I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake”, Day 4
Trust is not giving up; trust is opening up. Opening our hearts to the possibility that maybe God really does know best. Maybe his wisdom and care and love are what we need most. And so, reluctantly at first, we open our hearts to trust in the middle of what we don’t always like or understand. But we open our hearts to a Father who knows best and has our best interests in mind, even if we can’t fully comprehend it. . . .
The struggle to trust and obey is real. But it’s also a necessary step toward growth and transformation.
Learning to trust God with what we don’t know is essential for being filled with God. If we are to increasingly experience the good life of following Jesus, we have to learn to trust like he did, often with what we can’t see or get our minds around.
This is one of the hardest parts of growing and being transformed in trials. Learning to surrender to what Jesus wants—his purposes, his plans, and his wisdom.
The Bible talks a lot about obedience. But the obedience God is after is not just an external conformity to what he says. It’s an inward alignment of our heart with his, even when we don’t understand what he is doing or why he is doing it.
Trust requires humility.
Trust requires saying, “I don’t understand, God, but you do.”
Trust requires admitting our powerlessness.
Trust requires giving up control.
When Jesus took the disciples out on the water and they found themselves surrounded by the storm, they realized they weren’t in control. They were helpless. They lacked the resources, the power, the wisdom to fix the situation. They were discovering what we all soon discover, that belief is not just faith in something, belief is faith in Someone. God is at the center. We follow him. He doesn’t follow us.
Their first response was fear. They had obeyed him before. But out on the water, in the world of the unknown, they were learning to trust him.
If we don’t trust God, inevitably, we will try to be God. And we’ll try to control what only he can control. What God is really interested in is our trust.
My Thoughts
It is a really big thing for me that “trust” is the theme for today since that is my word for this year. The definitions of trust here spoke to my heart and soul and let me know that I am not there yet. I am still at times reaching to control things, to change circumstances, instead of letting God do things for me. The part in the devotional that says we align with God and follow Him instead of His following us pierced me. I realized that I frequently want God to get in step with my plans instead of seeking what His plans are and following them. I think in our humanity, we all want to be in control and have difficulty relinquishing it to God. I don’t want to try to be God; I want Him to be the center of my life, in the pilot’s seat of my airplane so He can take me where He want me to go. That’s a hard thing for me because I don’t like unknown things. I plan routes in advance so I know exactly what lane I need to be in for the next turn. God is telling me clearly to let go and let Him make the plans. Because I can trust Him with all the details of all the unknowns.
From YouVersion Devotional, “In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake”, Day 3
When Jesus first called some of the disciples, they were casting their fishing nets into the water. They were mending nets on the shore. Dry ground was underneath their feet. When Jesus said, “Come follow me,” they followed. “I will make you fishers of men,” he told them. We would imagine following Jesus sounded fun. Exciting and full of adventure. It probably seemed like a great work, a work of God, they were signing up for. A lot like when we first believed. We gladly received God’s love. We felt his presence. He gave us new identities as sons and daughters. We could see his goodness and faithfulness. Like those first disciples, early in the journey we, too, were excited.
Or maybe Jesus calling the disciples was like when God first called you to a new ministry, a new job, or a new season in life. And yet this journey of following Jesus is full of surprises, isn’t it? The path is not always straight. The terrain is not always smooth. Sometimes there is water. And storms. Interruptions, we might say.
But we discover Jesus not only wants to work through us but needs to work in us. And this is no secondary work of lesser importance. He doesn’t just want to get us from one side of the lake to the other. He uses the “middle.”
The storm we are facing is never a threat to God’s work; it is often a tool for God’s work. Suffering might feel like an interruption to us, but it is instrumental to Jesus.
Undoubtedly, suffering was not God’s plan. He hates evil. All of the sickness, pain, disease, loss, and death we experience is the result of Adam and Eve’s first sin (Gen. 3). Things are not the way they once were in God’s original creation. And they are not what they will one day be when Jesus renews all things and does away with the messiness and brokenness and sin we are all living with. But God can and does use suffering in this life for his redemptive purposes.
