For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy] and those who are sanctified all have one [Father]. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.

— Hebrews 2:11 (AMPC)

New birth in Christ happens the instant we ask Jesus to forgive our sins and be our Savior but learning to live a new life is a process of transformation.

God doesn’t work just with our behavior; He also changes our hearts. When we seriously commit ourselves to Jesus as Savior and Lord, God begins transforming us from the inside out. He makes us like Jesus on the inside and wants to work what is in us so it shows on the outside and other people can see and experience Jesus through us.

This transformation doesn’t happen overnight and will seem very slow at times. When you are tempted to condemn yourself because you aren’t making the progress you think you should be making, remind yourself, “I’m okay and I’m on my way!” Remember that through faith you have been made right with God, and even though you have not arrived at perfection, you are making progress.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, Father, that though I may not be where I need to be, I am okay and I am on my way, amen.

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But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.

— Isaiah 40:31 (AMPC)

I believe God chose to liken us to eagles in order to motivate us so we can rise to our potential in life and so He can encourage us to wait on Him. When success does not come easily, when we find ourselves frustrated and weary in our efforts, we can be refreshed by waiting on the Lord.

What does it really mean to wait for the Lord? It simply means spending time with Him, being in His presence, talking to Him, listening, meditating on His Word, worshiping Him, keeping Him at the center of our lives, all the while expecting Him to do something amazing. One meaning of the word wait is “to be twisted or braided together.” If we think about a braid in someone’s hair, we realize that the hair is woven together so that we cannot tell where one strand ends, and another begins. That is the way God wants us to be in our union with Him—so intimately intertwined and tightly woven together with Him that we are truly one with Him. As we wait on Him, we become more and more like Him.

An intimate relationship with God will strengthen you in the innermost part of your being. It will strengthen your heart; it will carry you through the hard times in your life with a sense of peace and confidence that all is well, no matter what is happening. It will give you the strength to endure tough situations in such a way that many of the people around you may not be able to detect even the slightest stress in your life.

When you wait on the Lord by faith, you draw everything you need from Him. He is your refuge, your enabler, your joy, your peace, your righteousness, your hope. He gives you everything you need to live in victory over any circumstance.

Are you ready to rise to your potential? You will do so when you can wait on God. When you wait on Him, your strength is made new again; you can fly as eagles do, over the storms of life; you can walk and run and not faint, because your trust is in Him.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I want to get more serious in my relationship with You. Help me as I wait on You. Help me rise to my potential, to soar like an eagle, and become everything you died for me to be, amen.

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For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

— Hebrews 6:10 (ESV)

When we are working hard and serving God, we may often feel that no one really appreciates our labor and sacrifices, but God sees us and knows everything we do. He appreciates our labor for Him, and He rewards us in due time.

The apostle Paul encourages us not to “become weary in doing good,” because in due time, “we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (see Galatians 6:9). I’m sure Paul experienced the same feelings of weariness that we feel at times, but he pressed on. His goal was to finish what God had given him to do, and that should be our aim also.

When you feel like giving up, just remember what Jesus went through so you could be forgiven for your sins and live with Him forever. Any difficulty you face is minor compared to what He endured. Any good thing you do for others is counted as something you have done for Jesus. Keep that in mind, and your work for Him will energize you and give you peace and joy.

Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You for allowing me to serve You by serving others. Help me to always appreciate each opportunity and to find joy in my labor. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].

— Psalm 139:15 (AMPC)

Have you ever asked God, “Why did You make me this way?” Sometimes the things we think are our worst faults, God will use to His greatest glory: But who are you, a mere man, to criticize and contradict and answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him that formed it, Why have you made me thus? (Romans 9:20 AMPC).

Jesus died so that we might enjoy our life in abundance and to the fullest until it overflows. You’re not going to enjoy your life if you don’t enjoy yourself. Be satisfied with yourself and celebrate the unique way God made you.

Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You for the life You have given me. Help me to enjoy my life and to celebrate the unique way You created me to be, amen.

