. Adapted from Battlefield of the Mind

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

Proverbs 3:5 (AMPC)

I have heard many people say that reading the Bible is confusing. They say, “I have tried to read the Bible, but I don’t understand what God is saying, and I end up feeling frustrated and confused.”

In seeking God’s guidance regarding this situation, I sensed Him saying, “People keep trying to figure out everything. Tell them to stop trying to reason and explain everything.” As the above verses point out, we cannot always rely on our understanding. There are some things that we are not meant to know or understand.

Moses understood this concept, and he explained to the children of Israel that there are “secret things” known only to God. He pointed out that when God revealed His will—making things clear—those were the words they should obey.

It really is that simple. Like the psalmist, we can say, Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law; yes, I will observe it with my whole heart (Psalm 119:34 AMPC). We must ask God to show us what to do, and then we must not question it when He reveals it to us.

Too often people try to reason things out, but that can be dangerous. When we start trying to figure out why God says or does something, our first mistake is thinking we’re smart enough to understand the mind of God.

Reasoning can also move us in a particular direction that, although it may seem logical, may not be the will of God. A biblical account found in 1 Samuel is a good illustration of this point. Saul, the first king of Israel, made a decision to offer sacrifices. As a part of the tribe of Benjamin, it was unlawful for him—even as the king—to offer sacrifices. The king and his army waited several days for Samuel, the high priest, to arrive. But eventually Saul grew impatient (or perhaps fearful) and offered sacrifices just before the holy man arrived. When Samuel rebuked Saul for doing such a thing, the king had what he believed to be a reasonable explanation: I thought, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord. So I forced myself to offer a burnt offering (1 Samuel 13:12 AMPC).

Samuel rebuked the king, told him he had acted foolishly, and said the Lord was going to strip him of the kingdom.

That was Saul’s mistake. He reasoned that it would be wise to sacrifice, and he didn’t wait to hear from God.

The human mind likes logic, order, and reason. We like to deal with issues we can wrap our understanding around and come up with solutions that make sense to us. We have a tendency to think small because we are limited creatures, and we don’t have the perspective to understand from God’s point of view. We tend to put things in tiny, neat compartments in our minds, telling ourselves this must be right because it fits nicely there.

By contrast, we read the words of the apostle Paul: I am speaking the truth in Christ. I am not lying; my conscience [enlightened and prompted] by the Holy Spirit bearing witness with me (Romans 9:1 AMPC). He was making the point that he was doing the right thing—not because he had figured it out or analyzed the situation, but because his actions bore witness in his spirit.

That’s the attitude you need in your life. You need to depend on God to show you things in such a way that you know—with an inner certainty—that what has been revealed to your mind is correct. You must not allow yourself to reason with your mind, searching for logical solutions. Instead, you must say, “My trust is in the Lord, and whatever He tells me to do, I will obey.”

Prayer of the Day: Dear God, thank You for loving me more than I can even comprehend. In the name of Jesus Christ, I ask You to help me love and honor You so much that when You speak, I will have only one thought in my mind, and that is to obey, amen.

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. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing!

Psalm 100:1-2 (AMPC)

So many Christians are headed somewhere, but not many of us are enjoying the trip. It would be such a tragedy to arrive at the end of your journey only to realize you had not enjoyed life to its fullest. Often, you think you must do something great, and you forget the simple things that bless the Lord. Serving the Lord with gladness is a worthy goal. He rejoices when your heart is filled with joy and your mouth is filled with praise.

You should be determined to finish your course. But like Paul, you should strive to run the race with joy. Whatever your present station in life, whatever you are called to do, wherever you are called to go, enjoy the journey. Don’t waste one day of the precious life God has given you. Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say, rejoice!

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me enjoy each day You’ve given me. Teach me to find joy in the journey and live with gratitude, purpose, and a heart full of praise, amen.

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. But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity).

1 John 2:5 (AMPC)

It can be disappointing when people who are close to us don’t do what we would like for them to do. But if we really love them, we should encourage them to follow the Holy Spirit rather than try to keep us happy all the time.

