I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. — Philippians 3:13-14 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Hearing from God Each Morning – by Joyce Meyer

Our relationship with God is a process; we’re all moving from one level to another. No one ever “masters” communication with God, because there’s no limit to the depths of who He is, or the relationship we can have with Him. It just keeps growing, keeps going deeper, keeps getting stronger. Our ability to hear and understand His voice develops and improves over time, and with practice we get better at sharing our hearts with Him. We never become experts in prayer and we never stop learning to communicate with God—our experiences with Him just keep getting richer and better.

God has so much for you, and even though you may not be exactly where you want to be yet, you can thank God that you’re on the right track to get there. As long as you’re making progress, it really doesn’t matter if you’re crawling, walking, or running—just keep pressing on.

You’re okay and you’re on your way!

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for being patient with me as I grow in my ability to hear your voice. Please help me to be patient with myself and to keep pressing on. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever leans on, trusts in, and puts his confidence in the Lord is safe and set on high. — Proverbs 29:25 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource The Confident Woman – by Joyce Meyer

We’re always faced with two choices: We can live to please other people, or we can live to please God. The apostle Paul made it clear that if he’d been trying to be popular with people, he wouldn’t have chosen to follow Jesus (see Galatians 1:10). God works through men and women who are determined to obey and live for Him, not those who are controlled by the fear of man. We all want to be liked and accepted, but we can’t let that desire run our lives. If it does, we’re guaranteed to reap Henry Swope’s formula for failure, which is “try to please everybody.”

King Saul lost the kingdom of Israel because he allowed his fear of man to cause him to disobey God (see 1 Samuel 13:8–14). As a result, God took the kingdom from Saul and gave it to David, who was a man after His own heart. David did not let people control him the way Saul did. David’s own brother Eliab clearly disapproved of him, but the Bible says that David walked away from Eliab and kept on doing what he was supposed to do (see 1 Samuel 17:28–30). In the same way, we should walk away from the people who try to discourage, control or accuse us. Instead of allowing what they say or think to take root in our hearts, we can choose to move forward into what God has called us to do, knowing that He’s proud of us.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me not to give in to the fear of what others think about me. Thank You for giving me the strength I need to live to please You first. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…

— Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV)

Adapted from the resource Healing the Soul of a Woman – by Joyce Meyer

One of the amazing things that happens as God is healing your soul is that you start to see yourself the way He sees you. Over time, you receive His love in new ways, and you realize that He’s made you uniquely and has a reason for you to be on earth. God has gifted you to fulfill His purpose for your life, but if you’re like a lot of people, you may not have recognized your gifts yet. When we’re in pain in our soul, sometimes all we can focus on is what seems wrong about us; it can be extremely difficult to see what is good and right about us. As God begins to heal our mind, will, and emotions, we find it easier to think about encouraging things and even recognize positive aspects of ourselves.

I encourage you to start asking God to show you something special about the way He’s made you. To some people, He’s given a very tender, compassionate heart. Some He has wired to lead others effectively, and others He’s created to be excellent followers. Some can cook, some can sew, and some can’t do those things, but they’re amazing at other things. To some, He has given a gift of being able to communicate clearly, to teach, to make scientific discoveries, or to write beautiful music. Only you can discover all the dynamic gifts He’s placed in you. Romans 12:6–8 talks about giving ourselves to our gifts. In other words, we need to find out the things we’re designed for, and then devote ourselves wholeheartedly to exercising those gifts.

People usually enjoy doing what they’re gifted to do. Some people feel they’re not good at anything, but that’s not true. When we make an effort to do what others are good at doing, we often fail because we’re not gifted for those things, but that does not mean we’re good for nothing. We should look for what we are good at and begin developing those talents. As we do what God has created and gifted us to do, we find joy and fulfillment in life. People who are secure and confident in God know that He’s created them to be unique and that they have a one-of-a-kind purpose. They realize that God loves them and has a plan for them, and they don’t compare themselves to others, which is very freeing. I encourage you to be secure enough to enjoy what other people can do and to enjoy what you can do, but never try to be anyone but yourself. Start saying positive things about yourself instead of negative things, because that will help release the gifts God has placed in you.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for creating me with purpose, and for placing amazing gifts in me. Please show me what they are, and help me develop and use them to help those around me! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. — Matthew 26:41 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Ending Your Day Right – by Joyce Meyer

Suppose you knew your house was surrounded by thieves, and at any moment they might break through the door and attack you. Do you think you’d be likely to stay awake and watch the door?

