Have you ever believed the lie that your sin was too great for God to forgive? Sadly, I spent years feeling unworthy and unable to accept His forgiveness. It didn’t feel right or fair. It seemed too good to be true. Yet, my friend, that is the lie the enemy would have us believe.
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. “ 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NIV) Have you ever felt shattered by life, as if nothing could…
Do you remember the wonder of discovering Jesus for the very first time? Every word of the Lord sparkled, every prayer came alive, and we felt delight simply by being in His presence. As a result, we approached Him and worshiped with wide-eyed curiosity, amazed at all that He revealed to us.
Have you ever been tempted to share how you’ve been offended? It’s easy to think that if we make the other person look bad for his or her mistake or sin, then we will feel better.
Do you ever feel like there are not enough hours in the day? Like, no matter what you do, there’s never enough time to get it all done? Some nights I go to bed feeling harried and exhausted. I wonder where the hours went and why I accomplished so little. I pray and ask God’s forgiveness for not spending more time in His Word or in prayer.
This afternoon, while babysitting my grandson, I took him up to his room for his nap. Usually, he snuggles up against my chest and allows me to sing and rock him to sleep. But today, he reared back his little head, began crying, and flailing his arms. I tried to soothe him, saying, “I know you are tired, little guy. But you will feel happier and more peaceful if you rest.” Don’t worry, we can play again when you wake up.” As I said the words, I heard God’s Spirit whisper, “Sometimes you act just like a toddler fighting rest.” I had to laugh because it was true.
Does reading about the Proverbs 31 Woman make you cringe a little? She is strong, wise, kind, fearless, and everything I used to struggle to believe about myself. Instead of feeling encouraged, I felt inadequate. I wondered how this picture of godly womanhood could apply to someone like me.
Have you ever read one of God’s promises and felt a quiet ache inside? You hold onto that promise with hope, yet wonder why it has not come true in your life. Perhaps you have begun to wonder whether God sees your pain or whether His promises truly apply to you. You read about healing, comfort, peace, and joy, but your heart still feels heavy and uncertain.
Growing up, I was never a fan of classical music. This might be because my stepfather played Handel’s Messiah every Christmas at an ear-splitting level. To clarify, I didn’t mind the words or message, just the type of singing, and the fact that he blasted it so loud. To this day, I can still hear the words “For unto us a Child is born…Wonderful, Counselor” echoing in my brain at full volume.
“The ‘golden hour’, what’s that?” I asked the young woman with the camera. She smiled at me and said, “You’ll see; just watch.” So, I wearily sat on a rock and stared at the lake while I waited for my husband to return from fishing. It was nearing the end of a long, hot day, and I felt lightheaded and shaky. I’d recently been enduring a series of difficult days, in and out of the hospital, due to poor health. That’s why we took this day trip to the lake. We needed a break. However, I hadn’t felt well enough to enjoy it.