Help others grow spiritually by encouraging them to listen for God’s voice. Remind them that God will help them through mistakes and lead them to a good life. Soon they will be making Spirit-led, rather than people-led, decisions. It is tremendously gratifying to see loved ones mature spiritually in Christ.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me love others without controlling them. Give me patience and wisdom to encourage their growth and trust You to guide their lives, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

. But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 (AMPC)

When we choose the people with whom we think we want to be in relationship—whether work-related or personal—we often find later that our choices were not very wise. Ask God to give you “divine connections.” He may choose relationships for you that you would never have chosen because you have preconceived ideas about what you want. Learn to look beyond the exterior of people and see their heart. Someone may look good outwardly and be a nightmare to be in relationship with. Another person may not appeal to you at first glance, and yet when you get to know that individual, he or she may turn out to be the best friend you ever had.

I was insecure and always wanted to be friends with the “popular people,” but quite often I ended up getting hurt. I sought the approval of such people because I was filled with insecurity.

Wisdom always chooses now what it will be happy with later on. Don’t live like there is no tomorrow, because tomorrow always comes.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, only You can see people’s hearts and give me the wisdom to know the best relationships for me. I ask You to connect me with the right friends and associates, amen.

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. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you pay attention to the voice of the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 28:2 (AMP)

When we do God’s will, His presence is with us and we are sure to succeed. But when we fail to follow Him, we invite all kinds of problems into our lives. Are you willing to say yes to God, even if it means saying no to your friends or even to yourself?

We can choose to be people who want to obey God and follow Him more than anything else. We can be strong and courageous and do whatever God leads us to do.

Even if you are the only person you know who is doing the right thing, I encourage you to obey God. Do not follow your flesh, your friends, or your own wishes. When we follow God, He always leads us to good things.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, give me courage to choose Your way above all else. Help me say yes to You, even when it’s difficult, and trust that You are leading me to good things, amen.

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. No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him.

2 Timothy 2:4 (AMPC)

Do you ever find yourself not taking time to spend with God because you’re so busy with other things? In 2 Timothy 2:4, Paul tells his protégé, Timothy, that a wise soldier avoids getting entangled in things that won’t satisfy the person who enlisted him. In other words, a child of God who wants to please God keeps his priorities straight and refuses to do things that could distract him from what is really important.

In order to grow closer to God on a daily basis, you’ll have to avoid some of the distractions and entanglements of the world. This may mean saying no to an opportunity you’d like to take but really don’t have time for. It could mean exercising good boundaries and not getting too wrapped up in other people’s problems. It’s important to help people, but there is a difference between godly involvement and entanglement. It may even mean being less focused on the stresses and cares that come up over the course of each day, because they certainly can distract us from God’s will and purpose for our lives.

God loves you and wants to be in relationship with you. Don’t let the entanglements of the world keep you from enjoying daily fellowship with Him.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me focus on what truly matters. Give me wisdom to set priorities, avoid distractions, and make time to grow closer to You each day, amen.

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And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage.

Judges 6:12 (AMPC)

In the book of Judges, God decided to work through a man named Gideon to deliver the Israelites from captivity. But when the angel came to call Gideon, Gideon began rehearsing a list of his inabilities, including reasons why he thought he could not do what God was calling him to do.

In Judges 6:14 (AMPC) God says, Have I not sent you? In other words, “Would I ask you to do something I haven’t equipped you to do?” And again, in the next verse, Gideon responds with excuses—I’m too poor, too small, too weak. Because words have power, Gideon believed what he said about himself more than the encouraging words of the Lord.

Stop thinking of excuses or things to complain about—It’s too hard; I’ve never done this before; this isn’t what I had planned; I don’t know how; I’m too old/young; I don’t feel like it; I’m afraid—and start doing what God is telling you to do.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me stop making excuses and trust what You’ve called me to do. Give me courage, confidence, and strength to step forward in obedience today, amen.

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…Return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord.

Acts 3:19 (AMPC)

We all need times of blessed quiet because we can find physical, emotional, and spiritual refreshing in those times.