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Well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you teach against stealing, do you steal (take what does not really belong to you)? You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery [are you unchaste in action or in thought]?… You who boast in the Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law [by stealthily infringing upon or carelessly neglecting or openly breaking it]? For, as it is written, the name of God is maligned and blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you!…

— Romans 2:21-24 (AMPC)

Paul’s words remind me of a saying I used to hear often: “Don’t do as I do—do as I say.” The people who give this admonition expect others to live according to rules that they themselves admittedly are not willing to follow.

This is where many young or insecure Christians find themselves. They see some church leaders or those in authority doing things they know aren’t right, and they think, well, if they’re such great Christians and they can do that…it must be all right. This attitude can either lead them to do the same things or to turn away from God altogether.

We need to remember that God has called us to be responsible for our actions. God holds us accountable for every thought and every action—but our responsibility doesn’t stop there. We are also responsible to help lift up others when they fall.

Perhaps nowhere in the Bible is this concept more clearly defined than in Galatians 6:1-3 (AMPC). Paul laid down three important principles that Satan doesn’t want us to grasp. First, when we become aware that a sister or brother has fallen into sin, we are to do whatever we can to help lift up that person. Paul wrote, If any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also. Bear (endure, carry) one another’s burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it]. For if any person thinks himself to be somebody [too important to condescend to shoulder another’s load] when he is nobody [of superiority except in his own estimation], he deceives and deludes and cheats himself.

Even the best of us fail at times, but it is important to note that the word overtaken doesn’t mean a deliberate, intentional sin. It’s as if someone is walking down an icy sidewalk, slips, and falls. That’s how the Christian life works—nearly everyone slips sometimes.

What then should be our attitude when this happens? We should offer to help, of course. If someone slips on the ice, don’t you naturally rush over to help that person get up? That’s a Christian principle. But the enemy wants to make sure that you don’t do the right thing. He might even whisper in your ear, “Just don’t look in her direction. Ignore her. You are not obligated to help her get up. Why, you don’t even know her.” It’s easy to ignore people in need of help.

The Greek word translated restores was once a medical term used by a surgeon to describe medical procedures like removing a growth from a body or setting a broken arm. The goal is not to see that the person gets punished, but that the person gets healed.

The second point Paul made is that when we become aware someone has fallen, instead of pointing fingers and looking down on them, we should look at ourselves. The devil could have tempted us to do the same thing or something else just as bad . . . or even worse. We need to look with compassion on those who fall and remind ourselves, “Except for the grace of God, I could be there.”

The third thing is to push away pride in our own achievements. If we think we are more spiritual, we’re deceiving ourselves. Proverbs 16:18 (AMPC) gives this warning: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. We must not compare our achievements with others, but instead ask ourselves, Have I really done all that I could have done? Satan is thrilled when we compare ourselves with those who fail and see ourselves as being superior. But when we compare ourselves with the standards Jesus sets for us, we have no cause to be conceited or prideful. Instead, we can be humbly thankful that the Lord is at work in our lives.

Prayer of the Day: Lord Jesus, please remind me to help those who have fallen. Help me to remember that, except for Your grace, I could be the one who failed. But most of all, help me to remember that You are always with me and will help me overcome the evil one. I give You praise for all these things, amen.

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You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You.

— Isaiah 26:3 (AMPC)

If you want to live a peaceful, joy-filled, abundant life, you need to understand it all begins with the thoughts you choose to think. Your mind is connected to every feeling you have and every action you take.

A worried, anxious life begins with thoughts like this: How am I going to do everything I have to do? My life is impossible! This is more than I can handle! But a contented, happy life begins with thoughts like this: God loves me, and He will take care of everything in my future. He will give me the strength and ability to do each thing I need to do as it comes up.

You can choose the thoughts you want to dwell on. Your mind is connected to every part of your life, so choose to focus on godly thoughts today in order to experience the life Jesus came to give you.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, Father, for helping me think positive, godly thoughts. I am grateful that I am not a prisoner to negative thinking and that I can choose to be happy, and joy filled.