What would you do if for some reason you couldn’t stay awake and watch? Wouldn’t you make sure someone else in your house was awake and alerted to the danger?

Just like we’re careful to guard our homes, we need to be careful to guard our hearts against any attacks from the enemy of our soul. The devil is out to destroy us, so we need to watch and pray at all times, looking to God for help when we feel weak.

When you feel willing but exhausted, ask God to give you the strength you need to overcome any temptation or attack the enemy brings your way. As you take refuge in Him, He’s promised to help you and rescue you, so you can trust Him (see Psalm 37:40).

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me to be aware and intentional to stay on guard against the enemy’s attacks. Thank You for watching out for me and always being there to help. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus. — Matthew 14:28-29 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Closer to God Each Day – by Joyce Meyer

When Peter stepped out of the boat at Jesus’ instruction, he was doing something he had never done before. As long as he remained in faith by keeping his eyes on Jesus, he was successful. It wasn’t until fear gripped his heart that he began to sink.

Peter’s mistake was that he became preoccupied with the storm. When he focused on the circumstances around him rather than the Savior close to him, he lost his faith and began to doubt. Romans 4:18– 21 tells us that Abraham did not waver in his faith when faced with difficult circumstances. He was aware of his situation, but instead of becoming preoccupied with it like Peter, he was determined to focus on God’s ability and presence in the middle of his situation.

I believe that you and I can learn from Peter’s mistake and Abraham’s example. We can be aware of our circumstances without being preoccupied with them. We can purposely keep our eyes on Jesus, trusting in faith that He’ll provide the miracle we need. When the storms come in your life, focus on Jesus. Stay determined to walk with Him no matter how high the waves are, and know that He’s always with you—no matter how strong the storm.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me to keep my eyes fixed on You. Thank You for saving me when I feel like I’m drowning, and for keeping my faith strong. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Hear, for I will speak excellent and princely things; and the opening of my lips shall be for right things. — Proverbs 8:6 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Power Thoughts – by Joyce Meyer

In today’s scripture, Solomon made a decision about how he would talk, and we should do the same thing. Just like we can direct our thoughts, we can also direct our words with God’s help; we can choose to speak excellent, positive things.

Our words affect us, the people around us, and even what God is able to do for us. You can’t have a negative mouth and a positive life; it just won’t work. In 1 Peter 3:10, the apostle Peter teaches us that if we want to enjoy life and see good days—even in the middle of trials—we have to keep our words free of evil. That means we need to choose to speak God-honoring, life-giving words that push us in the direction we want to go.

What kind of life do you want? Do you want an excellent life? If so, then you need to be speaking excellent words. As you’re intentional to change your words, you will change your life!

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me to choose life-giving words today. Thank You for giving me such a great example to follow in Your Word! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me. — Psalm 51:10 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Wake Up to the Word – by Joyce Meyer

God’s Word says that His eyes are always roaming around the earth, looking for someone whose heart is pure before Him (see 2 Chronicles 16:9). A pure heart is much more important to the Lord than a perfect record of good works (see Matthew 5:8).

Although it’s not possible to reach perfection in all our behavior, it is totally possible to have a perfect heart toward God! A person with a perfect heart is someone who deeply desires to please God in everything they do, and is always open to the Holy Spirit’s leading to grow and change.

Don’t live in fear that you haven’t done enough, or that God is mad at you, or that the door to His presence is closed to you. Ask Him to help you develop a pure heart as you trust and believe that the work Jesus did on your behalf was enough. He loves you more than you know, and He wants to be there for you.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You that I don’t have to have perfect behavior to have a perfect heart toward You. Please help me cultivate a pure heart—I want to grow closer to You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.— Psalm 16:11 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Trusting God Day by Day – by Joyce Meyer

As we’re walking with Jesus, one thing we need to learn is how to wait for God’s plans to develop. He perfects everything that concerns us, so we’re always better off when we follow His plan and timing instead of ours.