We live in a noisy world, and if we are not careful we can become addicted to noise and constant activity. Make sure you find time in your life to just be quiet and listen.

Are you asking God to speak to you, but you never take the time to get quiet and just listen? It honors God when we give Him regular time. Sit with Him and enjoy His presence—it will be refreshing to your entire being.

Time is one of the most important things we can give God. It tells Him He is important to us and that we realize we cannot manage life properly without Him.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me slow down and spend quiet time with You. Teach me to listen, rest in Your presence, and find peace and strength for each day, amen.

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. But the path of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day [to be prepared].

Proverbs 4:18 (AMPC)

Our youngest grandson recently stood by himself for the first time. We were out of town on this joyous occasion, but we received a phone call telling us the great news. I vividly remember that there were four adults in the car when we received the news and three of us acted fairly ridiculous about the event. I actually clapped my hands together. Dave grinned from ear to ear and in a very surprised tone said, “REALLY!” A good friend was also in the car and she got excited. I heard questions like, “How long did he stand there?” and “Has he done it more than once?” Nobody asked if he sat down again, although we all knew that he did. We were even aware that he could have fallen down, but we did not care about anything other than his progress.

We had a similar scene at our house when he smiled for the first time, ate his first solid food, crawled, and said “mama” and “da-da.” We get really excited about any little progress that he makes and we all express it to him to encourage him. Dave and I just spent several days with the baby, and, to be honest, we probably encouraged him hundreds of times during those few days. I don’t remember even one time that we chastised him for what he could not do yet. God used this example to help me understand that He celebrates our progress just like we celebrate the progress of our children and grandchildren.

God isn’t keeping a record of each time we fall, but He is excited about our progress, and we should be excited, too! I spent way too many years mourning over my faults and weaknesses. I was taught to grieve over my sins, but nobody in the church I was in at the time ever told me to celebrate my progress, and I think that is tragic. If you missed this important lesson like I did, then today I am telling you to celebrate, celebrate, and then celebrate your progress some more.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me focus on progress instead of perfection. Teach me to celebrate growth, trust Your work in my life, and move forward with joy and confidence each day, amen.

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He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows].

Psalm 147:3 (AMPC)

You may have been a victim at one point in your life, but you don’t have to remain one. You can be emotionally healthy and whole in your soul. The Word of God promises that God will heal your wounds. He will help you…He’s waiting to help you.

We all have painful issues from the past that we need to deal with. Many of them were not our fault, and it isn’t fair that we should suffer because of other people’s behavior. Perhaps you were teased mercilessly as a child and still feel insecure or sensitive because of that old pain. Maybe someone you loved left you without explanation, or you may have been abused in some way. Whatever the source of your pain, be thankful that God loves you and wants to heal you. You don’t have to spend your life as a victim; you can have victory and even help bring victory to others.

Prayer of the Day: Father, I thank You that You are a healer. You have not left me to suffer in the pain of the past—You are healing my wounds and giving me the strength to move forward. Today is a new day, and I am going to enjoy every minute of it!

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My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long—though I know not how to relate them all. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.

Psalm 71:15-16 (NIV)

What would happen if we replaced all complaining and murmuring with praise to God? I believe amazing things would take place. It is difficult to get through one day without complaining, let alone a lifetime. God wants to hear our praise, not our report on all the negative things we feel are happening to us.

We can purpose to look for all the good things God has done and is doing in our lives and talk about them. We can rehearse them to God when talking with Him and telling others of them. Our prayers should not only be about asking God for something; they should also be filled with praise and thanksgiving for all that He has already done.

Philippians 4:6 teaches us to pray with thanksgiving. If we are complainers, we will only keep complaining, even if God gives us something we are asking for. Let’s learn to praise God even in the midst of our troubles, for that is when praise is most powerful. If we cannot praise Him in the valleys of life, then we won’t praise Him on the mountaintops either. God is good all the time, not just when we like our circumstances. Let’s tell of His mighty deeds and His saving acts.

Prayer of the Day: Father, You are righteous and You do righteous acts. I praise You for all Your goodness to me. I want my mouth to be filled with gratitude, not complaints. Please help me. Thank You.