Note that I added the emphasis.
My Thoughts
Well, I can and do believe that God can and does use our suffering as a tool. I don’t think He causes it, but He can use it to teach us and draw us closer to Him. What I have difficulty with is “rejoicing in my suffering.” I am more likely to be whining a little bit, praying a lot and hoping that it will all be over soon. But, if I see things the way God sees them, then I am seeing the end result, that I will be better off after having gone through whatever pain it is I am suffering. I want my character to be more like that of Jesus and if the only way to get there is suffering, then, I’m okay with that. Not thrilled, mind you, but I can submit to it and wait for God to strengthen me and make me a better person from it.
My father was a mechanic, and he was all about having his tools in the right place for him to be able to access them quickly and use them. He didn’t use them to make the car break down more. He was using those tools to repair the car and to make it run better. That is what God is doing every time I go through trials or suffering. He is helping me to run the race to the end better.
Right now, I have another infection. Sinus, bronchitis? I don’t know what I have right now but I know I am using my inhalers, nebulizer and other OTC meds until I can be checked by the doctor on Monday and hopefully get the antibiotics I need to fight it off. Meanwhile, I am a little discouraged, just to be honest. I was giving thanks that I had made it through the month of October without getting sick and then…bam! Sneezing, coughing and wheezing. Not fun, but it’s part of my life since I was born with asthma. Can God heal me? Yes, I know He can. But that doesn’t seem to be His plan for me. Like Paul with his thorn, I just have to accept it and do the best I can living with it.
Meanwhile, I am praying that I will learn what God wants me to learn and be a good witness to others about His faithfulness and loving care. The tools He uses are to make me a better person, not to destroy me. I truly believe that, and I hope that you do, too.
From YouVersion Devotional, “In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake”, Day 2
There is one thing we don’t want you to miss. We want to encourage you that our deepest hurt is also where our greatest hope emerges. While we experience pain and loss, those circumstances are also the fertile soil for new beginnings. For new life. For a new day.
Accepting hurt never means you are over the hurt. It means you’ve come to grips that this reality really is yours. It’s your boat. Your lake. You’re coming to terms with the fact that, with every death, there is new life.
This is one of the things that is so beautiful about this short and sad book of Lamentations. Right in the middle of the hurt and pain there is the promise of new life. Like a protest to the pain, there is this proclamation of God’s goodness and the newness of life in him.
We know it might seem impossible to envision right now. We know there may be things we’ve lost that we’ll never get back. But biblical hope enables us to see differently. To see our pain, feel it, but not be consumed by it. To see through it and see God’s purpose for it.
Hope reminds us that our current reality is not our final reality.
“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope,” the writer of Lamentations says. This reality, this season, these circumstances, this hurt will not last forever. It doesn’t have to last forever. God wants to give you hope. His hope.
Here’s the good news. Even Jesus experienced pain; he entered pain for us and felt the weight of our pain in a way that we will never know. He lamented, cried, questioned, and even asked God to change the plan.
“Abba Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).
Jesus accepted the pain and endured it. He was crucified for us. But he was also raised to new life for us. There was glory in the pain and glory on the other side of the pain.
There can be the same for you. Today. Right here, right now. It’s okay to not be okay.
My Thoughts
I am always thankful that my current situation is not my final reality. It’s not that my current situation is awful or anything. It’s just not what I really want in my life. I would like to be closer to children and grandchildren, but I am thankful that I get to visit them or they visit me. I would like so many repairs done around our old house, but I am thankful for the shelter it provides and the warmth and comfort I find here. I find myself looking back in my life and all I have been through and knowing that, without a doubt, God was right there beside me in that rocking boat or walking in the wilderness. A childhood that was not ideal. God was there, even though I didn’t recognize it at the time. A marriage that was rocky at times. God was right there, and during those times, I knew it and prayed to Him for resolution and reconciliation. A stroke that could have taken my life…God was there and I was praying to Him, even though I could not speak aloud. I am still learning the lesson that my timing is not God’s. It does no good for me to point to my watch or my gray hair, explaining to God that the time is short and He needs to act faster. He acts according to His timetable and His timing is always perfect. I may not understand it, but I can trust in His love for me. I am thankful that whatever happens, the final reality of my life will be so much better than I can ever imagine!