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We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

— 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NLT)

Nobody is successful in any venture just by wishing they would be. Successful people make a plan and talk to themselves about that plan constantly. You can think things on purpose, and if you make what you think about match what you actually want to do, your feelings may not like it, but they will go along.

I slept great last night, and when I woke up at 5:00 a.m., I didn’t feel like getting up. It was so cozy under the fluffy cover, and I felt like staying right there. But I had a plan. I had decided how many hours I would write today, and in order to do that I had to get up. I thought, I am going to get up now, and I got up!

Do you make an effort to choose your thoughts, or do you just meditate on whatever falls into your head, even if it is in total disagreement with what you have said you want out of life? When your thoughts are going in a wrong direction, do you capture them and submit them to Christ as the Bible instructs (see 2 Corinthians 10:5)?

I want to encourage you today—the good news is you can change. As I have said for years, we are in a war and the mind is the battlefield. We either win or lose our battles based on winning or losing the war in our minds. Learn to think according to the Word of God, and your emotions will start lining up with your thoughts.

If you have had years of experiencing wrong thinking and letting your emotions lead you as I did, making the change may not be easy, and it will definitely require a commitment of study, time, and effort. But the results will be worth it. Don’t say, “I am just an emotional person, and I can’t help the way I feel.” Take control. You can do it! Keep your thoughts in line with the plan God has for your life—a plan to prosper you, and not to harm you (see Jeremiah 29:11). Take control of your thoughts by trusting them to Him.

Prayer of the Day: Father, please help me think thoughts that You approve of and quickly cast down the ones that You don’t approve of. Help me think things that are pleasing to You and that will release Your power into my life.

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If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

— Romans 12:18 (AMPC)

Recently someone was quite rude to me, and of course it hurt my feelings. I was tired because I had just returned from a conference, and that made me even more vulnerable. I had a decision to make! Would I stay angry, confront them, tell other people how they had treated me (gossip), or pray for them and be at peace?

I am sure you are familiar with the scenario I am describing, and when these things happen to us, we dare not follow our emotions. What we “feel” like doing and what God wants us to do are usually two very different things. I find it best to be quiet for a bit, let my emotions calm down, and think about the situation rationally.

Did the person hurt me on purpose, or were they perhaps under some sort of pressure that made them insensitive to my feelings? The individual who hurt me was having a very difficult day, and although they knew they were being rude and did apologize, they were having difficulty being kind to anyone. God’s Word encourages us to always believe the best of every person (see 1 Corinthians 13:7), and if we are willing to do it, it is one of the best ways to keep our peace in a situation like this.

Keeping the peace with others is very important and I highly recommend that you do so if it is at all possible. Confront those who mistreat you when God leads you to but avoid being touchy and getting your feelings hurt easily. When you get your feelings hurt, forgive the offender quickly and just imagine all the times you may have hurt someone and needed God’s forgiveness and theirs!

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me be at peace at all times. I want to always believe the best and forgive others just as You forgive me.

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And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

— Ephesians 4:32 (AMPC)

Unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, or offense of any kind can render us unable to hear from God. The Word of God is very clear on this subject. If we want God to forgive our sins and offenses against Him, we must forgive others their sins and offenses against us.

Ephesians 4:30–32, the passage that contains our verse for today, teaches that we grieve the Holy Spirit when we harbor negative emotions such as anger, resentment, and animosity in our hearts. When we hold unforgiveness against anyone for any reason, it hardens our hearts and prevents us from being sensitive to God’s leading in our lives. I once heard someone say that holding unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping your enemy will die.

Why spend your life being angry and bitter toward someone who is probably enjoying his or her life and does not even care that you are upset? Do yourself a favor—forgive those who hurt you! Give yourself the gift of forgiveness. It will bring peace to your heart and enable you to hear God’s voice and follow His leading in your life.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I want to live in peace and be sensitive to Your leading in my life. Help me to forgive others, as You have forgiven me, and move forward in life without anger, bitterness, or offense of any kind, amen.

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Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.

