You see, we are called to love, not to be perfect. As Paul explained, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to work through our weaknesses and imperfections. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV)
Why are hugs so magical? Sometimes, all we need is a hug to melt away all our stress, make us feel safe, calm the storms raging in our minds, and reassure us everything will be okay. When life gets tough, we need a warm embrace—not words, not advice, just a hug to make us feel better. Why? Hugs let us know we matter and are loved.
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but…
Have you ever woken up from a bad dream that left you unable to sleep? Perhaps our bad dreams are more than our imagination. Maybe the enemy is hurling lies and insults at our subconscious mind.
I will never understand why God chose to do things the way He did. However, I learned that only pain and isolation come from blaming God and oneself. So, from now on I choose to seek God, rather than seek blame. I choose to trust God knows more than I can see or understand.
Sometimes, I wonder how God could ever use me. I have a sinful past. And even though I am a Christian now, I still make mistakes. I’m an average woman, wife, and mom. I am not a public speaker. I don’t have any formal writing or Biblical training. “Who am I to think I could help further God’s kingdom?”
Sometimes, God’s ways don’t make sense to us. The Bible teaches us to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, and the last will be first and the first last. Have you ever thought, “But this seems backward?”
Have you ever messed up and felt unforgivable? Sadly, I have. When my daughter was twelve, I walked into the house with my arms full of groceries and tripped over her backpack, nearly falling. Rather than simply asking her to put it away, I lost my temper and barked at her about being more respectful. As the words flew from my mouth, I noticed the new friend she’d invited over and the look of horror on her face, and I was reminded of David when he wrote Psalm 34.
Whenever I’ve made mistakes, I’ve felt unworthy of God’s love and wanted to run from Him due to my shame. But when I read Psalm 34, I find genuine encouragement because it demonstrates God’s grace. It shows God is with us, helping, healing, and delivering us even when we are at our worst. All that is needed is a humble, repentant heart seeking God.
So, how do we know when to be silent or speak? I believe the answer is to pause. Pausing keeps us from rushing in with a reprimand and enables us to be helpful rather than hurtful. It allows us to choose our words carefully and reveal God’s truth.
Is there a difference between knowing who God says you are and acting like that person? I once thought there must be some magical way to get God’s truth of my identity from my head to my heart. There must be a trick to actually “receiving” His gift of love and feeling the freedom His word promises.
