“Today, I will begin a program to internalize God’s Word and hide it in my heart. Lord, give me a passion for Your Word like believers in Vietnam.”
Promise #159
I made you holy by the once for all sacrifice of My Son, Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 10:10 (WEB)
by which will we have been sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
I love the finality of this promise. We are made holy by the once and for all sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. The price He paid two thousand years ago covers our past sins, our present sins and our future sins. There is nothing else that needs to be paid or could be paid. As Jesus cried out on the cross, “It is finished!”
Hallelujah for such a promise! Our sanctification is secure for all eternity because of the finished work of our elder brother, Jesus Christ! As Paul says in Romans 8:1, there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus! What a glorious promise.
Sometimes it is easy for us to vacillate between living in the forgiveness that God has already given us and feeling guilt and shame. The blood of Jesus has settled this issue once and for all! All we need to do is simply accept this free gift and walk in the assurance that we could never add anything to the amazing, extravagant gift that God the Father has already given us.
When I think of the permanence of Jesus’ sacrifice, and how my redemption and sanctification has been secured for eternity, it brings me into a reassuring peace and rest knowing that when God looks at me, He doesn’t see all my sin and my shortcomings. …He sees me through the once and for all finished sacrifice of the spotless Lamb of God. What good news!
TRUSTING GOD DAY BY DAY
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What Is Loving My Neighbor Supposed to Look Like? DR. DERWIN L. GRAY Lee en español |
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (NIV)
Do you ever feel like the injustice, intimidation and violence in our world will never stop? Jesus’ world was not that much different from ours. The Roman Empire was not merciful either.
Even the Jewish leaders had serious issues with mercy too. So the common people were caught between the merciless, oppressive Roman Empire and the merciless, compromised religious establishment.
So mercy Himself came to show us a better way to be human. Jesus knew we could never give mercy until we experienced divine mercy. If you do not possess it, you cannot give it away. Jesus, the One who is the endless fountain of mercy, was sent to earth so humanity could come and drink the life-giving waters of His mercy.
As He extended mercy, Jesus also taught us how to be merciful. In Matthew 5:7, He said “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
According to Jesus, merciful people love their neighbors. But this isn’t a sentimental love; this is a kind of mercy that looks like the cross of Jesus.
Jesus told a story about an unlikely neighbor who displayed mercy to an unlikely recipient. We know it now as the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus pointed out that as a man lay on the side of the road, clinging to life, a Jewish priest and a Levite came down from Jerusalem, saw him, and didn’t offer to help.
The equivalent in our culture would be going to Sunday worship and hearing the preaching of the gospel, singing songs, receiving the Lord’s Supper, fellowshipping and baptizing new believers and then walking right past a person in dire need. Yet we are guilty of doing exactly that!
What we miss is that our relationship with God should always cause us to extend mercy to our neighbors in need. Love is not walking past pain. Love is when mercy meets human pain and suffering.
What Jesus says next would have floored His Jewish audience. He informs them that a hated Samaritan, an enemy of the Jewish people, was journeying on the same road. He saw the beaten, bloodied Jewish man and had compassion for him.
The Samaritan teaches us a lot about mercy.
First, mercy isn’t afraid to touch human suffering. The Samaritan didn’t avoid the bloodied, beaten man. Rather, he entered his suffering, resulting from sin that was perpetrated against him.
Second, mercy isn’t afraid to cross ethnic, cultural and religious barriers. The very thought of a Samaritan being the hero of the story would have insulted Jewish hearers as there was a great deal of fear and suspicion between the groups. Just like in today’s world, a lack of proximity to each other created fear and distrust.
Third, mercy costs us something. Helping those in need isn’t free. The merciful Samaritan wrapped the beaten man’s wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put the man on his animal and paid for him to stay at an inn and have the innkeeper take care him. In all, he spent “two denarii” to help an injured Jewish man. Moved by compassion, the Samaritan spent 14 days’ worth of wages on room and board for a man who was supposed to be an enemy.
For so long in circles of Christians, I have sensed that we think if only we believe the right doctrines, we are following Jesus. But doctrine is meant to be lived, not simply studied or talked about.
Loving your brothers and sisters in Christ across cultural, ethnic and generational lines and loving your enemies are the ultimate signposts that God’s kingdom has come. That is living the good life in full.
Can you imagine how different the world would be if we did just that?
