My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
—John 10:27 NKJV
One of the questions that people most frequently ask me is “How can I know specifically what God wants me to do?”
Of all the ways God speaks to you, He most frequently uses peace, wisdom, and the voice of our conscience—that still, small voice inside your spirit that tells you what is right and wrong. The Holy Spirit, who dwells in believers, speaks to your spirit what He wants you to do. Your spirit then communicates the message to your mind, and your mind is then enlightened on what action to take.
God is speaking to you! And He wants to direct you in every area of your life. So delight yourself in Him, follow after peace, and obey the voice of your conscience.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; fret not yourself—it tends only to evildoing.
—Psalm 37:8
The Word tells us another way to resist temptation: “When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]” (Ephesians 4:26–27).
Paul said that we should forgive people to keep Satan from gaining an advantage over us (See 2 Corinthians 2:10–11). If someone offends you, get over it quickly so you won’t leave open a door for the devil. It is a sin to hold anger and bitterness, so never go to sleep mad. If you forgive everyone before you fall asleep, freedom from wrong attitudes in your heart will help you start your day right the next morning.
And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities.
—Hebrews 10:24
I have written in this devotional about the importance of loving people with our words .The carnal (lower, sensual) nature points out flaws, weaknesses and failures. The flesh is quick to talk about the things others do wrong or the mistakes they make. It likes to gossip, and say things like, “Did you hear that So-and-So got fired for being late so many times?” or, “Did you hear that So-and-So’s husband left her for another woman because she nagged him all the time?” The flesh seems to feed on the negatives in life. It sees and magnifies all that is wrong with people and things. But the Bible says in Romans 12:21 that we are to overcome evil with good.
Walking in the Spirit (continually following the prompting or leading, guiding and working of the Holy Spirit through our own spirit instead of being led by our emotions) requires being positive. God is positive, and in order to walk with Him we must agree with Him (see Amos 3:3).
It is easy to find something wrong with everyone, but 1 Peter 4:8 says, “love covers a multitude of sins.” Love does not expose people’s faults and talk about them; it covers them. Believing the best about people and speaking words that build them up is one way of loving them.
Parents, employers, friends, husbands, wives, children—all of us need to make a commitment to love people by saying nice things about people in the privacy of our own thoughts and with the words of our mouths. We need to build confidence in others by speaking well of them. We need to speak positively when talking to them and when talking about them to others. Use your words to bless others and cover their faults and shortcomings.
Love Others Today: Lord, help me to choose my words carefully today.
When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].
—Ephesians 4:26–27
We all get angry, but we must be careful to understand why we are angry. Many people who become frequently angry have a root of insecurity in their lives that wipes out their confidence. Those who are easily offended and touchy are insecure. They must be treated well to feel good about themselves. And if not, they get angry.
God never tells us not to feel anger, but He does give instructions on how we process our anger. When we stay angry, we open a door for the devil to work in our lives. Most of the ground gained by Satan in the Christian’s life is gained through bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness. People who easily fly into a rage always make a bad landing. When our emotions are out of control, so is our life. Anger makes our mouth work faster than our mind. We end up saying and doing things we are sorry for later.
Staying angry and harboring unkind feelings toward others is disobedience. We must realize sustained anger is sin. If we don’t look at it for what it is, we may be tempted to hang on to it.
Lord, help me to understand my anger and to never let it be sustained and destroy my confidence. May I be quick to forgive others and keep my life in control. Amen.
A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing, he can take unto himself nothing] except as it has been granted to him from heaven. [A man must be content to receive the gift which is given him from heaven; there is no other source.]
—John 3:27
I think something very sad happens when people compete against each other or compare themselves with others in the area of spiritual gifts, natural abilities, and the callings God has placed on their lives. Comparison and competition cause us to lose the joy of being and doing what God has designed us to be and do.
Today’s verse instructs us to be satisfied with the gift or gifts we have. Our gifts come from God and we need to be happy with the gifts He gives us because we will not get any other gifts unless God decides to give them to us. We need to trust the Holy Spirit, believing that He has been sent to Earth to help make sure God’s will comes to pass on the earth and in each of our lives.