During the three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry, many people thought He was crazy. His own brothers were embarrassed by Him, and in an effort to save their reputation, they told Him He needed to either go do His works somewhere else, or to start acting publicly and stop doing His works in secret. They tried to convince Him that it was time to show Himself and His works to the world. In other words, they wanted Jesus to impress the people with what He could do. He responded to them by saying, My time (opportunity) has not come yet . . . (John 7:6 AMPC).

How many of us could show that type of self-control? If you could do the miracles He could do and were being made fun of and challenged to show your stuff, what would you do? Would you wait until you absolutely knew it was the right time, or would you take action that was not backed by God?

It’s good to have plans, and I believe we should plan boldly and aggressively, but we must be wise enough to know that our plans will ultimately fail without God. God’s Word says, “Except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it . . .” (Psalm 127:1). We can build without God as our foundation and watch our plans collapse, or we can choose to let Him call the shots and reap the benefits of His perfect timing and blessings.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me trust You enough to wait for Your timing. Thank You for giving me the grace I need to follow Your plan instead of mine, and for the blessings You have waiting for me. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. — Hebrews 13:15 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource The Power of Being Thankful – by Joyce Meyer

Ever heard the statement, “There’s power in praise!”? It’s actually true! When we praise God from our hearts, we release power in the spiritual realm, because God Himself lives in the praises of His people (see Psalm 22:3).

Praise is remembering and expressing our joy and thanks for all God has done, is doing, and will do for us. It invites His presence and redirects our hearts and words to focus on Him.

We do this because we love God, and also because praise and gratefulness are attitudes that God delights in. Choosing to praise Him in the middle of hard circumstances—and to thank Him for the ways He’s been faithful before—open the door for His presence to come, and for His power to begin working on our behalf.

Prayer Starter: Jesus, I praise You because You deserve it. Thank You for all the ways You’ve taken care of me, are watching out for me, and will continue to in the future. I love You, and I want to honor You with everything I am and everything I have. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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And the Lord said to him, Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the dumb, or the deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you shall say. — Exodus 4:11-12 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Starting Your Day Right – by Joyce Meyer

If you are, you’re in good company! The Bible is full of the stories of people God called to serve Him who didn’t know what they were doing, and who were certainly less-than-qualified for a mission from God.

God’s tool chest is full of weak, imperfect individuals who just can’t seem to get things right, those the world sees as basically worthless (see 1 Corinthi­ans 1:28). But He knows something the world doesn’t: that these people will look to Him for strength. And because they depend on Him, He can show Himself strong in their lives “so that no mortal man should [have pretense for glorying and] boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:29 AMPC).

You can qualify yourself for God’s tool chest today by authentically sharing with others about your struggles and how He’s worked in and through your life.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me to keep a humble attitude and look to You for my strength. Thank You for being willing to work through me in amazing ways, even in spite of my weaknesses and mistakes. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. … — Proverbs 23:7 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Battlefield of the Mind – by Joyce Meyer

Years ago, I learned a priceless lesson: Whatever we focus on, we become. That simple statement taught me a great deal. Wherever we put our energy or attention, those things will develop. Another way I like to say it is, “Where the mind goes, the man follows!”

If I begin to think about ice cream, I will soon find myself in my car pursuing ice cream. My thought will stir my desires and emotions, and I’ll make the decision to follow them.

As another example, if we focus only on the negative things in our lives, we become negative people. Everything, including our conversation, becomes negative. Before long, we lose our joy and end up living miserable lives—and it all started with our own thinking.

You might be experiencing some problems in life, not realizing that you’re creating some of them by what you’re choosing to think about. That’s why I want to challenge you to think about what you’re thinking about!

You might be discouraged, or even depressed without knowing why. One thing that can help is taking an inventory of your thoughts. If you’ll examine your thought life, you’ll find that you are feeding the negative emotions you are feeling by focusing on negative things. Negative thoughts are fuel for discouragement, depression, and many other unpleasant emotions.