Here is my prayer for each of you today. God bless you in your current circumstances and help you hold onto the hope that wherever you are is not your final reality.
The word “cancer” rattled around my brain like a pinball bouncing back and forth, looking for a place to land. A place to register. And then it dropped. Sinking into my heart. Shredding everything in its path.
As much as comfort can be our friend, it can also be our enemy. Have you ever been just fine where you are? Your health is good. You have plenty of money in the bank. Your job is secure. All of your kids are healthy. Life makes sense. God is behaving like he should, or at least like you think he should. And then Jesus says, “Follow me. You’ve learned enough by the lake. Let’s go in the lake.”
This is exactly what Mark records Jesus doing with his first disciples. Jesus shifts his location as he shifts his lesson.
The disciples found themselves in water instead of by water. It was getting dark. Evening was coming. And where there is water, there are also waves. Before long, these waves were threatening the very lives of these young followers of Jesus.
But if not for the storm, they would never discover the goodness and power and faithfulness of the God who was with them. Without fear, they would never know faith. Without hurt, they would never know hope.
It’s no wonder Mark records that Jesus was the only one unmoved by the storm. The chaos of the water and storm were no threat to Jesus. In fact, he was in the stern of the boat, sleeping on a cushion. At rest. This was going to be a lesson not for Jesus but for the disciples. And for us.
We need water to grow. And some lessons we can learn only in the midst of chaos, not in a classroom. And no matter how we get there, we can trust the God who meets us in our storm
(From You Version Devotional, “In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake”, emphasis added by me)
My Thoughts
I really needed to start a new devotional, and this one was recommended to me. I really like that the underlying theme is trusting God in the midst of difficult circumstances.
On Tuesday, I was in the waves, the wind was getting stronger and the waves threatened to overcome me. But I contacted my neurologist, the one who is faithful and dedicated and told him my fears about my Doppler scan and asked what I should do about it. He has called me before as late as 9:00 p.m., just to check on me or to reassure me. Last night, Dr. Smith called at 7:30 and told me not to worry. He read the scan and my blockage is there but it is mild. He said “mild” is considered 10-50%, but he also told me that he compared this year’s scan to last year’s and this year’s is actually better. No change in medicine or routine and no surgery! It was like Jesus speaking, “Why did you doubt? Peace, be still!”
I doubted because of my humanity. I am ready to meet the Lord, but I am not ready to go yet, so hearing that I could possibly have another massive stroke was scary for me. There is so much more I want to do, more people to talk to, more relationships to work on. I know that God’s timing is perfect, but is anyone really ready to die? When I do pass away, I don’t want to linger. I want to just go, and I have prayed to God about that. Whatever happens, I do have confidence that God will take care of all of the details in my best interest and with the love He has constantly shown me.
I am hopeful that this experience will help me remember how trustworthy God is, even when the winds come up and threaten to topple my boat. I am still discovering more of God’s power, faithfulness and the hope that He wants me to have in Him. I am taking small steps, but they are in the right direction.
There Was Jesus: On the Mountain and In the Valleys (YouVersion Devotional, “There Was Jesus”)
Sometimes, I don’t know what’s harder to remember: to praise Him in the hard times or to praise Him in the good times. He’s with us during both and every time in between. Remember the last time you had a really great day? Did you recognize Jesus with you that day? Were you mindful of His presence? Did you thank Him for that good day? It’s not often that I remember that He is with me when I have a good day, probably because things feel under control.