I encourage you to meditate on the fact that God has sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. He actually lives inside every person who has truly accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Holy Spirit was sent to keep us until the final day of redemption when Jesus returns to claim His own. He is attempting to speak to us so He can lead us into the fullness of what Jesus died for us to have. When we fight against our calling or are dissatisfied with what we are and what we have, we fight against the work and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. We need to submit to Him, obey His voice, develop the gifts He has placed within us, and with His help, live our lives passionately and fully for the glory of God.
God’s word for you today: Contentment is a compliment to God. It tells Him that we trust Him and appreciate all He does for us.
I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]—then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin.
—Psalm 32:5
In 1 John 1:9, the Bible teaches us that if we admit our sins and confess them, He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Start by freely admitting all your faults. Hold nothing back. Admit them to God and to people. Don’t make excuses or place blame elsewhere.
As you do this, you will experience a new freedom, and your relationship with Jesus and with people will improve greatly. I have found that if I tell people my faults before they find them on their own, neither one of us is as bothered by them.
Be open with people. Most people respect and admire honesty and openness. It is what we try to hide that comes back to haunt us. Invite Jesus into every area of your life. Don’t feel you must hide your faults from Him. He knows all about them anyway. Actually, the Lord knows more about us than we can remember or will ever discover and He loves us anyway.
Give God not only what you are but especially give Him what you are not. It is easy to offer Him our strengths, but we should also offer Him our weaknesses because His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. Don’t hold anything back; give God everything! The Lord doesn’t see only what we are right now, He sees what we can become if He is patient with us.
But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].
—Psalm 1:2–3
Your word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against You…I will meditate on Your precepts and have respect to Your ways [the paths of life marked out by Your law].
—Psalm 119:11, 15
In the early days of computers, they used to say, “Garbage in, garbage out.” That was a way of explaining that the computer only worked with the data put into the machine. If we wanted different results, we needed to put in different information. With computers, most people have no trouble grasping that concept, but when it comes to their minds, they don’t seem to get it. Or perhaps they don’t want to get it.
So many things demand their attention and beg for their focus. They’re not just sinful things. The apostle Paul said that although everything was lawful for him, not everything was helpful (see 1 Corinthians 6:12).
If you are going to win the battle of the mind and defeat your enemy, where you focus your attention is crucial. The more you meditate on God’s Word, the stronger you’ll become and the more easily you’ll win the victories.
Too many Christians don’t realize the difference between meditating on the Bible and reading the Bible. They like to think that whenever they read God’s Word, they’re absorbing the deep things of God. Too often people will read a chapter of the Bible, and when they get to the last verse, they have little idea of what they’ve read. Those who meditate on God’s Word are those who think—and think seriously—about what they’re reading.
They may not put it in these words, but they are saying, “God, speak to me. Teach me. As I ponder Your Word, reveal its depth to me.”
Above, I quoted from Psalm 1. This psalm begins by defining the person who is blessed, and then points out the right actions of that person. The psalmist wrote that those who meditate—and do it day and night—are like productive trees…and everything they do shall prosper.
The psalmist made it quite clear that meditating on and thinking about God’s Word brings results. As you ponder who God is and what He’s saying to you, you’ll grow. It’s really that simple. Another way to put it is to say that whatever you focus on, you become. If you read about and allow your mind to focus on God’s love and power, that’s what operates in you.
The apostle Paul says it beautifully in Philippians 4:8: “…Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].”
It’s sad, but most Christians don’t put much effort into their study of the Word. They go to hear others teach and preach, and they may listen to sermon tapes and read the Bible occasionally, but they’re not dedicated to making God’s Word a major part of their lives.
Be careful what you think about. The more you think about good things, the better your life will seem. The more you think about Jesus Christ and the principles He taught, the more you become like Jesus and the stronger you grow. And as you grow, you win the battle for your mind.
