another, and pens spill from their holder; my daily Bible verse calendar shows an image of majestic mountain peaks and a scriptural assurance of faith I cannot see.  The call to faith in the unseen resonates deeper than I wish it to.  I’ve spent these past six months fighting for my mental and physical health. I’m still wrestling with the lingering aftermath of COVID-19 and anxiety, comparing my state of exhaustion to where I was before I got sick.  When I see my life as it was, and I see the setbacks I’m battling, I can’t help but be tempted to spiral down the “why me?” rabbit hole. The daily battles leave me worn and wondering just how this will play out.  My camp is close to crumbling, and I need reinforcements. If I have the Lord of heaven’s armies with me, what is His tactic?

What is His next move?

Is it to strengthen me supernaturally so I can take ground where I have loosened my hold?

Is it to storm my enemies and knock them down in one motion?

Is it to wait for me to say the right prayer or scripture and believe just a bit more for my faith to come to life and be “useful” in my healing?

Or is it possible God is calling me to something radically different? What if God’s will looks something like this: “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)?

The more I meditate on this verse, the more I realize I’ve been carrying much more stress than I need to. I’ve hoisted the weight of my health on my shoulders, striving to learn answers, comparing what was to what is now, and holding heavy, unrealistic expectations in my heart and mind.  Maybe you are, too. Maybe we’ve all been holding on to our own designs of how life should be and having trouble wrapping our minds around reality.  What do we do with the vise grip we’ve put ourselves in?

Be still. Stop the swirling thoughts and expectations of where you should be and rest in where you are. Here is now, and God is present here. The gift of His grace overpowers any shame, guilt and disappointment we may feel about ourselves. And His grace extends to His command for us to release the effort and allow Him to do His deep, restorative healing in our hearts as He fights for us. In stillness lies our strength.  Take the burden off your shoulders and relax into the Lord. He is the One who will fight your battles. Our God has our best in mind, for our good and His glory. His love is making a way in our lives because the battle belongs to the Lord.  Sometimes, the best thing we can do is be still with this truth and believe. We can turn over our trust to His capable ways, lift off what weighs us down and let Him do the heavy lifting.

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God Heals All Wounds
June 17, 2022
by Kia Stephens

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

My new read was different from most of my nonfiction books.  It was clinical in nature, written by a psychotherapist and filled with a bunch of words I had to look up. It had been recommended to me by my husband early on in our marriage, but it took me 18 years to finally read it. Initially, I reasoned it wasn’t for me, until life led me to it.  Then I couldn’t put it down.  Reading this book felt like a cross between therapy and intense research. With each page, I was learning more about myself. Eventually, I was struck by a single, numerical list: 20 needs that should be fulfilled in the life of every child. If unmet, these needs have the potential to create wounds in unsuspecting adults. They had done so in me.  I held my breath as I read through the list of needs: safety, validation, guidance and many others. Those words described needs I missed. Then I thought about the circumstances surrounding my unmet needs: my single mother, my absent and alcoholic father, and me.  It all felt so overwhelming. I was a 42-year-old woman attempting to process wounds I was still discovering.  But God was not surprised.  He already knew His children would incur wounds in this life. He knew what we eventually discover: In a broken world, with broken people, sometimes we will get cut. I believe this is why God inspired the psalmist to pen the words of Psalm 147:3: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Verse 2 of this psalm lets us know that the psalmist is specifically referring to the exiles of Israel, but these words are applicable to all believers. God is communicating His concern for every brokenhearted individual.  In Psalm 147:3, God is reminding us that His power is unlimited. He is mighty enough to heal all wounds no matter when or how they occurred in our lives. Our pain is not beyond His tremendous power. He is the Great Physician, able to reach into our pasts and heal our souls.  The scripture says, “He heals,” meaning this healing is ongoing. It is not a one-time deal but rather a supernatural act that can occur over and over in the lives of the brokenhearted. For as much and as long as we need healing, God’s compassionate care is available to us.  The Hebrew meaning for the word “brokenhearted” is defined in relation to the inner person, encompassing the mind, will and emotions. Thus, the psalmist reminds us that God is capable of healing all types of wounds.  If our wounds are physical, He can heal them.  If our wounds are mental, He can heal them.  If our wounds are emotional, He can heal those, too.  God not only heals the souls of the broken; He also binds up our wounds. He takes the time to tenderly bandage the wounded places in our lives so we can be made whole. This level of tender care communicates several truths about God:  God cares about those with broken hearts.  God’s power to heal is infinite.  God loves His children deeply.  God is capable of healing all wounds.  I have seen these truths in my own life. God has taken the little girl who grew up with a single mother and an absent father, and He is making her whole. God, my heavenly Father, is teaching me how to look to Him to meet every unmet need from my childhood.  In Him, there is safety.  In Him, there is validation.  In Him, there is guidance.  In Him, all our needs are met.  He does not abandon us with our wounds. God steps into our lives, heals our broken hearts and binds up every wound.

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Loving the Little Children Like Jesus Did
June 28, 2022
by Karen Wingate

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” (Matthew 19:14, NIV)

Heading down the meat aisle of my local grocery store one Sunday afternoon, I paused as my eyes caught the antics of a small boy crouched on the lower deck of a shopping cart. I smiled and said, “Hi! You’re having a great time.”

