Acts 13:16-22

God’s assessment of David’s heart is one of the highest praises that anyone has ever received from the Lord. And this commendation is not reserved exclusively for Israel’s beloved king; in fact, our Father longs for every one of His children to have a heart for Him.

In Acts 13:22, the Lord called David “a man after My heart, who will do all My will.” In other words, the chief characteristic of a heart for God is a passion to obey Him. Not every act of King David’s life was as the Lord would have desired, but his pattern was to follow after God. And David also knew what to do when he sinned. His prayer was that the Lord would search out any wicked way in him, clean it up, and help him to get back on track to become the kind of person his heavenly Father wanted him to be (Psalm 139:23-24).

David’s highest priority was his relationship with the Lord. He delighted in both reading God’s Word and having intimate conversations with the Father, many of which are recorded for us in the book of Psalms. In addition, the Scriptures reveal many examples of how David trusted the Lord in all the challenges of his life. This humble servant recognized that any greatness he achieved as king was actually due to God alone.

Becoming a man or woman with a heart for the Lord is a valuable goal. Our aim is not perfection but a consistent, growing relationship with Him. In the process, we will discover that our desires and interests increasingly align with God’s, and obeying Him will be our great delight.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 27-29

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Isaiah 40:8

Jesus made it clear that we would endure hardship in this life. But God gave His children amazing tools to keep trials from overwhelming us. For instance, He placed His Spirit inside each believer to guide and empower. In addition, He gave us the privilege of prayer so we could not only communicate and stay connected with our Father but also bring Him our requests.

Today I want to focus on another one of His marvelous gifts: the Bible. Scripture—the actual Word of God Almighty—is truth. It never changes. What’s more, it enables us in all circumstances, giving us a solid basis for making decisions and choosing which direction to go.

There are thousands of promises in the Bible—countless assurances that we can rely on with perfect confidence. God wants us to learn them so we won’t miss out on blessings He wants to give us. If we are wise, we’ll turn His promises into prayers and the cries of our heart.

Let me give you an example that relates to difficult decisions. Psalm 32:8 states, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” We can pray God’s words back to Him, saying that we believe He will teach us and reveal His path, while remaining by our side as our caregiver through the entire situation.

When hardships arise, we need a sure foundation on which to stand. Otherwise, our emotions could easily lead us astray through faulty thinking. God is faithful and unchanging, so we can trust in His promises, which enable us to rest confidently and act boldly.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 25-26

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Revelation 4:9-11

In our culture, God’s name is often mentioned with little reverence. In fact, many people actually use it as a curse. Even among those who love Him, it is far too common to use His name casually, without taking time to ponder who He is. When you say a blessing at mealtimes, for instance, do you realize that you are talking to the almighty God who created and rules over all things?

Our view of the Lord impacts three areas of life. First, it affects our prayers. As we come to know Him better and better, our desires will start to look like His goals for us, and our petitions will align more closely with His purposes. What’s more, as we recognize His greatness and power, we’ll become more confident that He can accomplish mighty things—and we will venture to “pray big” (Eph. 3:20; James 4:2).

Second, our understanding of His righteousness and goodness influences our behavior: If God has these attributes, surely it’s in our best interest to obey gladly. And as we, too, desire righteousness, we’ll be quick to repent of sin.

Third, our faith is impacted. Grasping that Jesus is holy, good, and powerful grows our trust in Him. Knowing our awesome God and remembering His great works will further build our confidence in Him.

Do you personally know our loving and holy heavenly Father? He invites you into an intimate relationship with Him. But as with any good friendship, time and intentionality are necessary to understand Him and learn His ways. Make these characteristics your priority, and watch how your prayers, behavior, and faith are impacted.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 22-24

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Deuteronomy 4:29

People long to be understood. We appear to have many acquaintances, but we all have a deep need to feel truly known by those we love most. This is because we were created in God’s image—He is a relational being who desires for His children to know and understand Him.

Just as you don’t want to be known for only the superficial details of who you appear to be, it’s not enough to simply know about the Lord. He wants us to learn how He thinks and feels, what’s important to Him, and what His purposes are. Of course, it’s impossible for man to completely know the mind of the Creator of the universe. Isaiah 55:9 tells us, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” The depth and breadth of His mind are far too great for us to grasp fully.