Lord God, help me think about the things that honor You. Fill my life with a hunger for more of You and Your Word so that in everything I may prosper. I ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven’s lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows.
—James 1:17 NLT
There was a time when I believed God was good—but I wasn’t sure He would be good to me. I was afraid I hadn’t been good enough to receive His goodness. But He taught me that our inability to do everything right doesn’t cancel out His goodness. Thankfully, receiving God’s goodness is based on His righteousness, not ours.
I now keep a journal to list all the good things God does for me. This gives me a greater appreciation for His provisions and confirms His constant flow of blessings in my life.
God is good, and His goodness radiates from Him like heat radiates from the sun. And those rays of goodness reach out to you every day. Make a list of all His blessings, and you’ll have no doubt about the good and perfect gifts that come from Him.
And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me; in His tent I will offer sacrifices and shouting of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
—Psalm 27:6
The psalmist David said that the thing he wanted most was to be with God and to dwell in His presence all the days of his life (See Psalm 27:4). David loved God for who He is, not just for what He did for him.
The Word says that if we abide in the presence of God, He will defeat our enemies, and hide us in the day of trouble (See v.5). God’s attention is on us, but we must keep our attention on Him to enjoy the fullness of His presence in our lives. We must invite God to be involved in everything we do, and then remember to praise Him for His goodness.
I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.
—Philippians 4:11
People of God should be peaceful, joyful, thankful, and content. In Philippians 4:11, Paul said he “learned how to be content.” Well, I don’t know about you, but I spent many years, even as a believer, before I learned contentment, and I believe there are many others who struggle as I did trying to find it. You may be one of them.
I knew how to be satisfied if I was getting my own way—if everything was working exactly as I had planned—but how often does that happen? Very rarely, in my experience.
I knew absolutely nothing about how to handle even the ordinary trials that come along in most every person’s life. I didn’t know how to adapt to other people and things. I found out that a person who can only be satisfied when there are no disturbances in life will spend a great deal of time being discontented.
I finally desired stability enough that I was willing to learn whatever it took to have it. I wanted to be satisfied no matter what was going on around me.
The Amplified Bible defines the word content as “satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted in whatever state I am in.” I appreciate this definition, because it does not say that I must be satisfied to the point where I don’t ever want change, but I can be satisfied to the point that I am not anxious or disturbed. I desperately wanted, and now enjoy, that kind of peace. How about you?
Trusting God and refusing to complain during hard times greatly honors Him. It is of no value to talk of how much we trust God only when all is well. But when difficulty comes, then we should say and sincerely mean, “I trust You, Lord.” He delights in a contented child. I have come to believe being content is one of the greatest ways we can glorify Him. Be content where you are while you are waiting for what you want or need.
Trust in Him: Don’t wait until everything is perfect before you decide to enjoy your everyday life. Trust God and be content regardless of your circumstances.
Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him [to strengthen him and build him up spiritually].—Romans 15:1, 2
Today’s scripture give us great advice, but we usually do the opposite of what it advises us to do. We want others to live to make us happy and do what pleases us. The result is that no matter what people do, we are rarely happy and satisfied.
The ways of the world, which are focused on “self,” do not work and the condition our society is in today proves that. In general people are more selfish than ever; they are also more dissatisfied. God’s ways do work and His way is to genuinely love other people. If we do as He instructs we may make some sacrifices, but we will have a kind of joy that cannot be found anywhere except in the center of God’s will. We will also be obeying His great commandment, which is to love one another.
Will you be honest and ask yourself some questions that may be difficult to answer but will bring you face-to-face with where you are in the whole theme of loving other people? How much do you do for others? Are you trying to find out what people want and need so you can provide it for them? Are you sincerely trying to know the people in your life in a genuine way? How well do you really even know the people in your own family?
As I answered these questions a few years ago, I was appalled at the level of selfishness in my life even though I had been a Christian minister for many years. The bottom line was that I was selfish and self-centered and I needed to change. These changes did not come easily or quickly, neither are they completed, but as I press on daily I am making progress and I am happier all the time.