Father, as I count all the ways You have been merciful to me, may I be forever grateful. May my heart sing songs of thankfulness to You all the days of my life and on into eternity. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY: Ephesians 2:13-14, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” (NIV)
Luke 10:36-37, “‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” (NIV)
RELATED RESOURCES: What is true happiness, and how can we find it? Everyone wants to be happy. We spend our money, time and energy chasing after “the good life,” and we run ourselves into physical, mental and emotional exhaustion on the way. But what if the happiness we’re all striving for isn’t the happiness we were created for? Pastor and author Dr. Derwin L. Gray believes there’s a path to true happiness. Discover the good life you were meant for in his latest book, The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches About Finding True Happiness.
CONNECT: We believe in order to make a true and lasting change, we must first seek to understand. But friends, we don’t want to stop there. We want fresh understanding to lead to compassion, for compassion to lead to heart-change, for heart-change to lead to home change, and for home change to lead to lasting changes in our communities, nation and world.
So, a few members of our staff compiled the following resources in an effort to provide a trusted place to start. We pray these resources are helpful to you.
REFLECT AND RESPOND: Mercy isn’t afraid to touch human suffering. Who around you is suffering, and how can you enter into their suffering and show them love?
How can you reach across cultural, ethnic and generational lines to love someone who is different from you?
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
© 2020 by Dr. Derwin L. Gray. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
630 Team Rd., Suite 100
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
The Wise Woman of Abel
Her character: Rather than passively waiting for someone else to save her city, she had the wisdom and courage to act quickly and decisively.
Her sorrow: That her city, though faithful to the king, was besieged by his army because it had been infiltrated by a rebellious leader.
Her joy: That she was able to successfully intercede for the town, thus averting disaster for many innocent people.
Key Scriptures: 2 Samuel 20:14-22
Her Story
Teddy Roosevelt once said that “nine-tenths of wisdom consists in being wise in time.” After the dust settles, the storm clears, the action stops, it’s often too late for wisdom to work its marvels.
Many women in Scripture stand out for their wisdom. One woman, who lived in a town at Israel’s northern border, is identified solely as “a wise woman” (2 Samuel 20:16), acting quickly to save her city.
The sad stories of Bathsheba and Tamar highlighted the decline of David’s household. Eventually, Absalom, David’s third son, rebelled and was killed in a battle for the throne. In the midst of this political instability, a rabble-rouser by the name of Sheba, from the tribe of Benjamin (Saul’s tribe), attempted still another revolt. But Joab, the commander of David’s army, chased Sheba all the way to Abel Beth Maacah, in the north.
Joab had constructed siege ramps to assault the walls of Abel and squelch the rebellion. It was evident that the entire city would be destroyed unless someone acted quickly to preserve the peace.
Suddenly, a woman stood on the walls of Abel and shouted: “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.
“We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel,” she cried out. “You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?” she challenged Joab.
“Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!” he replied. “A man named Sheba son of Bicri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.”
“His head will be thrown to you from the wall,” she shouted back.
The woman turned to her fellow citizens, urging them to act. In just moments, a man’s head came careening over the wall. Disaster was averted.
The men in this story appear to behave only in conventional terms: mobilize the army, build a siege ramp, violently smash the city walls, squelch the rebellion. But the woman looked for another solution. Gruesome as it was, it kept the peace and spared lives on both sides. Through her intercession on behalf of her people, innocent lives on both sides of the city walls were spared.
Her Promise
The wise woman of Abel saw a need for immediate action, and she acted. She recognized that this was not a time to passively wait for someone else to take the reins of leadership, not a time for quibbling or wavering, just a time to do what needed to be done. Through this woman, God saved the innocent inhabitants of her city. There are times when quick action is required of us as well. We may hesitate, we may wish to go another way, we may dodge and shuffle, but in the end we must act. When we’re living in obedience and close relationship with God, we can trust that we don’t go alone. God is there, giving us the help and assurance we require.
One Brick At A Time
By Tia McCollors
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. – Colossians 3:23-24
We’ve been cultivated to operate in a fast-paced society where rushing and multi-tasking is sometimes a necessity. While at work we mull about dinner plans or make calls to our children’s schools. We rush home through traffic to assist with homework, start a load of laundry, cook (or burn!) dinner on the stove, while finding clothes to iron for everyone for the next day. Rush. Rush. Rush.