Just like in yesterday’s scriptures, trusting that God is with us in difficult times poses its own set of challenges, but as there are scriptures to remind us He is with us during the rough times, there are scriptures to remind us He is with us during the good times too.
James 5:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”
It doesn’t say to sing praise only when times are bad or only when times are good.
My prayer is that we can always look around and recognize His presence at all times; good and bad, on the mountain and in the valleys. 1 Chronicles 16:11 tells us to “seek His presence continually.” I invite you to do an exercise with me right now: take a look around and thank God for existing in this place and in this time right now. You may not feel anything; you may not see anything, but trust that He’s there with you right now.
‘Every minute, every moment
Of where I been and where I’m going
Even when I didn’t know it
Or couldn’t see it
There was Jesus.’
My Thoughts
Usually, my life, and probably yours, too, goes in cycles. I’m on a mountaintop and then in a valley (or traveling between the two). Yesterday started to be a regular day for me with an appointment for a Doppler test at my neurologist’s office. My husband was driving, and suddenly (like really fast), the car in front of us braked and Harry had to brake quickly. Praise God for looking out for us! We didn’t hit the car in front of us and the car behind us didn’t smash into us, either. I thought about my verses for this week in Psalm 121:7-8 that remind me that God “keeps me in my going out and coming in.” We continued on our journey and a car darted out of a side road, right in front of us. It was like he didn’t see us or was daring us to hit him or something. Once again, Harry employed a hard brake and I was thankful for God’s calming presence. Yesterday’s trip was like trying not to play “bumper cars” on the roads to the hospital.
Then, I had my Doppler. The technician that does the test has been doing them annually for me for the last nine years, so I am acquainted with him but he has never really been talkative. I decided that was just his personality and just followed his instructions. But yesterday, he was talkative and said more than, “Lie down on the table, please.” He asked if I could get on the table and would I be okay there for a few minutes on my back. Then he chatted with me a little as the test proceeded. At the end of the test, which took less than fifteen minutes, he told me that he saw a little blockage in my carotid and hoped it didn’t get any worse. Well, for someone who has had a stroke, a blockage of any kind is not good news, to say the least. I told him that I would be praying about it, he walked me to the exit and I was done.
So, was all this a mountain or a valley? I honestly don’t know. I felt God with me in the car as we avoided accidents that could have been the result of driver error (the other drivers). I felt God with me when I was with the technician, soothing me to be okay on a hard table with a bad back. And when the technician told me I have a little blockage, I focused on the word “little” instead of the blockage. I knew right away that was something I would need to be praying about in order to achieve peace about it.
Regardless, I knew that God was right there with me. He tells me in His Word that He won’t leave me and that He would keep me as I traveled, and He did, He does, and He will. I contacted my neurologist to ask what the plan is now that my Doppler has been done and I expect to hear from him in a couple of days. Whatever the plan is, God will be beside me.
How many times have I said that to myself after something happens or after a lesson I’ve learned? Many times. When things feel chaotic, uncertain or scary, we often act on impulse in the hope of controlling a situation; we can lash out, run away or do any number of things in the midst of a crisis. That’s very normal but it can result in some sad things. We live in a skeptical world and it feels like lately, it’s harder and harder to feel Jesus’ presence. Jesus is with us at all times, even in the moments where we can’t blatantly see His work. Oftentimes, when we come out on the other side of a crisis, we look back and see that Jesus was with us the whole time, and that He used the situation for His good — that’s a ‘Hindsight is 20/20” moment. We need to start trusting and believing that Jesus is with us while experiencing something chaotic, uncertain or scary. We can remind ourselves that Jesus is with us by looking at His Word. Joshua 1:9 tells us to be “strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Another way to feel His presence is to give thanks. When everything is crashing around us, that is really, really hard. With every inhale and exhale we take, we have something to give thanks for — breath in our lungs — so cling to that when you can’t see Jesus working in a moment to be reminded He’s with you.