Love Others Today: How are you doing on your love walk? Take a few extra steps today.
Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].
—Ephesians 3:20
When the things we are facing in our lives loom so big in our eyes that our mind goes “tilt,” we need to think in the spirit. In the natural, many things are impossible. But in the supernatural, spiritual realm, with God nothing is impossible. God wants us to believe for great things, make big plans, and expect Him to do things so great it leaves us with our mouths hanging open in awe. James 4:2 tells us we have not because we ask not! We can be bold in our asking.
Sometimes in my meetings people will approach the altar for prayer and sheepishly ask if they can request two things. I tell them they can ask God for all they want to, as long as they trust Him to do it His way, in His timing.
When you pray, do it standing up on the inside. What I mean is, do it respectfully, yet aggressively and boldly. Recall that God said He is the Almighty God (Genesis 17:1); in other words, “more than enough.”
Lord, open my spiritual eyes to see what it means to pray to the Almighty God who is “more than enough.” I come humbly and boldly with expectancy of great things. Amen.
To another the extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit.—1 Corinthians 12:9
The gifts of healing work with the gift of faith. Although all believers are encouraged to pray for the sick and see them recover (see Mark 16:17–18), the Holy Spirit does distribute extraordinary gifts of healing to some people, just as He gives other spiritual gifts to certain people.
In our conferences we often pray for people and see many wonderful healings. We have received stacks of testimonies and reports of confirmed physical healings over the years. I pray the prayer of faith during our conferences and on our broadcasts and I believe by faith that God is working.
When a person receives healing through a spiritual gift, that healing may not be evident immediately. Healing can be a process that works somewhat like medicine. It is necessary to receive it by faith and believe it is working. The results often become visible later. I often encourage people to say, “The healing power of God is working in me right now.”
We should trust God in the area of our health. I thank God for doctors and medicine when I need it, but Jesus is our Healer (see Isaiah 53:5).
God’s word for you today: God is your physician and His Word is your medicine. Ask Him to heal you in every way.
My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.
—Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)
I have discovered that God often seems unreasonable. What He chooses to do does not always make sense to us. It does not always fit into our balance of reason. We have a tendency to want things to make sense, but God wants us to learn to be led by our trust and not by our understanding. We should thank God that His ways are not our ways. My life would have turned out badly if God had given me my way in many situations. It is wise for us to pray, “Your will be done, Lord, not mine.”
I often tell the Lord what I would like to have, but follow it up with, “However, if You know it is not right for me, please don’t give it to me.” His thoughts are above our thoughts. He sees the end from the beginning. All His ways are right and sure. In the natural we can think something makes sense, but it may not be what God wants at all.
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. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.—Proverbs 3:5–6
I usually know what I want, and I like to get it. I’m exactly like most people. When we don’t get what we want, our negative feelings flare up. (And remember those feelings began with thoughts.)
“I drove across town to buy that dress, and you’re out of my size?”
“What do you mean there are no HD-TVs left? You advertised it in the paper.” Most of us are like that—and when we don’t get what we want, we make people around us miserable. It’s not something we learn in school—it may be inborn.
As I wrote the above quotations, I thought of a scene in the grocery store. A young mother was pushing her cart along and stopped at the cereal. Her child—less than two years old—reached out for a box. “Want! Want!”
“No,” the mother said. “We have plenty at home.” She put a different box of cereal in the cart.
“Want! Want!” the child said. Getting no response, she began to kick and scream. To the mother’s credit, she did not give in but pushed the cart to another aisle and distracted her child.
As I watched that behavior, I thought, That’s the way we all are most of the time. We decide what we want, and when we don’t get it, we’re angry.
“Jack and I were both up for the same promotion. I’ve been with the company longer, and my sales figures are stronger,” Donna said. “I deserved it, but he got the job.”
“I had a grade of 98 going into my final essay test,” Angie said. “If I had made another 100, it would have given me a 4.0 average, and I would have become the top student in my graduating class. But I made only 83 on the test, and dropped down to fifth in my class. I deserved a grade of 100, but my teacher doesn’t like me.”