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O my God, in You I [have unwavering] trust [and I rely on You with steadfast confidence], do not let me be ashamed or my hope in You be disappointed.

Psalm 25:2 (AMP)

We read in today’s scripture about having “unwavering trust” and “steadfast confidence” in the Lord. Most of us would think, Oh, yes, I want to have unwavering trust and steadfast confidence in God! We instantly know that such firm, unshakeable trust in Him would increase our peace and stability. But this kind of trust and confidence does not form overnight. It takes time.

As we journey through life, most of us develop habits of worry, anxiety, and fear. We may also become self-reliant to some degree, trusting our own abilities instead of trusting God. We may learn to seek confidence in the things of the world, even though they continually prove faulty. Overcoming ingrained habits in our thoughts or emotions is a process and unweaving them usually happens step by step over a period of weeks, months, or years.

This is why perseverance is so important. When your trust in God does waver, don’t feel condemned. Simply repent and choose to trust Him again. Every time you trust Him, and every time He comes through for you, your trust and confidence will grow stronger.

Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to grow continually in unwavering trust and steadfast confidence in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need…

Hebrews 4:16 (AMPC)

God is full of mercy and loving-kindness! He is extending His mercy to you right now, but you must believe it and receive it in order for it to benefit you. When we sin, we don’t need to punish ourselves, because Jesus already took our punishment and He now offers us His mercy. Amazing!

Mercy would not be mercy if it could be deserved, because it is said to be kindness that exceeds what could be expected. If you are suffering from guilt, shame, and condemnation, God is reaching out to you now and offering you mercy. Don’t turn away because you know you don’t deserve it. Receive it and let it make you fall more in love with Jesus than ever before.

We need mercy every day, and God has provided it because His Word says that His mercy is new every day and His faithfulness is great and abundant (Lamentations 3:23). Our sin will never exceed God’s mercy because where sin abounds, grace abounds much more (Romans 5:20).

Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You very much for Your amazing mercy. Teach me how to receive not only mercy but also all of Your gracious benefits, amen.

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Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.

Acts 3:19 (NIV)

Sometimes life can be very emotional, and so much emotion can be exhausting. We may go through seasons of stress, seasons of sorrow and sadness, seasons of fear, seasons of confusion and uncertainty, seasons of jealousy and envy, seasons of tension and anger, and other intense, emotionally difficult periods of time. Especially when these emotional times are prolonged, we need to take a break. We need a little rest.

This rest is found in God’s presence, in knowing He is with us no matter what we are going through. He is our refuge and our strength (Psalm 46:1). His Holy Spirit is our Counselor (John 14:26), and He will help us know what to do in every situation so that we no longer feel stressed, confused, frightened, angry, jealous, or excessively sad. He may lead us to take a few days of physical rest or spend some time with a good friend. He may give us an idea that will help lighten our load in a practical way. He may even lead us to do something that will make us laugh. No matter how He leads us, the most important thing is that we stop what we’re doing for a while and seek His presence. When we seek Him, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). In His presence, burdens are lifted, peace fills our hearts, He restores our souls (Psalm 23:3), and we are able to rest. No matter what is going on in your life or how you feel about it, spend time today in God’s presence and find rest.

Prayer of the Day: When my emotions are intense, remind me, Lord, to find rest in Your presence.

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Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.

Malachi 3:16 (AMPC)

Today’s verse says God likes conversations in which we talk about how good He is. When He hears them, He gets out His book of remembrance and records them. He does not record our murmuring, grumbling, or complaining, but He records the words we speak when praise is on our lips.

Just think about how you would feel if you overheard your children saying, “Our mom is awesome. We have the greatest mother in the world. Don’t we have the most incredible mom and dad? They’re the best parents around!” I am sure that if you witnessed such a conversation between your children, you could hardly wait to bless them. But, on the other hand, what if you walked into a room and your children were saying, “I’m so sick and tired of Mom and Dad. They never do anything for us. They’ve got all these rules. They don’t want us to have any fun. Mom always nags us and makes us do our homework. If our parents really loved us, they would give us what we want, not what they think is best.” Our lives with God are no different than the two scenarios I have described above. We are God’s children! He hears everything we say and He knows what is in our hearts even when we don’t say it. What does He want to hear us talking about? How great He is! How awesome He is! The wonderful things He’s done, can do, and will do! Speak well of God, from your heart, and you create an atmosphere for God to speak to you.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me speak words that honor You. Fill my heart with gratitude and teach me to praise You in every situation. Let my words reflect Your goodness, amen.