However, we can better understand God’s heart and character by seeking Him and learning daily from His Word. If we truly desire to walk in His ways, we must first genuinely know Him. We come to know our friends better by sharing more experiences together. Similarly, we will also understand God better the longer we walk with Him and meditate on what He has revealed about Himself in the Bible.

God wants you to seek Him with all your heart, and He promises that when you do, you will find Him (Jer. 29:13). So, the next time you’re feeling a need to be better understood, turn to the One who understands you perfectly. Even more importantly, ask the Lord to help you know Him better.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 19-21

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Psalm 37:4-7

God wants to be the greatest passion of every believer’s life. If we claim to love the Lord, our connection with Him should have priority over possessions, vocation, and even other relationships. Yet we often miss the true message of Psalm 37:4 by assuming the verse means we can get what we want. It’s not uncommon for someone to tell me about a prayer request and then add, “God promised to give me the desires of my heart.” In fact, believers at times are so fixed on an outcome that they take matters into their own hands to “help God out.”

But in context, that scripture reveals the Lord’s principle for purifying our desires and issues a call for devotion to Him. To delight in the Lord means to take pleasure in discovering more about Him and following His will. This leads to the Holy Spirit aligning our heart’s desires with His, which always puts us in position to experience His blessings.

When we commit our way to God, we allow our thoughts, goals, and lifestyle to be shaped by His will and the things He loves. In other words, we acknowledge His right to determine whether our longing fits His plan. If we rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him, then we will rely on Him to work out circumstances, even when the desire He’s given us seems impossible. When He is our first love, our hearts become focused on making His glory known in our life.

When we are aligned with His will, our Father wants to give us our heart’s desires—in His time. As we learn to enjoy Him for who He is, our self-focused wants are replaced by His perfect will and purpose for us.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 17-18

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Matthew 6:16-20

Have you ever thought about what type of rewards you are going to receive when you get to heaven? The Bible explains the criteria God will use to determine these rewards and what kind of conduct will deserve them. When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, we will be judged on the basis of the light we have received—that is, the truth God has made available to us—and what we have done with the opportunities we were given.

Furthermore, we find that some specific actions and attitudes will result in certain rewards. For instance, we are told in the book of Matthew that there is a great reward stored up in heaven for those who are insulted and persecuted for Jesus’ sake (Matt. 5:11-12). Elsewhere, the Lord tells us that acts of kindness done for His followers will be noted and rewarded (Matt. 25:40). Even a cup of water given to a thirsty disciple will not be overlooked on judgment day (Matt. 10:42).

Included among the rewarded are those whom God calls to leave family and personal possessions for the sake of the gospel. Another action that draws the Father’s special attention is love directed toward our enemies. For this behavior, there will be a great reward, and we will be called “sons of the Most High” (Luke 6:35).

Sometimes others seem to prosper and reap a great harvest without even noticing how we prepared the soil. Yet God assures us that neither the one who plants nor the one who waters will be overlooked (1 Cor. 3:8). The Lord sees each detail, and everything done for His sake will be rewarded.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 15-16

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1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Today’s passage contains a sobering message about heavenly rewards and how they are acquired. Paul is comparing kingdom work to the efforts of a master builder. He says Christ is the only foundation on which to build, but each of us is responsible for the materials we use on that foundation. We can build with wood, hay, and stubble or with gold and costly stones. Each man’s work will be tested with fire in the judgment in order to determine the quality of the materials used. Paul then tells us that if our works survive the trial by fire, we will receive a reward (1 Cor. 3:14).

For our works to survive, we must learn to build with nonflammable materials. God deplores shoddy effort. We will be judged not just by our “church work” but also by the way we handled other responsibilities, such as our vocation. This means that we are to go about our daily jobs with the same diligence that we would show when serving the heavenly Father in spiritual matters.

In order to accomplish this, we must avoid practices like criticizing the boss, manipulating circumstances to our own advantage, checking in late, leaving work early, and using company materials for personal projects. This is a test of genuine Christianity.