The father turned from the meat counter and made a disparaging comment about his active son.  “Oh, he’s just a small boy having fun.” I shrugged. “What is he 2?”

“He’s 4,” the father said dryly.

My face flushed with shame, not so much for the father as for myself. His words were an echo of my own voice in years past when, in moments of exhaustion and stress, I sometimes acted like my children were hindrances to my happiness, an inconvenience rather than a joy. It also reminded me of the times wiser friends came beside me, saying approving words that put smiles on my children’s faces and renewed my resolve to be a better parent.  That was the past; this was the present. I smiled again at the boy, wished them both a good day and moved on. Yet my heart was troubled. Was there something more I, a stranger, could have done or said to affirm that little boy in the name of Jesus?

Just that morning, I had taught a group of children the account of Jesus taking time for kids. I told them children were important to God, even when they didn’t seem important to anyone else.  Jesus told His disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).

Now, it seemed God was calling me to learn from the lesson I taught and look more closely at how Jesus treated children so I could do the same.  Seeing and hearing adults follow Jesus’ example is crucial to children’s acceptance of God’s love. Words can leave scars that scorn a child’s self-worth and restrict their acceptance of the healing touch of Jesus’ salvation. Affirming words can build bridges to a deeper understanding of God’s love and regard for each child.  We can start with our own children if we are parents, but it doesn’t have to stop there. Taking time to interact with the children around us, whether in a family gathering, in a classroom, on the soccer field or behind a cart in a store checkout line, adds one more confirmation in their memories that they are important and cherished. And if we hear a child devalued, we can accept it as God’s invitation to step forward and treat them as Jesus would, praying God will help us respond with wisdom.  When we stop to pay attention to a kid, kneel at their level, and give up our adult conversations so we can listen to them and watch their latest escapade, we relinquish our superior position and make ourselves equal with them.  As Jesus said, “Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4, NIV).

Children were lower on the social ladder of Jewish society than they are in our current culture, yet Jesus called His disciples to take on the lowly position of a child.   We may never know the hurtful words a child has already heard, but our attention and simple positive acknowledgement may provide a beam of hope that will ultimately lead them to the light of Christ’s love.

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The Good Part About the Waiting Room
July 7, 2022
by Jennifer Dukes Lee

“Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” Psalm 27:14 (NKJV)

There I was, in yet another waiting room, while we waited to see yet another doctor. Our teen daughter had been passing out nearly every day, and no one could figure out why.  After many months, it had seemed like our time in the waiting room was ending. Doctors had determined her fainting spells were caused by a neurological disorder. The diagnosis was an answer to prayer, and we were grateful to God.  Unfortunately, the fainting continued. And because of that, our waiting didn’t end.  Instead, we entered a new kind of waiting room. We waited for God to bring full healing. We waited for God to stop the spiral of depression our daughter had fallen into. We were stuck in a waiting room that seemed to have no exit.  That long season of waiting was painful and isolating, but it seems these seasons are simply a part of life.  Think for a moment of the hours upon hours we spend waiting each week. Sometimes, it’s for the little things: waiting on the traffic light to turn green, the next episode to air, the coffee to brew, the airport security line to move faster.  Sometimes, the waiting is unbearable and bewildering, like when you’re waiting for God to heal someone you love.  I'm guessing you are waiting on something too: a cure for the cancer, a job application to be reviewed, that uncomfortable silence to end, the words “I forgive you” to finally come.  If you’re like me, you want to push through the hard times, but instead, you find yourself paralyzed in a waiting room miles from where you want to be.  Waiting can feel like a weakness, especially in a culture that places a high value on making things happen.  But waiting is not a weakness.  It’s actually empowering. Yes, empowering! There is something miraculous happening while we wait.  Here’s how I know:  “Wait on the LORD He shall strengthen your heart” (Psalm 27:14).

God is strengthening our hearts while we wait!  When I came across that verse, it gave me the courage to wait on God.  Now, after three long years, we are seeing the fruit that grew in the waiting room.  We are still waiting on a lot of things, but we have much to be grateful for. Our daughter’s fainting spells have been reduced to a minimum. She is being treated for depression. And here’s my favorite part: She is sharing her story publicly with teens and their parents because she wants them to know God is good all the time.  Hers is a beauty-from-ashes story that couldn’t have been written anywhere else but the waiting room.  When I look back, I see how God strengthened our hearts. Waiting was not an in-between place. Real work was being done as my family grew closer to one another and to God.  I don’t know what you’re waiting for, but I’m guessing you’re waiting for something.  May you be encouraged in knowing that waiting is not a waste of time. It’s an investment of time. God is strengthening your heart.  May you find that God is always, always worth the wait.

