Yesterday, I stood in church singing songs of praise with tears streaming down my face. As I sang words of praise, I also silently pleaded yet again for God to miraculously heal my stepmom from her cancer and to free her from her pain. Finally, I told God that no matter what, I would surrender to His will and plan for our lives.
Sometimes life beats us down with its relentless responsibilities and daily routines. The constant pull on our time and energy leaves us not only physically exhausted but emotionally weary. The weight of everything crushes us, body and soul. It can feel as if we are standing in a sun-scorched land. The endless to-do lists and mounting pressures sear us like relentless heat. The pace is unyielding, and the heaviness threatens to suffocate our very souls.
When I read this verse in my quiet time, “Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14, NIV), I thought, “Ah, so Jesus wasn’t the only one instructing us to love.” But then the Holy Spirit whispered to me, “No, this is subtly different.”
“Not all wounds bleed. Some come in the form of words spoken long ago, planted like seeds that took root in our hearts, growing into insecurity, fear, or shame.
Dear one, if you’ve ever carried the weight of painful words spoken over you, take heart. There is good news. God’s Word reminds us that those seeds do not have to define who we are. Through His truth, we can uproot them and plant new seeds of hope, courage, and love.
What leaks out of you when you’re under pressure? This morning, I saw this question in a social media post and immediately felt God’s conviction. Just two days ago, I found myself standing in the kitchen yelling at my husband over something small and ridiculous. Within minutes, I was crying, hugging him, and asking for his forgiveness. Afterwards, I told him I wasn’t even sure why I got so angry or upset. I had all these feelings, and they burst out of me like a volcano.
“Grr.. this computer is glitching and frozen again!” I cried in frustration. Yep, we’ve all been there. And if you call tech support or ask a computer-savvy friend for help, what’s the first thing they will ask you? “Did you unplug and restart it?” In her book, Almost Everything: Notes on Hope, Anne Lamott says, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes…including you.” When the worries of the world weigh us down, God can bring rest for our souls if we unplug, rest, and allow Him to recharge us.
Have you ever felt that God has turned His back on you? Maybe you’re walking through excruciating pain and loss, and it seems like He’s nowhere to be found. Perhaps you’ve made mistakes and run from Him in guilt or fear. Or maybe you’ve followed the world’s ways and turned your back on God, and now you feel certain He must have done the same to you. But friend, no matter how it feels—God is never far.
Recently, a couple of my followers commented on my social media posts, saying they disagree with what I wrote because God has abandoned them. It broke my heart to hear they genuinely believed this. I have tried to reply and…
Eight little letters, yet such a powerful word—forgiven. And friend, forgiveness is freedom.
What comes to mind when you hear that word? Relief? Gratitude? Maybe even disbelief that it could truly apply to you?
For me, forgiveness was everything. More than the promise of heaven one day, it was the lifting of the heavy weight of guilt and shame I had carried for years. I knew I was a mess. I knew I didn’t deserve it. And truthfully, I still don’t, because even on my best days, I fall short.
Life has a way of reminding you that you are not in control. At any moment, all your well-thought-out plans can crash around you in an instant. Just like a surfer, one minute you are riding the waves of life. The next thing you know, you are thrashing around under the water, fearing you will drown.