Let’s look at this problem more closely. The individuals mentioned above, who didn’t get what they wanted, made one common statement: “I deserved it, but I didn’t get it.”
Too often, we Christians expect life to be perfect and for everything to go smoothly for us. We expect success, happiness, joy, peace, and everything else. When we’re thwarted, we pout or complain.
Although God does want us to have a good life, there will be times when we must be patient and endure not getting our way. These disappointments test our character and level of spiritual maturity. They actually show whether or not we truly are ready for promotion.
Why do we think we should always be first while others have to endure a lesser position? Why do we think we are entitled to the perfect life? Perhaps sometimes we think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. A humble mind enables us to take a back seat and wait for God to move us to the front. God’s Word says that we inherit the promises through faith and patience. Believing God is good, but can we continue to believe God and trust Him when we don’t feel that life is fair?
Satan plays with our minds. Most of the time, the evil one says negative things to us: “You don’t deserve it; you are worthless; you’re stupid.” Once in a while, however, he tries a different trick: He tells us how hard we work or how much we’re entitled to. If we listen and believe, we may begin to feel cheated or believe that someone has taken advantage of us.
When we don’t get what we want, we fall apart, saying, “I deserved it!” We not only get angry with the boss, the teacher, or anyone else, but we sometimes get angry with God for not giving us what we felt we deserved.
The big mistake was to say we deserved it, because then self-pity creeps in when we don’t get what we want. We can take that attitude, or we can recognize that we have a choice. I can choose to accept life the way it is and make the best out of it, or I can complain because it isn’t perfect.
I think of the story of Jonah—not the whale story—but what happened afterward. He had announced that in forty days, God would destroy the city of Nineveh, but the people repented. Because God listened to their cries, Jonah was angry. “Therefore now, O Lord, I beseech You, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:3).
Sad, isn’t it? Jonah would rather have been right than to see 120,000 people saved. Our situations aren’t usually that dramatic, but so many people would rather sit and feel sorry for themselves, listen to the whispers of Satan, and miss out with God than to simply trust God in every situation.
The secret of the Christian life is that we commit ourselves fully to God. If we surrender our wills to God, what happens doesn’t make us angry. If God doesn’t give us what we want and ask for, our faith is strong enough to say, “Not my will, but Yours.”
God, help me. I often have strong desires, and when I don’t get what I want, I get upset. Forgive me. Remind me that Jesus didn’t want to die on the cross, but He lived in total submission to Your will. I ask You, through Jesus Christ, to help me live in total submission and be content with what You give me. Amen.
Oh, that they had such a [mind and] heart in them always [reverently] to fear Me and keep all My commandments, that it might go well with them and with their children forever!
—Deuteronomy 5:29
God’s Word offers wise instructions about how to make the practice of peace a part of your everyday life.
First of all, you need to hush. Be still and stop all the rushing around. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 KJV). The creator of the universe wants a word with you, but how can He really talk to you if you’re always on the go? Chill…and listen!
Second, you must prepare your heart to receive Him and to hear His voice on a regular basis. This requires a reverent fear of God and obedience to His commandments.
Finally, you must acknowledge Him in everything you do. Make it a lifestyle to be identified with Jesus Christ and faithfully be a doer of the Word.
Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].
—Ephesians 4:27
God once said to me, “Quit talking so much about the devil, what he is saying, and what he is doing. I am saying something! Talk about what I am saying. I am doing something! Talk about what I am doing.”
Then one day God spoke a life-changing word to me, saying, “Why don’t you study the Word, and see how Jesus waged spiritual warfare?”
I found that Jesus didn’t talk or preach much about the devil and what he was saying or doing. He simply dealt with the devil by casting him out of people’s lives. He told him to shut up. He quoted the Word to him (See Luke 4:1–13). Resist the devil today and tell someone about the good things God is doing for you.
Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.—James 1:3
Trials “try” us, and tests “test” us. Most of the time, the purpose of them is to show us who we really are, to reveal character in us. We can think all kinds of good thoughts about ourselves, but until we are put to the test, we don’t know whether those things have become realities in us or not. We may consider ourselves generous, honest, or deeply committed to a particular truth or ideal, but the depth of these dynamics only reveals itself when we’re under pressure. When we go through trials, we learn whether or not we really have the character and commitment we think we have.
I believe it’s very important for us to really know ourselves; tests are good for us because they affirm strengths and reveal weaknesses. Don’t be afraid to face your weaknesses. God’s strength is available to you specifically for them.
I must say that before my trials worked steadfastness and patience into my life, they brought out many other negative qualities, mindsets, and attitudes I didn’t know I had. One reason God allows us to go through tests and trials is so the hidden things in our hearts can be exposed. Until they are exposed, we cannot do anything about them. But once we see them, we can begin to face them and ask God to help us.
God does not allow us to go through difficult times because He likes to see us suffer; He uses them for us to recognize our need for Him. Everything you go through ultimately does work out for your good because it makes you stronger and builds your endurance; it develops godly character; it helps you to know yourself and to be able to deal with things at an honest level with God and take care of those things so you can reach spiritual maturity.
Trust in Him: How do you behave under pressure? The next time you encounter some sort of trial or test, decide to believe it is for your good. Placing your trust in God opens the door for Him to work miracles out of messes—transforming your weaknesses into godly character.
Josiah was eight years old when he began his thirty-one-year reign in Jerusalem.—2 Kings 22:1
In today’s scripture we see that Josiah became king when he was only eight years old. A boy named Joash became king at age seven and a young man named Manasseh became king at age twelve (see 2 Kings 11:21; 2 Kings 21:1). These boys were forced to grow up quickly!
Many people feel they were forced to grow up too fast, just as the young kings were. Maybe you feel that way; I certainly did. When people have to grow up too quickly, they lose something precious and that loss often leads to tremendous emotional problems.
As adults we should be able to accomplish things in our lives without feeling burdened. We should be responsible and yet lighthearted enough to enjoy our everyday lives and even our work. In fact, I believe we should be able to enjoy every single thing we do. Some years ago this fact was brought to my attention because I realized I was at that time past forty years of age, married with four children, and yet I could not say I had ever really enjoyed much of my life.
Not being permitted to play will steal a person’s childhood and his enjoyment of adulthood. My problem was thinking I had to deserve every bit of fun, enjoyment or blessing that came my way. Now I have learned to work until quitting time and then leave whatever I am doing for the next day. If you and I don’t do that, we open ourselves up to burnout—and once we get burned out, it’s hard to recover.
The good things that come to us in this life are given to us by the Lord (see James 1:17). He wants to give them to us. He wants us to enjoy life to the fullest. If you lost part of your childhood because you had to grow up too quickly, pray and ask God to restore your joy, your childlike faith and your ability to celebrate life.
Love Yourself Today: Form a habit of taking time to do something lighthearted, something you really enjoy—just for the fun of it!
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
—1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV
People will disappoint you. Life will disappoint you. Things will happen that you did not expect to happen, and you have to believe in the power of God and be able to say, “I can do whatever I need to do through Christ who strengthens me.” God will never allow more to come to us than we can bear, so it’s foolish to say, “I can’t stand this. I can’t do this.” We don’t always understand why, but we know God has His reasons, and we can get through it.
Nobody can keep you unhappy if you don’t want to be unhappy. Stop giving somebody else the responsibility for your joy. If you’ll start to do what you can do and stop worrying about what you can’t do, God can get involved and make some miraculous things happen in your life. I know that hurts are deep and painful, but we have to be very careful about just sitting in our boat and nursing our wounds for too long. There’s a time to grieve, and there’s a time you have to move on.
Lord, my joy is found in You, and I can’t rely upon others or life to bring me happiness. Help me to live in the strength You give. Amen.
Scriptures, Lessons, News and Links to help you survive.
DAILY DEVOTIONS, NEWS AND INFORMATION 