My Thoughts
I don’t know about you, but my tendency when the going gets rough is to hide away, cry, read and sometimes argue with God about the circumstances. I am learning to sit still, read my Bible, recall Scriptures that I have memorized and use those verses to remind myself that Jesus is right there with me. We aren’t Thomas the disciple who doubted until He actually saw Jesus. If we look, we can see Him working in our lives every day. It’s just that we get so busy that we don’t take time to look. And then when a crisis comes, we try to handle things ourselves first and then, in utter desperation, we turn to God. I am trying to train myself to turn to God first. Medical issues? Talk to God. Scary things I have to do? Talk to God. Lonely and missing my children? Talk to God.
My memory verse for this week is helping me to remember that Jesus gave us a Helper, one who reminds us of His teachings and His presence with us.
I was challenged by our Sunday school teacher to start memorizing a verse a week. I am on week 5, and so far, so good. My first reaction was that I am too old to put anything else into my brain. I mean, I go into the kitchen and have to look around to try to remember why I’m there. But, the Caleb, our teacher, encouraged us, and the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and told me He would help me. And He has! I found that I can put my verses on a notecard and take them with me as we travel to our various appointments. I say them first thing in the morning and last thing before bed at night. And since I am a visual learner, writing the verses out several times helps, as well as having the verse with an image as portrayed here.
I say all of that about memory verses to let you know that these verses are helping me to remember to stay calm and focused on God. I don’t like change, of any kind, at all, ever! So, yesterday, when appointments had to be shuffled, my physical response was to have a soaring blood pressure. Then, I paused, did some nice deep breathing and focused on God. I told myself that God was with me and recited some of my verses. My heart stopped pounding and slowly my head stopped hurting, too. All good news for a stroke survivor! And a reason to be thankful, which I agree is a way to stay focused on God and His power in your life.
If you need help with staying focused on the Lord, I strongly recommend memorizing Scriptures. God’s Word is a constant source of strength, even when the world seems to be spinning the wrong way.
There Was Jesus: In the Waiting (You Version Devotional, “There Was Jesus” by Zach Williams)
One of the things we all can agree on is that, as a culture, we’re not good at waiting; we’ve invented so many ways to get out of waiting in lines, waiting on food to cook and waiting for paint to dry. I’ll admit, I’ve been conditioned to expect things quickly and right when I ask. When I read a verse like Isaiah 40:31, where it lists out the wonderful things that can happen when we wait on God, it’s challenging to follow through, especially when times are tough. I believe our impatience comes from our need to remain in control. It’s scary and goes against what we naturally want to do in most situations; hold tight and only trust ourselves. God has given us guidance on the best way to live, and sometimes, the best way to allow God to have control of a situation is to wait on Him. It requires existing in a space that feels unknown, trusting in His process, and believing that He has a plan for our lives. Easier said than done, right? What should we be doing during the waiting? Romans 12:12 tells us to be “constant in prayer.” While we’re waiting on God’s timing, prayer helps connect us to Him and helps us to focus our faith. Ephesians 4:2 tells us that we should spend our time loving others, being gentle with each other, and to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” Basically, God has asked us to trust Him with the timing, but to walk along with Him in the meantime.
Waiting on God doesn’t mean we’re separated from Him. He’s always right alongside us. Exodus 14:14 tells us, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” He’s fighting for us and with us in the waiting and the searching, every minute and every moment.
My Thoughts
I don’t know about you, but waiting is hard for me. I am not so much “in an instant”as in my own timing. I don’t like to wait because, as the author of the devotional wrote, it means I have to relinquish my control over something. Change and waiting throws me, every time. I try to be in prayer and wait, but I get anxious, and my blood pressure soars. I try not to be anxious, but that doesn’t work because in trying not be anxious, I get more anxious. It’s like I am on a Ferris wheel, stuck on the top and unable to get off or to make the thing move and get me back down to the ground. So, I am working on learning to calm my thoughts and think about Jesus walking beside me, or even sitting in that Ferris wheel next to me, holding my hand and asking me to tell Him about my day. I’m glad that He is patiently still working on me.