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…Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV)

Even though Satan comes only to bring destruction, Jesus came so we might have and enjoy our lives (John 10:10). I was at least 45 years old before I ever let myself enjoy my life. Because of growing up in incest and a joyless atmosphere, I developed the habit of merely trying to survive each day. It never occurred to me that one of the reasons Jesus died and rose from the dead was so we could all enjoy our lives. Due to sexual abuse, I never really got to experience being a child. God actually had to teach me how to enjoy life.

I felt guilty most of the time. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another; but it was all a result of my childhood. I had a wounded soul and needed Jesus to heal it, and He did. He gave me beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning (Isaiah 61:3).

God’s will is for us to enjoy every day of our lives. I have good news for you: Even while you are having trials and problems, you can cast the care of them onto God (1 Peter 5:7) and still enjoy your life. The joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Satan does all he possibly can to steal your joy because he wants us to be weak and powerless. Don’t let him win. Enjoy life and laugh as often as you can. I’m sure the devil hates to hear us laugh.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, heal my heart and restore my joy. Help me release the past, trust You in every season, and choose to enjoy the life You’ve given me, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time.

1 Peter 5:6 (AMP)

If you are dealing with a hurt or disappointment today—big or small—please know that God loves you and He wants to help you. Your situation has not been overlooked by Him. He knows exactly where you are and exactly what you are going through.

The healing process isn’t easy. It takes time, a commitment to studying God’s Word, and prayer. However, the Lord is faithful, and as you trust Him, He will bring healing, growth, and new life.

Start by admitting you need God’s help. God helps the humble (1 Peter 5:5–7)! We need to let God take us apart and then put us back together again.

As we renew our minds according to the Word, we will trust God more completely and believe what He says more than what others say about us, more than our feelings, and more than our circumstances. That’s when we live in His beauty, filled with His love, free from the prisons of our past, and healed in our souls.

God loves you more than you can comprehend, and He wants you to be free to walk in His good plans for your life. Take time every day to study His Word. Pray and cast your cares on Him, because He cares about you and wants what is best for you.

Prayer of the Day: God, I need You. I need Your help. Heal my heart and any broken places. Make me who You want me to be, amen.

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Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Matthew 6:9-10 (ESV)

I learned early in my Christian walk that the soul of a person is composed of the mind, the will, and the emotions. When we talk about having our soul healed, we are talking about finding healing for the things that have hurt or damaged us in our mind, our will, or our emotions. All three areas are important, but today I want to focus on the will.

The will refers to our wants, desires, and choices. When we realize that we want something and then we make the decision to get it, we are exercising our will. When someone wants us to do something and we refuse, that is also a choice of the will. If we are going to be healed in our soul, we need to submit and surrender our will to God. We should desire God’s will—what He wants for us—more than we want our own.

Want God’s will with all of your heart because you love Him and want to please Him. Submitting to God’s will shows that we trust Him and are confident that what He wants for us is much better than what we want for ourselves. I say, “Pray for what you want and joyfully receive what you are given.”

When we seek God’s will about various things in life, we do not always find our specific situation in Scripture. The Bible does not tell us whether or not to move to a certain city, whether or not to take a certain job, whether or not to buy a new car, or what we should do about marrying a certain person. It does, however, give us general guidelines that will help us follow God’s will. For example, if we are considering whether to make a geographic move or whether to take a certain job, Proverbs 11:14 (ESV) says, Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. If we pray and seek godly counsel, God may reveal His will through other people, or He may guide us by the presence or absence of peace. If we’re thinking about a purchase, the Bible talks about handling money and tells us to be careful with our money (Luke 14:28; Rom. 13:8). When we contemplate marriage, we can find many scriptures to help us know the type of person we should consider (2 Cor. 6:14; Matt. 19:4–6; Eph. 5:33). We can always count on God’s Word and His Spirit to lead us to His will. Sometimes we need to take a step of faith and see if God opens a door we can go through, or if we need to step back and try something else.