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Please Don’t Give Me a Packaged Christian Answer
July 14, 2022
by Lysa TerKeurst

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 (NIV)

I love Jesus. I love God. I love His Truth. I love people. But I don’t love packaged Christian answers.  Those cliches tie everything up in a nice, neat bow and make life a little too tidy. But there just isn’t anything tidy about some awful and sad and so incredibly evil things that happen in our broken world.  And God help me if I think I’m going to make things better by thinking up a clever Christian saying to add to all the dialogue. God certainly doesn’t need people like me with limited perspectives, limited understanding and limited depth trying to make sense of things that only make sense to Him.  Is there a place for God’s Truth in all this? Absolutely. But we must, must, must let God direct us. In His time. In His way. In His love. And when things are awful, perhaps we should just say, "This is awful.” When things don’t make sense, we can’t shy away from simply saying,“This doesn’t make sense.”

There is a difference between a wrong word at the wrong time, and a right word at the right time.  When my little sister died a horribly tragic death, it was because a doctor prescribed some medication no child should ever be given. And it set off a chain of events that eventually found my family standing over a pink, rose-draped casket. Weeping. Hurting. Needing time to wrestle with grief and anger and loss.  And it infuriated my raw soul when people tried to sweep up the shattered pieces of our lives by saying things like, “Well, God just needed another angel in heaven.”

Besides being off base theologically, statements like that took the shards of my grief and twisted them even more deeply into my already broken heart.  I understand why they said things like this. They wanted to say something anything to make it better. Their compassion compelled them to come close. And I wanted them there. And then I didn’t.  Everything was a contradiction. I could be crying hysterically one minute and laughing the next. And then I’d feel so awful for daring to laugh that I wanted to cuss. And then sing a praise song. I wanted to shake my fist at God and then read His Scriptures for hours. There’s just nothing tidy about all that.  But the thing I know now that I wish I knew then is that Jesus understands what it is like to deeply feel human emotions like grief and heartbreak.  We see this in John 11:32-35 when Jesus received the news His dear friend Lazarus had died:  “When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother [Lazarus] would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked. ‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied. Jesus wept” (NIV).

Yes, Jesus wept and mourned with His loved ones in that devastatingly heartbreaking moment. And the fact that He can identify with my pain is so comforting to me. He meets us in our grief. And we can bring the hope He promises and the comfort He supplies when others are grieving too.  You want to know the best thing someone said to me in the middle of my grief?

I was standing in the midst of all the tears falling down on black dresses and black suits on that gray funeral day. My heels were sinking into the grass. I was staring down at an ant pile. The ants were running like mad around a footprint that had squashed their home. I was wondering if I stood in that pile and let them sting me a million times if maybe that pain would distract me from my soul pain. At least I knew how to soothe physical pain.  Suddenly this little pigtailed girl skipped by me and exclaimed, “I hate ants.”

And that was hands-down the best thing anyone said that day.  She just entered in right where I was. Noticed where I was focused in that moment and just said something basic. Normal. Obvious.  Yes, there is a place for a solid Christian answer from well-intentioned friends. Absolutely. But then there’s also a place to weep with a hurting friend from the depths of your soul. A time when there really aren’t any words that can help the pain.  May God help us to know the difference.

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He Who Holds the Pillars Firm
July 15, 2022
by Sarah Freymuth, COMPEL Training Member

“When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.” Psalm 75:3 (NIV)

It’s been a roller-coaster time for my family: My 2-month-old nephew has been hospitalized for bacterial meningitis.  His sweet little body flush with fever. Swelling in the brain, at the base by his spinal cord. A PICC line to better receive antibiotics rather than struggle with his tiny veins.  The days drag, slow, uncertain. We don’t have answers to most of our questions, just prayer and possibility, and I feel helpless that I can’t make his body better.  Sometimes, it’s torture to wait. I pray in every style I know how, and still I can’t quite grasp God’s presence in this. I know in my head that He’s here, but the knowledge doesn’t fully make its way to my heart. My heart my heart is on shaky ground, grasping for sure footing.  What do we hold to in times like these?

With no solid ground beneath our feet, we stand on the Word of God, build our faith on who He is and the pillars of His protection.

*  God is, above all, loving. Our Abba loves us with a fierce, delicate and selfless love that stretches from one corner of the cross to the other. His affection is gentle, and His tenderness is great. His love is pure.

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8, NIV)

*  God is faithful. His eyes never stray; His heart stays fixed on us, and He tenderly keeps us close with unwavering loyalty. From the beginning, God made and kept His promise never to leave nor forsake us. God has our good in mind, and there is nothing that can separate us from Him.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23, NIV)

*  God is in control. This crazy world can spin right off its axis, but it will roll right into His capable hands. Our God holds the pillars of the universe in His grasp how much more does He care for us? When the darkness doesn’t seem to fade and night stretches on, God is there, unfazed.

“When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.”(Psalm 75:3)

*  God establishes our steps. As we walk along life’s path, it can get uneven and sprayed with loose gravel, but our God guides us through tight and tough spaces. There’s peace knowing He’s our journeyman, coming alongside us, holding our hand and not allowing us to go alone.

“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:11, NIV)

I don’t have the outcome yet for my nephew, but I know an outcome will arrive. And each breath of prayer is another foundation laid at the foot of the cross, where Jesus Himself breathed out to the Father for us all. He who holds the pillars firm holds us. We can trust Him with our hearts, fears and all the unknown. He is the One called faithful and true.