Ask yourself if you’re being real with the Lord. Remember, He knows the truth of every situation—and He abhors laziness and poor workmanship. Our Father expects us to do our very best, and He has given us His Spirit to sanctify our efforts and provide the quality of work that He desires.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 12-14

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Romans 8:33-39

Modern society has many “solutions” for unhappiness. For example, a lot of people turn to prestige, love, or various substances to counteract emotional emptiness, but the happiness these things offer soon drains out again. Only God’s transforming power can change someone with a broken spirit into a content Christ follower who understands his or her value.

To find wholeness, a person must start by receiving Jesus Christ as Savior—the sin that stands between him and God has to be removed. Then, with the Holy Spirit’s strength, he will be able to find the courage to confront past disappointments, hurts, and sins that may have contributed to his feeling unworthy of the Lord’s love.

Someone with a sense of wholeness feels satisfied with life. He knows he is loved, which leads to a good self-image and the ability to love others. Hardship is inevitable in this world, but it doesn’t devastate him or cause him to grumble or cast blame. Why? Because the born-again believer knows that God has promised to work everything out for his good (Rom. 8:28).

In contrast, someone who feels fragmented or empty often has the opposite experience. He may look okay on the outside while struggling within. This can even be the case with Christians who haven’t learned to experience God’s love. In fact, I was a pastor for several decades before I really felt the Father’s love for me; only then did I become truly complete.

The Lord can and will make His love known to believers who ask. And through it comes the wholeness they have been seeking.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 10-11

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John 6:26-35

God created His people to be comfortable in their own skin. In spiritual terms, humans are designed to experience peace, joy, and contentment. But many people go through life feeling fragmented and empty. They are searching for a person or philosophy that will satisfy their hunger for meaning, but they end up experiencing only dissatisfaction.

In the fourth chapter of John, Jesus talked with a Samaritan woman who was clearly feeling incomplete and disillusioned (John 4:7-30). Attempting to fill her life with the love of a man, she’d had five failed marriages and was presently involved in a sinful relationship. This woman had dipped her bucket repeatedly into the well of human love to get the acceptance that she hoped would make her whole. But each experience left her thirsty. Standing before Jesus, she was a broken soul and social outcast.

People throughout history have been drinking from false wells. One of Satan’s greatest deceptions involves convincing a person that happiness and fulfillment can be found only by getting enough love, success, revenge, etc. But it’s easy to recognize the devil’s lie—all it takes is a look at the many who try to satisfy their emptiness through unhealthy habits and unsafe attitudes.

The truth is that only a relationship with Jesus Christ can make a person whole. From Him comes living water that quenches thirst forever. This means He meets our every need in this life. In a world marred by sin, we will not have a perfect existence, but through Christ, we can expect to live with a sense of deep satisfaction.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 7-9

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Matthew 25:34-40

Stop for a moment and consider the purpose of your life. Are you living to pursue your own interests or success? Is your energy spent only on family? Perhaps your ambition is to change the world for the better.

All these aims—even the last one, which sounds so selfless—are futile and without lasting value unless the underlying goal is to serve Christ. As Jesus’ followers, we should model our life after His. And Matthew 20:28 tells us that even the Lord “did not come to be served, but to serve.”

Yet sometimes we can feel overwhelmed when we consider the amazing ways that other believers serve the Lord. With God on his side, King David led great armies into war. Also, there are evangelists today who speak to tens of thousands and see many saved. How could anything we do compare with accomplishments like these? And while comparisons may discourage us, some Christians use other excuses for not trying—such as a lack of experience or having the wrong personality for the task.

But God’s call for each person is unique. He will provide the situations, words, and ability so you can achieve what He wants done. Remember, our Father is the one who makes the difference. We are merely tools, and we’re blessed to be used by Him.

Are you demonstrating your love for the heavenly Father by serving others? As Christians, we should all live in such a way that every evening we can say to Him, “Lord, in the best way I know how, I have attempted to serve Your purpose today.”

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 4-6

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Philippians 2:13

In every life, a sense of insufficiency will surface from time to time, but through the Holy Spirit, we have the power to combat it. Like the many insufficient but willing saints who have gone before us, we can turn inadequacy into victory.