Problems can arise when we take the same mindset into the dreams and the visions God has given us. We often get antsy and start to rush when God gives us an assignment. As we pace ourselves and do our part, God has worked out the perfect timing for everything. It’s okay to take time to enjoy the process of building a business, a family, a relationship, and a legacy as He instructs us. God was very specific in his instructions to Nehemiah. When Nehemiah first arrived at the dilapidated walls of Jerusalem, he surveyed what had to be done. Next he gave the people specific assignments according to their families, regions and skills. Nehemiah summoned help from God and the people, and ultimately the broken walls were rebuilt in only 52 days.
Practical application: We can’t do it all. Adam had Eve. Ruth had Naomi. Even Jesus used the strengths of the twelve disciples to help Him fulfill the charge of the Great Commission. Sure, it’s an overused cliché, but teamwork really does make the dream work! With time, patience, and the right support, you can build your dream one brick at a time.
Prayer: Lord, send people to my inner circle who will support my dream and run with the vision. Thank you for showing me the people that I already know who have invested in my life. May our work be done first and foremost with You in mind.
Tia McCollors is a wife and mother who loves to encourage women to wear their faith like a designer label. Information about her inspirational novels and devotions can be found at www.tiamccollors.com.
God’s Power In You
Christ is in you! Yes, His Spirit resides in your heart, which means His power is yours for the taking whenever you call on His name. Whom on earth do you fear? Christ’s authority is greater. What is the enemy whispering in your mind to crush your spirit? Jesus says you are able if you will trust Him. But just as a lamp cannot shine unless it’s plugged in, the power of Christ won’t activate without faith and belief. So call on Him today. Draw from His supernatural strength that is within you, and He will help you accomplish whatever task is before you.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (I Corinthians 4:20 HCSB)
“You will not succeed by your own strength or by your own power, but by my Spirit,” says the LORD All-Powerful. (Zechariah 4:6 NCV)
Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. (Psalm 24:8 HCSB)
Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (I John 4:4 NASB)
Lord, I claim the power of Your Spirit, which is in me to help me overcome and be strong to face my fears.
This is an excerpt from 100 Days of Bible Promises by Shanna Noel and – a devotional book released by DaySpring publishing. Learn more about this book, or shop other books & devotionals from DaySpring.
No Two Marriages Are the Same (So Stop Comparing)
By: Amanda Idleman
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. – Proverbs 14:30
Have you ever heard another couple talk about their lives together and wondered how come they have this thing figured out so much better than you and your spouse do? Have you ever entertained the thought that maybe you and your spouse are just not as capable as others? According to Proverbs, these thoughts only lead to rot.
In my experience, as you grow in your marriage, you also grow in the understanding that you and your spouse are more different than you ever imagined possible. If you aren’t different, then your sameness may become more annoying than your ever imagined possible. Either way, as your get to know each other, familiarity can lead to frustration. Frustration leads to disappointment and many times we can start to envy those we don’t know as well. Believing the lie that what we see on the outside must be better than what we are experiencing in the inner life of our very familiar marriages.
The reality is, there is no combination of two people that function in quite the same way. Your marriage is truly one of a kind! This is a beautiful truth that can lead to a healthy pride in the gift of marriage that you have been given.
When we understand this, we see that comparing to others is futile. Another couple may deal with conflict more calmly. They could be a dynamic creative team, or maybe they parent with such ease. That’s the strength that God has given their union shining! Rather than putting ourselves down because we don’t match up in that area, we should celebrate the gift God has given them and you.
Let God open your eyes to the ways He wants you to be proud of what you have together. Cast off the shame that comparison brings to your life. It’s the lie of the enemy that wants us to get caught up in all the ways we are blowing it. When we get caught up in this negative cycle we miss out on seeing the amazing ways God is and wants to use your one-of-a-kind union.
Writing a list is one practice that can help refocus your mind on the positives of your marriage rather than negatives! Write down 10 strengths you see in your marriage and/or partner. Talk them over with your spouse, letting them know you see the ways they are shining in their life and the ways you are proud of your marriage.
Many times, we zero in on the places we need to grow in our lives and completely miss out on celebrating our wins. Growth is important but we should not be walking around with our heads down filled with shame for not getting it right. God took our guilt and shame from us when he died on the cross (Romans 8:1)!
Be proud of each other. Own what you have been given as a couple. Don’t let the lie of envy eat away the joy that God wants you to have in your marriage.
Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is to encourage others to live joyfully. She creates devotions for the Daily Bible Devotions App, she has work published with Her View from Home, is contributing to a couples devotional for Crosswalk, and is a regular contributor for the marriage/family/homeschool/parenting channels on Crosswalk.com. You can find out more about Amanda at rvahouseofjoy.com or follow her on Instagram at rvahouseofjoy.