This morning, I got up early and got ready for my appointment with my neurologist. Every year since my stroke, I have to go in to get a Doppler on my carotid artery. The procedure isn’t painful so it’s not a big deal. That is, until an hour and a half before I am supposed to leave, the doctor’s office calls, says there is a problem with today’s schedule and wants me to come in tomorrow. You would think that I would roll with the punches, as they say, just write down the new time and move on. Well, instead, I had to juggle another appointment to take my car in for brake work and there were two changes to the schedule this week already. Not bad, right? Unless you have my body and my mind which has its own way of dealing with change and waiting…my blood pressure soared and I had to take my extra pill that is only for such occasions as this. As my husband says, I am not conditioned for change because change in my home growing up meant my mom would get angry and I would be the target. I have basically spent my whole life trying to avoid change, but then along comes God who wants me to get accustomed to it so He can teach me that change is not a bad thing. I am now putting myself into His capable and loving hands and praying for my BP to regulate so my head will stop pounding. I am doing my deep breathing exercises and reading my Bible while I also pray. There is no magic formula for me to de-stress when change happens, but believe it or not, I am getting better at accepting the waiting part of change. My body still reacts physically, but my heart is calmer, knowing that the Lord is right beside me. He is waiting, too, for me to be calm enough to listen. So, appointment tomorrow…no problem! Car on Wednesday, not a big deal. God’s got this and me, in His hands and He is molding me to be more like him. After all, that is what I have been praying for. And if this change and waiting stuff is what it takes, then I am ready to fight that stress battle with the Lord holding my hand and speaking in my ear!
Cultivate What Matters Most (You Version Bible App, Daily Devotional, 11-09-24)
Imagine putting on shirts of compassion, patience and forgiveness. That might seem ridiculous, but Colossians 3:12 tells us to “clothe ourselves” in traits that match our identity in Christ. In other words, we need to cover ourselves in actions and attitudes that result in us looking more like Jesus every day.
So, how do we do this? One way to get started is by thinking of the struggles that keep you from living more like Jesus, and then start to replace them with their opposite action.
If your communication leans sarcastic and cutting, choose to say something kind instead.
If you tend to come across as harsh, choose to do something that requires gentleness.
If you’re holding a grudge, choose to extend forgiveness.
As you go about doing that, choose to take part in activities that build you up spiritually. This could look like connecting with friends who will keep you accountable, memorizing Scripture that you can apply to your life, or cultivating compassion by serving in your community. The more you intentionally pursue actions that lead to humility, compassion, and kindness, the more those traits will become a natural part of your life.
And as you pursue the qualities mentioned in Colossians 3:12, the changes this produces will be most evident in the way you treat other people. The apostle John said that we can’t claim to love Jesus if we hate each other (1 John 4:20), so a life that reflects Jesus is going to embody love. And according to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, love is “patient and kind. … It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. … Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
A life marked by God’s love is going to display the very things the apostle Paul talks about in Colossians 3:12.
So if we want to live like Jesus, then we need to receive the new life He’s given to us and accept His unconditional love. Only then can we begin to reflect His love to others by showing people compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
My Thoughts
Now is not the time to run around and brag about the victory of your favorite candidate. Now is the time to be kind and patient and tender-hearted. I remember how depressed and anxious I felt four years ago when Biden was elected. I was dismayed and in total denial. Now, I can apply that to family members and friends who supported Harris. They need to vent, and I need to be willing to listen. Pointing out the ungodly policies of their candidate will not help them. They are afraid because the MSM told them that Trump will destroy everything. So, instead of using words to point out facts, words that they cannot hear right now, I am choosing to be kind and compassionate and just listen. If they have a question, I will answer without being snarky. I want to show them the kindness that I would want shown to me if the other candidate had won.