1. Acknowledge your weakness. Suppose a neighbor walks across the yard and tells you about his sister’s life-threatening illness. He is upset and scared, wondering what comes after death. You clearly sense God speaking in your heart, urging you to explain His saving grace to the man, but inadequacy nearly drowns out the prompting. Feeling unsure is a normal human reaction, and following God’s directive requires that we acknowledge our fear—for example, by praying, “Lord, I don’t feel capable of witnessing to my neighbor.”
2. Pray for strength. Say to God, “Father, I know this is what You want me to do, so I am trusting You to be true to Your Word. You said You would make me adequate in Christ Jesus.” The Lord assumes responsibility for enabling you to know what to say, how to say it, and the spirit in which to deliver His message.
3. Step out in faith. Do something that propels you into the God-given opportunity, allowing Him to prove His power and your ability when you rely upon Him.

Let the Lord turn your inadequacy into victory—He delights in proving Himself in His children’s lives. The key is to look beyond our limitations to Jesus Christ’s total sufficiency. Only then can we live joyfully and confidently, even when we are painfully aware of our personal shortcomings.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 1-3

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2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Inadequacy can be a roadblock to doing the Lord’s will—it can deter us from stepping out in faith to accomplish what God calls us to do. It’s no sin to feel insufficient, but we can transgress by not attempting to overcome that attitude. In contrast, a right response to shortcomings can turn inadequacy to blessing.

Even the apostle Paul felt inadequate, but he didn’t allow his feelings to hold him prisoner and prevent his sharing the gospel. (See 1 Tim. 1:15-16.) Instead, he allowed recognition of his limitations to drive him closer to God. For believers, the correct reaction is more prayer and biblical meditation so that our reliance upon the Lord strengthens. As we shed the burden of relying on our own strength, we become motivated to work in the power of the Holy Spirit.

God’s Spirit enables us to achieve whatever it is we are called to do. The disciples followed Jesus for years, but His final instructions left no doubt concerning their limitations: Go and tell the world about Me after you have received the Spirit’s power (Acts 1:4-8). Jesus’ disciples were inadequate, too.

But our inadequacy enables God to demonstrate the great things He can do with so little. Remember that Moses and David were mere shepherds, and Gideon was least among Israel’s men (Judg. 6:15), yet the Lord accomplished amazing feats through them.

Our inadequacy can turn out to be a blessing by driving us into a stronger relationship with God. We can say with Paul, “I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Cor. 12:9).

Bible in One Year: Ruth 3-4

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Ephesians 3:14-21

Do you ever feel unequal to the task God has set in front of you? At times, all of us struggle with such feelings because certain responsibilities appear to be bigger than one human being is able to accomplish. Problems can develop when we wear inadequacy like a cloak in order to protect ourselves from doing the Lord’s work. We sometimes try to convince ourselves that a task is too great or that God expects too much.

When this is the case, we might be tempted to turn away from some tremendous God-given opportunities. For example, sometimes the Lord provides a situation that is just right for sharing the good news of Christ with a coworker, family member, or acquaintance. But how often do we back off and end up squandering such opportune moments because we’re afraid we won’t know what to say?

Inadequacy grows out of fear—specifically, fear of failure and of not meeting people’s expectations. No matter how unqualified we feel, apprehension is not an acceptable excuse for avoiding responsibility. The truth is, even if a Christian feels incapable of accomplishing some of the awesome tasks God calls him to do, the Holy Spirit is more than adequate! As believers, we do not have to possess perfect qualifications or skills; we need only to be willing.

What have you refused to do for the Lord because you feel inadequate? 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that God has given us a spirit of power, not one of timidity. All the believer has to do is step out in faith; the Holy Spirit’s strength and courage will be there to meet us.

Bible in One Year: Ruth 1-2

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2 Corinthians 9:6-15

God’s blessings to us are not meant to end with us. His desire is that they filter down to others. This principle applies in all areas of our life, including our finances. Did you know that our heavenly Father has plans for our money? God’s children generally want to discover what His will is for their life, but so often they fail to consult Him about His desires for their paycheck.

The Lord graciously supplies us with income so we can provide for our needs and even some of our desires. But He also wants us to use our money to achieve His purposes. And one of His goals is that we share our resources with others. If we decide in our heart to participate in His plans, He commits to provide all we need to live and to share.