For More Great Resources for Christian Couples, Visit Crosswalk’s Marriage Channel.
10 Verses for When You Can’t Sleep
- Debbie McDaniel
Many of us have been there. Middle of the night. Darkness surrounds. Stars shining brightly. All is quiet. All should be at peace. Except for one problem.
We can’t sleep.
Thoughts are swirling, anxieties pressing hard. Peace feels far away. Fear seems to be bigger in the dark. It’s hard to see or think with clarity. Too many things can keep us awake. Wide awake. If you’ve lived long enough, you may have found yourself there.
Maybe the kids woke you up, or the new pet. Maybe it’s just a bad dream. Or something you ate. Yet often it goes much deeper than that. Worry or stress, money problems, deep loss or grief can steal away precious hours of sleep. Illness, disease, or pain that we or our loved ones might be facing, can cause true rest to be a constant battle. Sometimes even the pain of broken relationships brings great heaviness to the soul. Unforgiveness, resentment, and anger, make it difficult to turn off our thoughts and rehearsed scripts, to find rest again.
If you find yourself there right now, or have just walked through a difficult hardship and still struggle with fear-filled thoughts or overwhelming feelings in the night, here are some verses that might help to bring life, healing, and peace once again:
(Image Credit:©Thinkstockcyano66)
1. Psalm 91:1-2, 4
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’ He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge…”
*(Image Credit:©Thinkstock/welcomia)
2. Philippians 4:8-9
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things…and the God of peace will be with you.”
*(Image Credit:©unsplash)
3. Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
*(Image Credit:©Thinkstock/KatarzynaBialasiewicz)
4. Psalm 4:8
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
*(Image Credit:Unsplash.com)
5. Isaiah 30:15
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…”
*(Image Credit:©Thinkstock/kevron2001)
6. Matthew 6:33-34
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow…”
*(Image Credit:©Thinkstock/Jorisvo)
7. Romans 8:26
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
*(Image Credit:©Thinkstock/justinkendra)
8. Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
*(Image Credit:©Thinkstock/arsenisspyros)
9. James 4:8
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”
*(Image Credit:©Thinkstock/pameladmcadams)
10. Psalm 23:1-6
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
*Editor’s Note: The following is an abridged version of 21 Verses for When You Can’t Sleep: Find Peace for Your Soul. To read the full article, follow this link.
Debbie McDaniel is a writer, pastor’s wife, mom to three amazing kids (and a lot of pets). Join her each morning on Fresh Day Ahead’s facebook page for daily encouragement in living strong, free, hope-filled lives. You can also visit her homepage.
*(Image Credit:Pexels.com)
The Sin of Pride and Why It’s So Deadly
I recently had a conversation with my teenage daughter, in which she expressed why she doesn’t like to sing in front of people. The Lord gave my daughter a singing gift, and I’ve told her since she was a child to walk humbly in that gift. I told my daughter not to be prideful, arrogant, or conceited about her singing. She interpreted my words to mean she shouldn’t sing in front of people. She’s so afraid of being prideful that she’s always hesitant to sing. I had to explain to her again that there’s a difference between letting her light shine and giving in to pride.
Pride is the opposite of humility. While humility compels us to lower ourselves and to esteem others higher, pride does the opposite. Pride compels us to esteem ourselves, our accomplishments, gifts, talents, education, wealth, and even our Bible knowledge over others. Pride breeds competition and causes division and strife in churches, families, friendships, workplaces, and even in nations.
The Bible is full of examples of pride. Adam and Even demonstrated pride in not only their desire to “…be as gods, knowing good and evil,” (Genesis 1:5) but their refusal to accept responsibility for their actions (see Genesis 1:12-13). Pride caused Cain to kill Abel in Genesis 4 and for the people to desire to build a tower to heaven and make a name for themselves in Genesis 11. Pride was at the root of Sarai’s decision to give Hagar to Abram in Genesis 16 and for Joseph’s brothers to sell him into slavery in Genesis 37. There are other examples of people in the Bible walking in pride as well as Scriptures that teach us why pride is so deadly.
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Pride Stops Us from Seeking God
“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek God: God is not in all his thoughts.” (Psalm 10:4)
Pride is deadly because it stops us from seeking God. Prideful people don’t see the importance of seeking God or having a relationship with Him. They lean into their own understanding and think they know better than God. This is how the devil was able to trick Adam and Eve.