This verse is perfect for right now and for every day. I am retired so my choice of attire in the mornings after I shower is warm pj’s or cool ones, depending on the weather. Sometimes, on appointment or meeting days, I even get dressed. But my outward appearance isn’t what matters to other people or to God. They want to see how I will treat them, even if they believe differently than I do. If we want to be like Jesus, we have to be willing to meet people right where they are and to just listen to what they need from us. Sometimes, it’s just kindness and compassionate understanding. Sometimes, we are called to act, like providing a person breakfast or a hot drink. Whatever we can do to be more like Jesus, then we need to choose to do it. It may not be comfortable for us like wearing pj’s all day, but stepping out and helping others know that Jesus is real and loves them is our mission in life. There is nothing more important that showing someone you love them so that they, in turn, can believe in the love of Jesus.
Selfish to Selfless (YouVersion Bible App, Daily Devotional, 11-08-24)
Our default setting is selfishness.
Don’t believe it? Try hanging out with a toddler for a day.
Toddlers want what they want, and they want it now. Toddlers will fight (and sometimes bite) to maintain dominion over their prized possessions. Toddlers have little concern for schedules, agendas, or perfectly white walls.
The good news about toddlers—and people in general—is that they have the capacity to change into selfless people as they grow. But, if toddlers aren’t lovingly redirected and taught how to consider others, that selfishness will continue.
So if we’re naturally self-centered humans, how do we train our minds not to default to selfishness?
The Bible encourages us to model our lives after Jesus…
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…” Philippians 2:3-5 NIV
Jesus didn’t leverage His authority for personal advantage—power, pleasure, control, or comfort—but took on the nature of a servant.
Jesus spent His time investing in others. Jesus focused His attention on helping others. Jesus gave up His own life for others.
If you find yourself becoming self-obsessed, self-indulgent, or even a little self-righteous, consider asking God for His help.
Ask Him to help you see people the way He does.
Ask Him to use any knowledge you gain to love Him and serve others.
Ask Him to put opportunities in your path to lead others toward Him. The Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and relationships with other believers are what refines our hearts. And with God’s help, we can change our tendency from living selfishly into living selflessly.
My Thoughts
I thought that when the election was over, things would calm down, but apparently, there are some hard feelings in my family over the fact that I would dare to vote for Trump. Anyway, there is a division brewing and I am heartbroken over the harsh words that are being directed towards me. Nevertheless, I feel as if I can continue to value others as friends and family members, in spite of our differences. And I covet your prayers during this hard time. I want to show others that I value their friendship and our relationship and that politics is not the most important thing in my life. God is! And that is why I voted the way I did. I had to choose the candidate who most represented Biblical truths…not perfectly, but better than the one who thinks abortion and transgenderism are values to be touted. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. We could all do to read and heed this verse daily. It reminds me that He is everything and without Him, I am nothing.
Present Your Requests to God (YouVersion Bible App, Max Lucado: “Anxious for Nothing”
In Luke 18:1–8, Jesus told a parable about a persistent widow who went before an unjust judge. The woman so pestered the judge that he finally agreed to her request just to get her to go away. Jesus ended the parable by saying, “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” (verse 8 NIV).
What are you to make of this parable? Is God a reluctant judge? Are you the marginalized widow? Is prayer a matter of pestering God until he breaks down and gives you what you want? No, this is a parable of contrast, not comparison. God is not like the judge in the story. He is not reluctant in answering the prayers of his people. As a child of the King, you can turn to him at any moment. He never places you on hold or tells you to call again later. God loves the sound of your voice. Always. He doesn’t hide when you call. He hears your prayers.
But why present your requests to him at all? What’s the purpose when he already knows what you are going to ask? Prayer is actually for your benefit. It allows you to act in faith on what you know about his character. When you pray in specific ways—for the particulars of your problems—and you see God respond in specific ways, your faith grows. You come to trust that God will always be there for you, even in the midst of the most anxiety-producing moments.