Just look at His extravagant promise in 2 Corinthians 9:8: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (emphasis added). This encouraging scripture is a good reminder that sharing blessings with others will never lead to deprivation. In fact, the Lord promises to increase the harvest of our righteousness and enrich us in everything in response to our generosity. We can never outgive God.

A hoarded blessing is never enjoyed as richly as a shared one. Using your gift to meet someone else’s need glorifies the Lord by demonstrating His grace at work in your life. Don’t allow His generous provisions to end with you. Pass them on to others and discover the joy of a never-ending cycle of blessings.

Bible in One Year: Judges 20-21

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Psalm 25

How does a person become acceptable to God? The path to redemption begins not with the decision to live a better life or to stop doing something wrong, but with the realization that we cannot correct our sinful nature. To find favor with the Lord, we must grasp that it’s impossible to make ourselves righteous. Instead, we need to depend on the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. When we trust in Christ as our Savior, God the Father applies the benefit of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice to our sin debt, thereby making us saved—that is, acceptable in His eyes.

Your good works and righteous acts are of absolutely no value in the mind of God. Compared to others’ actions, your generosity and good works might seem like enough to bring favor with the Lord, but Scripture tells us salvation is “not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:9). When you stand before God, the only way you can be forgiven of your sins is through Christ and His sacrificial, substitutionary atoning death at Calvary. The Savior came to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Jesus’ crucifixion was a public demonstration of God’s hatred for sin and immense love for mankind. He who was blameless bore the penalty for all in order that wicked, corrupt people could be made righteous.

No matter what you have done, you can be cleansed of the stain left by sin. Confess any known transgressions to the Lord and turn from them. Then Jesus will forgive you and write your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life (1 John 1:9; Revelation 21:27). By trusting in Him, you are assured of eternity in His presence.

Bible in One Year: Judges 18-19

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1 Corinthians 2:10-16

The Lord has given you a conscience for your protection. To develop and trust this warning system, you must be committed to taking certain actions.

Apply the Word of God to daily living. As you put into practice “the perfect law that gives freedom” (James 1:25 NIV), your conscience will grow stronger because you know God’s heart better.

Arrive at decisions through prayer. Instead of choosing something merely because it looks, sounds, or feels good, bring every issue before the Lord in prayer.

Agree to obey God. When you strongly desire to function God’s way, you will consistently ask, What does He want me to do? This practice will enable you to discern and follow the Spirit’s lead.

Acquire a deeper sensitivity to the Spirit’s conviction. As believers, we are no longer condemned (Rom. 8:1), so we must recognize the difference between the conviction of the Holy Spirit and condemnation from the enemy. The Spirit always shows us exactly what needs repentance—He doesn’t give us a sense of vague guilt. His conviction has the purpose of turning us back to Him.

Abandon yourself to the perfect will of God. If you recommit daily to be a “living sacrifice” for the Father alone, your inner compass will steer you closer to the Lord. Then, as you refuse to conform to this world’s pattern and instead renew your thinking according to the mind of Jesus Christ, you will be able to “test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom. 12:1-2 NIV).

Bible in One Year: Judges 16-17

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1 Timothy 1:18-19

To enable us to distinguish between what is morally right and wrong, God has given us a conscience. It is His gift to help us avoid shipwreck in our lives. Your conscience serves as a kind of spiritual radar; the condition you keep it in will determine how much you can trust it.

The sacred conscience is one that has been kept spotless through confession of sin (1 John 1:9) and reflects a desire to know and follow God’s will. Once we are cleansed, we can live without guilt, walking openly and transparently before the Lord. When we do sin, we know immediately that we need to get right with God.

The struggling conscience is clogged with rules and regulations, and its spirit of legalism makes us critical of our performance. Having created our own radar system of “should, ought, and must,” we’ve used it to determine right or wrong. In doing so, we fail to understand God’s righteousness, which can never be replaced with self-righteousness.

The soiled conscience is stained from harboring sin. If we consistently choose our way over God’s, we lose sight of what’s suitable and true. Excuses like “I can’t help it” add to our lack of peace and the unreliability of our inner compass.

