Blessings in disguise often take time to unfold; perhaps you have experienced this firsthand. When the Lord brings a blessing out of a difficult situation, it is like turning the light on in a dark room. After our oldest daughter spent nine weeks in seventh grade, we realized her school was negatively affecting her and …
Keep us from temptation is part of the Lord’s prayer because the Lord knows our weaknesses. We can better resist temptation when it is far from us. Adam and Eve fell into sin because they relied on their strength and became easily manipulated by satan. Instead of staying away from the tree, they were not …
Do you have a desire to be compassionate? Is the Lord prompting you to grow in compassion for others? If we are honest, I believe this is God’s desire for all of us. “Compassion is a deep awareness of and sympathy for another’s suffering. Jesus is the model of compassion.”[1] No matter your past, the …
Jesus gives grace to believers, but what about those who don’t have faith? The Bible tells us those people will be separated from the Lord in eternity because they have not accepted the free gift of salvation. Jesus’ last words on the cross were, “It is finished.” What was finished? His sacrifice was payment for …
Is hope in failure possible? Failure can be an unpleasant experience but also a time of learning. Failure in a positive way can be humbling and leads to being more teachable. Sometimes, we won’t listen to anyone because we are prideful and think we know better. When failure comes, we begin to realize we were …
Lord, forgive me are the words of a repentant sinner who releases a great weight like setting down a heavy backpack. I remember hiking in the Rocky Mountains; my pack seemed more burdensome over time. It would have been easier if I had dressed like a distance runner with lightweight clothes and shoes. Unfortunately, when …
Praying, “Lord, help me in my shame,” is humbling. Merriam-Webster defines shame as a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcomings, or impropriety.[1] Guilt results from knowing we have done something wrong, but shame tells us we are wrong. When shamed, we think we are not worthy and have trouble accepting forgiveness. Andrew Comiskey …
Building up others is a gift to those around us. People who build us up are significant along our journey because they are interested in us when others may not be. A parent or other influential person’s words can shape and mold us in ways that are hard to quantify. Encouragers inspire us when we …
Are you listening to the right voice? People from Jerusalem had been exiled to Babylon and had compounded their problems by listening to the wrong voices. Jeremiah, a prophet still in Jerusalem, sent a letter to these refugees to make them aware of the false prophets. In this letter, found in Jeremiah 29, he gives …
Are you teachable? What does that mean? Miriam-Webster defines it as “capable of being taught, apt and willing to learn.”[1] In this age of technology, many older people have adapted and learned to use cell phones and computers, while others refuse even to try. We can easily understand the concept of being teachable as it …