Prayer is simply a conversation with your heavenly Father. You place your anxieties in his hands and remind him—and yourself—of the promises he has made in his Word. You find a promise that fits your problem and build your prayer around it. These prayers of faith touch the heart of God and activate the angels of heaven. Miracles are set into motion. You experience less consternation; more supplication. Fewer anxious thoughts, more prayer-filled thoughts.
Thanksgiving is the means God uses to help you take the focus off yourself and onto him. Gratitude is a powerful weapon in the arsenal against anxiety because it leads you out of the land “if only” and into the realm of “already.” The anxious heart says, “Lord, if only I had this, that, or the other, I’d be okay.” The grateful heart says, “Lord, you’ve already given me this, that, and the other thing. Thank you for your blessings, God.”
Christ-based contentment will turn you into a strong person. It helps you realize that since no one can take your Christ, no one can take your joy. Failure can’t steal your joy, because Jesus is greater than your sin. Disappointments can’t steal your joy, because even though your plans may not work out, God’s plans always will. Not even death can steal your joy, because Jesus has even conquered death itself.
What you have in Christ is greater than anything you don’t have. You have God, who is crazy about you, and the forces of heaven to monitor and protect you. You have the living presence of Jesus within you. In Christ you have everything. So anchor your heart to the character of God. Treat each anxious thought with a grateful one, and prepare yourself for a new day of joy.
Respond
Do you ever feel like you are pestering God when you pray? How does knowing God is eager to hear from you affect your desire to talk to him?
What attitude do you tend to have when you pray? How would your prayers change if you focused on what God has already done in your life?
What anxious thoughts will you pray for specifically today? How will you remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in the past as you pray specifically for these needs?
My Thoughts
One of the pages that I follow on Facebook is called “Cowboyisms.” Yes, there are horses, cowboys and gorgeous sunsets. But I follow the page because there is a lot of godly wisdom on the graphics the participants post. One such post was this morning, and it said, “You don’t pray to inform God. You pray to involve God.” Isn’t that the truth? God already knows all that we are going through, so we don’t tell Him what is going on in our lives because He needs information. We are telling Him so that we are asking Him to get intimately involved in the circumstances of our life.
I really like what today’s devotional has to say about being in the realm of “already.” When we take time to recognize what God has already done for us, then our faith increases and our doubt flees.
Whenever my husband goes out to run errands, as soon as he comes into the house again, I am eager to share what has happened in the few hours he has been gone. I want to tell him about what I read in the Bible, what I heard from my news blurbs online and any interesting blogs I read that day. I want to tell him about phone calls and prayer requests that I am praying for. You see, he actually wasn’t there when I was going through these events.
But God was…He is always there! So, when I tell Him about my day and the things I am grateful for and the help that I need from Him, He already knows. But as my loving Father, He wants me to set aside time just to talk to Him, to have the relationship with Him that strengthens me for my day. That is what my prayers with God are like. It’s not a sonorous pulpit-like prayer, but rather a conversation with the One who knows me best and loves me most. I don’t want to sound sacrilegious, but I talk to God as I would talk to my husband who just walked into the door and is interested in what has been happening. God, who is always there, wants to know what is on my heart and mind and takes the time to listen. And, I have found, if I will sit quietly, He will also respond with words that I need to hear, mostly from His Word but sometimes timely words of advice just for me in a given situation. Talking to God relieves my anxiety and helps me recall all that He has already done for me.
Do you talk to God daily? I talk to Him all day long…prayer in the morning and then I just keep the conversation going as I seek His wisdom and His input on current issues. He never shuts the door in my face or tells me He’s just too busy to listen right now, that I should come back later. I call His name and I am assured that He is listening and ready to be there for me, whatever I need. If I need to vent because I am angry about something, He listens and calms me down. If I need to cry because I am sad, He listens, without judging that the thing I am upset about is a small thing. I am so thankful that He is always ready to hear me when I call out to Him, He is never impatient with me, and He always has an answer for me. No, the answer may not come right away, but I know, because I know Him, that He is working on solutions that are best for me and others, and the answer will come at just the right time.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 