— Psalm 7:15 (NIV)

Adapted from the resource Daily Devotions from Psalms – by Joyce Meyer2 MIN READ

Today’s scripture teaches us an important lesson: When we cause trouble for others, it will recoil back on us, and when a person causes violence, it will come down on their own head. This is the principle of sowing and reaping.

In Genesis 8:22, we find that as long as the earth remains, there will be “seedtime and harvest”—sowing and reaping. Although this verse speaks of harvesting plants that will provide food for us, we can see that seed sown does bring a harvest, according to the type of seed that was planted.

Paul teaches that we should not be deceived by thinking we won’t reap what we have sown. He says, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap (Galatians 6:7 AMPC). Matthew 7:1–2 (NIV) says, Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. And Luke 6:31 (NIV) says, Do to others as you would have them do to you, which is also called the Golden Rule. Just imagine how wonderful the world would be if we all treated others exactly as we would like to be treated.

Let’s start today applying the principle of sowing and reaping in a greater way than ever before and get ready for an abundant harvest of good things.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I repent for any time I have mistreated others, and I ask for forgiveness. I want to start fresh and, with Your help, sow what I would like to reap.

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And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]. Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God.

— 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (AMPC)

If you read Proverbs 31:20, you will see that the woman in Proverbs 31 reached out her filled hands to the needy. When a person truly wants to give, God will give seed to sow. Even if you don’t have extra money to give, you do have something. Look around your house and start giving away everything that you are not using or wearing. If an article of clothing has been in your closet one year without being moved, there is a good chance you will never wear it again. Pass it on to someone in need and God will bless you with new things as you need them.

I believe that we know giving is the right thing to do. In our hearts we can sense joy and confidence when we become givers and not merely takers. It is no wonder I did not like this woman in Proverbs 31 when I first started reading about her. She was everything I was not but needed to become.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, I truly want to be a giving person. I ask Your blessing that I might meet the needs of others, whatever their needs might be, amen.

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Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

— Psalm 126:4-6 (NIV)

Psalm 126 speaks of those who “sow with tears,” and sometimes this is what we need to do. It means that while we are still hurting, we keep doing the right thing—keep helping others, keep praying, and keep studying God’s Word. As we do, we sow seeds for an eventual harvest. I used to wonder why God wouldn’t give me the ability to solve my own problems or help myself, but at the same time I was hurting, He would give me the ability to help others. Then I learned that He wants us to reach out to others, and when we do, we are sowing seed for our future harvest.

Those who sow in tears will reap sheaves (a harvest) with songs of joy. Nothing is more joyful than experiencing a reversal of bad circumstances and having them turn into something good. It is exciting and makes us happy.

The Bible says that weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5 NKJV). Admittedly, it often takes more than one night for our problems to be solved, but this Psalm teaches us a principle: God always comes through and gives us victory. Your problems will end, and your sorrow will turn to joy.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am grateful that I can depend on You to turn my weeping into joy. You are good, and You always bring good things. I wait on You and put my trust in You.

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Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

— Philippians 4:8 (AMP)

There is a proven connection between the mind and the body, and it gives us an easy and inexpensive way to help maintain good health. You can choose to think positive, peaceful, biblical thoughts in order to develop a healthier spirit, soul, and body.

Nobody wants to be a victim, and we certainly don’t want to be victimized by our own thoughts. Learning to think purposely and aggressively, instead of passively providing an empty space for whatever thoughts come to mind or the devil offers, is the way to become the victor instead of the victim.

In your quiet time with God, ask Him to help you think faith-filled thoughts, and get started today on your way to a healthier mind and body.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, Father, for helping me think positive thoughts, faith-filled thoughts that will help me in every facet of my life. I am grateful that I do not have to be a prisoner of negative thinking and that I can choose to be happy, filled with joy, and feel better as a result!

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Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own.

— 1 Corinthians 6:19 (AMPC)

If we don’t take good care of our bodies, our spirit and soul will be less effective. If we rarely exercise, rest, or eat properly, we can adversely affect our health. Each part of our being—spirit, soul, and body—is important and needs proper care.

I have discovered that when I feel tired and worn-out, I don’t want to maintain the spiritual discipline that I should in order to stay strong in my spirit and soul. Good physical health and energy help us in every way.