The seared conscience is insensitive to sin. When we continually resist and ignore its warnings, such a conscience will, over time, become numb to moral alarm.

Ask God to show you how well your internal conscience is operating, and then allow Him to restore it.

Bible in One Year: Judges 13-15

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1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Think of a time when you were asked to handle a particular task at church but felt you didn’t have enough education, experience, or ability to do it. We all tend to feel like this on occasion and may even offer God excuses why we couldn’t possibly be the one to take on the project. But the Lord doesn’t always use strong, influential, or accomplished people to do His work.

In fact, God often chooses to have His work done through those whom the world regards as foolish, weak, unimpressive, or ordinary. He has two main purposes for doing this. First of all, by accomplishing great things through unexceptional people, He proves that the world’s wisdom is foolishness. And second, God’s people don’t have any reason to boast: They have no power to save themselves and no ability to serve Him apart from His strength and wisdom.

God isn’t interested in impressive human talent and natural ability. He’s looking for humble people who are totally dependent upon Him and willing to make themselves available for whatever He calls them to do. Moses didn’t feel the Lord could use him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt because he wasn’t eloquent, but he became one of the greatest leaders in Jewish history. David was young and had no experience as a warrior, but the Spirit of God empowered him to kill a giant with one small stone.

If you’re a believer, it doesn’t matter how young or old you are or how qualified you feel. If you’ll simply depend on Christ, make yourself available, and obey Him, He’ll use you for His glory.

Bible in One Year: Judges 10-12

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Ephesians 1:3-14

Yesterday we saw that guilt can be false or legitimate. But in either case, its effect on us is the same.

Feeling ashamed can lead us to doubt God’s presence, provision, or promises. We might struggle to believe He loves us, and if the emotions are strong enough, we may even question our salvation. Guilt can cause us to forget we are free from condemnation (Rom. 8:1) and can make us fearful that God is judging us harshly.

Another response to self-reproach is to try and pay the Lord back for our real or imagined mistakes. To earn His approval, we get compulsively busy and stay that way. Then, there’s remorse over “shoulds,” “oughts,” and “musts”—guilt over unfinished tasks can rob us of pleasure in our relationships, as we question our use of time. Such self-condemnation can lead to discouragement and depression.

Because of guilt’s corrosive power, we need to take care of it quickly. When we have broken God’s commands, the solution is to repent and accept the Lord’s forgiveness. False guilt, on the other hand, is erased by embracing biblical truth:

I am special. God chose me and is transforming me into Christ’s image.

I am loved. God loves me unconditionally, unalterably, and continuously.

I am forgiven. Jesus paid the full price for my every sin. God has permanently forgiven me and adopted me into His family.

God has provided a way out from the burden of guilt you carry. Won’t you accept His offer?

Bible in One Year: Judges 7-9

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1 John 1:5-9

For some of us, guilt is a steady companion. We live under the weight of past mistakes and the fear of future wrongdoing. Even if we try to move forward, self-reproach tags along.

Not all guilty emotions are based in fact, but those that result from breaking biblical or civil law are legitimate: When we transgress, the Holy Spirit points out what is wrong and how to correct it. Then, in response to our confession, God offers us forgiveness and cleansing from guilt every single time (Ps. 32:5).

Where does false guilt originate? There are several answers. For one thing, Satan uses it to harass believers. Through lies and accusations, the enemy seeks to replace inner peace with turmoil, and joy with discouragement.

Another source of guilt is legalism, the judging of conduct according to a precise standard. God’s Word establishes the way we are to live, but some Christians and churches impose additional rules. And failure to follow man-made regulations can produce shame. Childhood experiences can also bring out the negative emotion of guilt. Whether this stems from the aftermath of traumatic events or the feeling that we didn’t meet parental expectations, a memory can prompt us to judge ourselves harshly as adults. Living under severe criticism can have this effect, too, as can perfectionistic tendencies—which tell us we can always “do more” and “do better.”

Legalism, painful childhood experiences, perfectionism, and hurtful comments are fertile soil for guilt. If you struggle with self-condemnation, be sure to check the legitimacy of the source.

Bible in One Year: Judges 4-6

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