Pride Leads to Destruction
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
As I mentioned before, pride will stop us from seeking God. When we don’t seek God’s face, instructions, wisdom, or guidance, we will surely find ourselves in a world of trouble. God orders our steps to ensure we experience the abundant life that should be ours in Christ. Unfortunately, prideful people are on the road to destruction, but they don’t know it. Indeed, they’re so focused on themselves and what they want that they won’t heed wise instruction and subsequently experience destruction. We see this clearly with Cain. God warned him (Genesis 4:6-8), but Cain ignored God and killed his brother.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Deagreez
Pride Brings Us Low
“A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.” (Proverbs 29:23)
The man or woman who exalts self will be humbled; it’s just a matter of time. The prideful person seeks honor, recognition, and accolades, and will do anything in their power to obtain them. They will sabotage and use others, reject God, and abandon anyone who doesn’t help them in their pursuits. As they climb the ladder to success, they will hurt anyone who gets in their way. The pride in that person’s heart will eventually bring them low, denying them the honor they so desire. Isn’t this precisely what Sarai did when she grew tired of Hagar and Ishmael? She threw them out of her house when they no longer served her purposes (see Genesis 21:9-10).
Pride Ignores God’s Judgement
“Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents…who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1:30, 32)
Proud or prideful people can know God’s judgment and still choose to ignore it. I’ve shared the Gospel with many people since I accepted Christ in 1989. One of the things I always say is, “Well, now you can’t say you didn’t know.” Proud people believe that ignoring or denying God’s judgment nullifies it. It doesn’t. According to 2 Peter 2:4-6, God didn’t spare the angels, men in the days of Noah, or Sodom and Gomorrah. The same way people ignored God’s judgment then, they’re ignoring His pending judgment today. Thus, when we present the good news to people, and they reject it, we must continue to pray for them.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/PKpix
God Resists the Proud
“But He giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6)
I don’t know about you, but I need God’s grace. The Bible declares that God gives grace freely to humble people but that He opposes the prideful. All of us have experienced opposition in our lives. However, God’s opposition is a different sort. Imagine facing opposition in every venture you undertake. Your marriage will be difficult. Your children may be rebellious. Your career or business doesn’t take off the way you want. The resistance will eventually lead to frustration and anger. Perhaps pride is one of the reasons why some people aren’t experiencing the blessings they so desire. King Saul was prideful, and we know God resisted him.
Pride Is Worldly
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:15-16)
Pride is so deadly because it loves the world and the things in the world. It seeks man’s accolades instead of God’s approval. We see this in our social media-driven society. People do all manner of activities for likes and follows. They experience more gratification over those likes and follows than they ever would over pleasing God. The Christian life isn’t a popularity contest; it’s a life of obedience and service to the Father. Jesus warned us in Matthew 6 about doing things only to be seen by people. God wants us to do things in secret but promises to reward us openly (Matthew 6:4).
No matter where you are in your Christian walk, you have to be on guard against pride. I believe everyone struggles in this area in one way or another. Some people are prideful in their appearance. Others are prideful in their careers or businesses. Some people have pride in the bank account balances. Others think their church, denomination, or pastor is better than others. Yes, pride can show up in a plethora of ways, and we need to be aware of them.
Pride is deadly because left unchecked, it will cause us to oppose God, ignore His judgments, warnings, and counsel, influence us to make ungodly decisions that will lead to our destruction. To help us combat pride, we should walk in humility, study the Bible, apply Biblical teachings, and seek a wise mentor who will tell us the truth when we’re walking in pride.
Let us humble ourselves, let God use us for His kingdom and glory while giving all accolades to the Father.
Aretha Grant serves her local church as a bible teacher and elder. She loves writing and is the author of Overcomer: 25 Keys to Walking Victoriously. Aretha resides in Hagerstown, MD with her husband and two youngest children. You can read Aretha’s blog at www.arethagrant.com.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images
Worry vs. Worship?
Do not be anxious about anything…— Philippians 4:6
by Alex Seeley, author of The Opposite Life
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:6
Have you ever experienced such intense grief that you didn’t think you were ever going to experience the joy you once had, in the same way again? Has there ever been a time in your life where you were so depleted of strength because all you did was worry which caused you to not want to get out of bed? Or, have you ever been in a place, after you have given so much of yourself, that now you are left feeling weary and faint and you want to give up?