When God sees that we want His will more than anything else, He is faithful to reveal it to us. As we walk in His will, we will find that it is better than anything we could ever want for ourselves.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me desire Your will above my own. Give me wisdom, peace, and courage to follow Your direction and trust that Your plans are best for my life, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Adapted from Battlefield of the Mind

For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified. And I was in (passed into a state of) weakness and fear (dread) and great trembling [after I had come] among you. And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power.

1 Corinthians 2:2–4 (AMPC)

I’ve tried to imagine what it would have been like to go to Corinth or other Greek cities at the time of Paul and try to speak to those wise, brilliant thinkers. After studying every parchment given to me, and gaining knowledge of all their arguments, I would have prayed for God to help me overcome their objections.

We don’t know what Paul did, but his answer is astounding. Instead of going after them with great reasoning and sharp logic, he went in exactly the opposite direction. He stayed in Corinth a year and a half, and many came to Christ because of him. Later, when he wrote 1 Corinthians 2:2 (AMPC), he said, For I resolved to know nothing…among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified. That’s amazing. If any man had the ability to reason with those Greeks and could show them the fallacies of their logic, surely that man was Paul. But, being led by the Holy Spirit, he chose a defenseless presentation—to let God speak through him and touch the hearts of the people.

Now, centuries later, I appreciate his approach—although I didn’t always feel this way. For a long time, I wanted to explain and reason out everything, but when that didn’t work, I ended up feeling miserable.

I’ve always been curious, always wanted to know, and always wanted to figure out the answer. Then God began to work in my life. He showed me that my constant drive to figure it out caused me confusion and prevented me from receiving many of the things He wanted me to have. He said, You must lay aside carnal reasoning if you expect to have discernment.

I didn’t like loose ends, so I felt more secure when I figured things out. I wanted to be in control of every detail of every situation. When I didn’t understand or was unable to figure things out, I felt out of control. And that was frightening to me. Something was wrong—I was troubled and had no peace of mind. Sometimes, frustrated and exhausted, I would just give up.

It was a long battle for me because I finally admitted something to myself (God knew it all along): I was addicted to reasoning. It was more than a tendency or desire to figure out things. It was a compulsion. I had to have answers—and had to have them right now. When God was finally able to convince me of my addiction, I was able to give it up.

It wasn’t easy. Like people who withdraw from drugs or alcohol, I had withdrawal symptoms. I felt lost. Frightened. Alone. I had always depended on my ability to figure things out. Now, like Paul, I had to depend on God.

Too many people assume that relying only on God is something we do easily and naturally. It didn’t work that way with me. But God was gracious and patient with me. It was as if He’d whisper, “You’re not there yet, Joyce, but you’re making progress. It’s uncomfortable because you’re learning a new way to live.”

God wants us to be victorious—and I knew that all along. Now I walk in greater victory than ever before—and I no longer try to reason out everything before I act.

Prayer of the Day: Heavenly Father, thank You for being so patient with me and people like me who feel we must have all the answers before we can act or trust. In the name of Jesus, help me to simply trust in You, knowing that You will give me what is best for my life, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart].

Matthew 3:8 (AMPC)

Our society places so much importance on the way things look that appearances often take priority over true quality. One time I saw some big, perfect oranges in the grocery store and decided to buy one. I was sure the orange would taste as good as it looked, but when I peeled that beautiful thing and took a bite, it was dry and bitter.

Giving consideration to whether you are as good on the inside as you look on the outside is a serious matter. Many people are searching for God today, and there are numerous teachings about how to find Him that sound right. As Christians, we need to make sure we are “the real thing” and not a phony. Only then will people see Jesus in us and want what we have.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, help me focus on who I am inside. Teach me to live with integrity and reflect Your truth in my life, not just in appearance but in character, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org