Your body is the residence of your spirit and soul; it is the house they dwell in while on this earth. God’s Word says that your body is the temple of God—I encourage you to take care of it each and every day.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am grateful that Jesus came so that I might have abundant, healthy life. When times are tough, my joy falters, and my strength ebbs, help me to remember that You have promised I can enjoy my life, regardless of what is going on around me. Thank You for the joy, peace, and strength I find in You, amen.

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Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

— James 1:2 (AMPC)

A spiritually mature person has a different view of trials and tribulations than an immature person. A spiritually mature person handles tribulations by keeping joy and trusting God in the midst of it. Even though the enemy may be bringing it, God is able to work good out of it, and very often we learn things about ourselves during trials that we would never see any other way.

We should thank God in the midst of our trials instead of murmuring and complaining and feeling sorry for ourselves. Look at your troubles in a new way. Don’t act any differently when you are going through a storm than you would if life were full of rainbows (you don’t get rainbows until you’ve been through a storm!). And remember, with every temptation, He also provides a way out (see 1 Corinthians 10:13).

Prayer of the Day: Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus, and I ask You to help me keep my eyes on You and look at the bright side when facing trouble and trials. Help me learn the lessons I need to learn and go deeper in my walk with You, amen.

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And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

— Galatians 6:9 (AMPC)

One of the great benefits of following Jesus is knowing that with Him you can’t lose. Because He is with you, no matter what you face, you can overcome. Things won’t always be easy, but if you are determined to keep moving forward, you will make progress.

In your relationships, your finances, your career, and your emotional well-being the only way you can lose is if you give up. So be determined today and stay the course, even in the toughest circumstances.

God is with you (see Joshua 1:9), and He has promised to never leave your side (see Matthew 28:20). If you’ll hold on to those promises, you’ll live a bold, confident, determined life.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I am thankful for the gifts and talents You have given me. Help me to use them to Your glory, amen.

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If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

— 1 John 1:9 (AMPC)

It is useless to worry about anything and doubly useless to worry about something that is over and done with and that nothing can be done about. If you made a mistake in the past that can be rectified, then go ahead and take action to correct it. But if you cannot do anything about it except be sorry, then ask for forgiveness from God and anyone you may have hurt and don’t worry about it any longer.

Let me remind you that worry is useless, so why do it? God has given us wisdom, and a wise person will not spend their time doing something that produces nothing of any value.

There are many wonderful scriptures in the Bible that teach us to let go of the past and look to the future. We’re reminded to forget what is behind and keep our eyes facing forward, on God and His plan for us (see Phil. 3:13). We can find peace in the knowledge that God’s compassion and kindness are new every morning and that His faithfulness is abundant (see Lam. 3:22–23). Also, we must never forget that He is able to overcome our mistakes and do far more than we could ever imagine that He could do for us (see Ephesians 3:16, 20). God has provided a way for your past to have zero power over you, but it is up to you to receive His gracious gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and a new beginning.

Don’t allow mistakes in your past to fester and threaten your future. When you ask God to forgive you for something that you have done wrong, He is faithful and just to do it. He continuously cleanses us from all unrighteousness (see 1 John 1:9). It’s forgiven and forgotten—but you must do the same!

When you hear the word past what’s the first memory or thought that comes to mind? If it is something that makes you feel guilty, then pray and ask God to help you let go and trust He has great things in your future.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, Father, that I can come to You, ask forgiveness for all my past mistakes, and then let them go, with Your help, amen.

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…Not My will, but [always] Yours be done.

— Luke 22:42 (AMPC)

Asking God for what we need and desire in the natural realm is definitely not wrong, but we should not major on those things. God’s Word says that He knows what we need before we ask Him (see Matthew 6:8), so all we need to do is simply ask and let Him know that we are trusting Him to take care of everything that concerns us.

After we ask God for our daily physical needs, we can focus the majority of our prayer time on talking to Him about our spiritual needs, such as spiritual maturity, developing and displaying the fruit of the Spirit, obedience, and walking in love, to name a few. We also have the privilege of praying for other people and being part of their victories.