I have been through all of the above and I know most of you have too. We all go through seasons of feeling overwhelmed with worry. I have come to realize that being a Christian doesn’t make your life suddenly perfect. Jesus never promised a life without difficulty, or that while we were here on earth that we would just tip toe through the tulips until eternity. Life throws us curve balls and sometimes these difficulties nearly take us out, but even though we will face adversity and hardships that drive us to want to worry and give up.
The good news is that we have a God who never runs out of strength, and who never leaves us or forsakes us.
I remember when I was 29 years of age, and my cousin who was also my age and my very best friend overdosed and died suddenly. I couldn’t believe it. How could this happen? I had prayed for her life for decades… and I was believing with my whole heart that she would get well, and she was seemingly on the road to recovery.
This was not supposed to happen.
I will never forget the day I found out. I was on tour with my husband leading worship with our church, and receiving that phone call shattered my heart into a million pieces. There I was on the other end of the phone, hearing words that were too difficult to process. I dropped the phone and began to weep uncontrollably as I fell into my husband’s embrace. I wept for hours and could not stop. It felt like I had cried out every tear I had in my body.
As we continued to drive to the venue in which we were about to lead a worship night, for the church that were eagerly anticipating to encounter God, I couldn’t think of anything further from worship that I felt like doing in that moment. I was worried about my family, her family, and everything else that comes with sudden shock. I was overwhelmed with disappointment and I had so many questions that I felt I would never have the answer to.
All I wanted to do is curl up in a ball and fall asleep, hoping that when I awake from this nightmare, it would have all been a dream. I sat in the corner of the church as we arrived — not wanting to talk to anyone, as I was so heartbroken and so exhausted from the physical pain of crying so hard. I felt so weak I could hardly stand up.
My leader reached out to me and said that I can totally sit this one out, considering the circumstances, and I was relieved. How was I going to be able to do anything with this grief that felt like a thousand bricks piled up on my chest? I couldn’t breathe and I felt so overwhelmed with grief. I made plans to leave on the next flight out to be home with my family, but there were no flights until the morning.
I remember sitting in the church staring into nothing and crying out in my heart to God, “What am I supposed to do now?” I remember sensing in my heart these words, “Alex, I need you to sing tonight.”
“Sing!” I thought to myself, I can’t even stand up, let alone sing, but I kept sensing in my heart that this was what God wanted me to do to help me overcome. I remembered this scripture as I sat there contemplating how I would do this:
Corinthians 12:9-10
My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.
I sensed God saying, “When you are weak, and you let My grace move through you, then you will be strong.” It made no sense to me in the natural, but I knew God enough to know that if a thought popped into my head that did not come from me, because it was the last thing I felt like doing, then it must be God and I should obey Him. I will never forget this night for as long as I live, because as soon as I got up to worship and began to sing, the heaviness that was covering me like a blanket, lifted off of me. I worshipped through my tears but I chose to sing anyway. It was like incense to the Lord.
It was my sacrifice of worship unto the Lord, and as I sang I felt His presence begin to carry me and give me the strength that I needed to face this season of grief. I can’t explain it, but the atmosphere in the room that night impacted the entire church. I had people come up to me afterwards weeping and saying that they also sensed God’s strength in the room. It’s not that I wasn’t sad, because I was. But His strength carried me supernaturally and I overcame my feeling of weakness in that moment.
That night taught me that His grace does have the power to carry us and give us the strength that we need when we are naturally depleted of it. The following week was the hardest week of my life, and yet I felt the strength of God propel me to lead and overcome the grief that I never thought I could. I learned to sing and worship the Creator — regardless of my circumstances, and allow Him to pour His grace into my situation and my heart, as I choose to lean on Him as I walk through hardships and difficulties. The circumstances didn’t change but I changed on the inside.
As I worshipped my way through the pain, I felt a peace that surpassed all natural understanding.
That was sixteen years ago, and the same principal applies today. I have understood that life will not be perfect, but the One who has the power to carry us through the most difficult situations will enable us to overcome hardships and live with supernatural peace.
Written for Devotionals Daily by Alex Seeley, author of The Opposite Life.
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Your Turn
Have you ever faced a heartbreaking crisis and felt God call you to worship through the heartbreak or worry? What happened? How did turning your face toward your loving Father change you? Come share with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily
Daily Devotion
Spread The Word
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” – Romans1:16
Dear Lord, give me boldness to share the Gospel message with others. You have given me eternal life. May I not keep Your Good News to myself. Amen
Dose of Devotion 