God is inviting you to a deeper walk with Him and that means you want His will even more than you want your own.

Prayer of the Day: I thank You, Father, that You hear me every time I pray. Even though I have daily needs that I bring to You, help me to enter a deeper level of prayer. I pray that Your will would be done in my life and in the world around me, amen.

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Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

— 3 John 2 (NKJV)

Most women I know set and meet goals each day, such as “Buy the groceries. Do the laundry. Take the kids to school. Pick up Mom’s prescription. Get Mary’s birthday present.” We also set goals for each week and each year, such as getting to church every Sunday or going on a summer vacation. But how many women have this goal: “Work on getting my soul healthy”? It’s one of the most important of all.

A healthy soul is a soul at peace and at rest. It isn’t upset, worried, angry, ashamed, or fearful. It is strong and steady, full of love, joy, hope, compassion toward others, and confidence in God. It can handle the ups and downs of life appropriately and go through everyday life with ease.

As you read the description of a healthy soul, you may think, Oh, that sounds so nice! I would love that, but I just don’t think it’s possible because I am dealing with [fill in the blank]. When you fill in the blank, you may say “aging parents,” or “difficult teenagers,” or “a serious health condition,” or “job loss,” or “an abusive relationship,” or “losing my friends,” or “problems in my marriage,” or “financial trouble,” or “unreasonable stress at work.”

There are all kinds of situations that will cause you to think you really cannot have a healthy soul. They may mean you have to work hard to improve the health of your soul, but they don’t prohibit it. Actually, the fact that you are going through these things is not a hindrance to a healthy soul; it’s the reason you need one! The healthier your soul is, the stronger you will be and the better you will be able to handle your most challenging circumstances.

Just like you, I am no stranger to stress, but I have learned that things that upset us will happen. We don’t have control over that, but because God has given us the fruit of self-control (see Gal. 5:22–23) and because we can ask Him to help us, we do have control over the way we respond to them. I can guarantee you, based on personal experience, that it’s much better to face challenges with a healthy soul than with a weak or wounded one.

A healthy soul is a worthy goal for all of us. I understand that in many ways it’s easier to get the groceries or drop off the kids at school than to work on becoming healthy in your mind, will, and emotions. I also know it’s one of the best things you will ever do for yourself, and that God will help you do it. It may seem difficult to you, but all things are possible with Him!

Prayer of the Day: Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus and ask You to impress on my, the importance of healing my soul. Help me to do the work needed on myself, so that I can be all that You would have me be, amen.

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But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

— Exodus 3:11 (NIV)

When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, Moses gave one excuse after another as to why he could not obey. All his excuses were rooted in fear. When Moses finally did take a step of faith, which manifested in obedience, he was used mightily by God.

What do you think of yourself? I encourage you to work with the Holy Spirit to see yourself the way God sees you—as a unique and powerful child of God. There is no power without confidence. Are you afraid God is not pleased with you? Do you regularly inventory all your faults, past failures, and weaknesses, and then feel weak like Moses did due to fear? If you do, then you are focusing on the wrong things. God gives us His power (grace) to enable us to do what is needed in spite of our weaknesses.

I experienced a lot of fear about myself, so if you are in that place right now, I can assure you that I know how you “feel.” But I am encouraging you to remember that your feelings don’t convey truth; only God’s Word does that. You may feel you are not what you are supposed to be, that you are strange or unusual, but the truth is we are all uniquely created by God for a special purpose and should learn how to enjoy ourselves.

I wasted some years trying to be like other people I knew, but I found that God won’t help us be anyone other than ourselves. Relax, learn to love yourself, and don’t be afraid that you won’t be able to do what you need to do. The truth is that none of us can do what we need to do without God’s help. If we look at only what we think we can do, we will all be frightened; but if we look at Jesus and focus on Him, He will give us the courage to go forward even in the presence of fear.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, I want to focus on the right things, rather than the wrong things. Please help me focus on Your Word and learn to love myself, amen.

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