We should choose our thoughts carefully. We can think about what’s wrong with our lives or about what’s right with them. We can think about what is wrong with all the people we’re in relationship with, or we can choose to focus on the good in them. The Bible teaches us to always believe the best. When we do that, it makes our own lives happier and more peaceful.

I have a great life, with a loving husband and children, and I am privileged to be used by God to bless millions of people around the world through the wonderful ministry He has given me. But even now, life isn’t perfect, and if I’d allowed the devil to fill my mind with negative thoughts—as he did years ago—I would have been defeated.

That’s why I want to focus on God’s grace and give thanks for all the good things in my life. I don’t want to focus on what I don’t have.

An old friend used to quote this saying: “As you wander on through life, brother, whatever be your goal, keep your eye upon the donut and not upon the hole.” Too many people focus on what’s not there and what’s not right (the hole) instead of the blessings that they do have (the donut). Let’s be the kind of people who keep our eyes on the donut!

All of this is to say that our thoughts largely determine our destiny, and our happiness. Proverbs 23:7 (today’s verse) is one of my favorites, because it reminds us that thoughts are powerful. They’re not just words that flow through our heads, so it’s very important for us to decide on purpose what we’ll allow to rest inside our minds. We have to remember that the mind is a battlefield, and our enemy will use it in any way he possibly can to trap us.

I’m reminded of a man who came to one of our meetings several years ago—we’ll call him John. John wanted to be free from pornography. He said that one time he had seen something online after accidentally logging on to a site that was filled with explicitly sexual pictures. The next day he laughed about it to one of his coworkers. “Who wants to watch that stuff?” he asked.

The next night John was back on the site again. And many nights after that. He started purchasing more pornographic material, and always had it sent to his office, keeping the stash hidden from his family. “What’s a little thing like that going to hurt?” he reasoned.

John confessed that the more he saw the images, the more he thought of women as objects—objects for his pleasure. One day his wife said, “I don’t know what’s happened to you, but you can either deal with your attitude or I’m leaving.”

His life was rapidly going downhill before he asked for prayer. “I never thought just watching a couple of porno sites like that could be so addictive,” John said.

To put it another way, we can’t have a positive life and a negative mind. Because our focus is what determines where we end up, shifting our thoughts to positive, godly things will help us dramatically as we’re learning to change the direction of our lives.

If you’re struggling with an addiction (or any kind of negative mindset), know that changing the direction of your thoughts is the first step to getting free, and Jesus is ready and waiting to help you. He wants you to be free, and for your mind to be filled with positive, true, beautiful, and healthy thoughts (see Philippians 4:8). The more you focus on those things, the more readily you’ll be able to defeat Satan’s attacks.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me today. I want my thoughts to be true, healthy and beautiful, and free of negativity, and I know You do, too. Thank You for giving me the wisdom I need to recognize unhealthy thoughts and the strength to replace them with truth. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Then Peter and the apostles replied, We must obey God rather than men. — Acts 5:29 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource New Day, New You – by Joyce Meyer

Any of us who intend to do very much in life will have to accept the fact that there will be times when we won’t get everyone’s approval. That’s why, if we’re not careful, the need to be popular can steal our destiny.

For example, I deal with and minister to a wide variety of people—there is no way that I can please all of them all the time. We have several hundred employees at Joyce Meyer Ministries, and we rarely make a decision that suits all of them. If I was worried 24/7 about keeping every single one of them happy, I could never teach, or write, or fulfill what God’s called me to do. That’s why we need to live to please Him first. If others are happy, great, but if not, we can move forward knowing that we have Jesus’ never-ending love and approval.

The Bible says Jesus made Himself of “no reputation” (see Philippians 2:7). That’s a significant statement. He wasn’t well thought of by many people, but His heavenly Father approved of Him and what He was doing, and that was all that mattered to Him. The apostle Paul said that if he had been trying to be popular with people, he wouldn’t have been a servant of Jesus Christ (see Galatians 1:10). In the same way, as long as you and I have God’s approval, we have what we need most.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me to live for Your approval first instead of others’ approval. Thank You for loving and approving of me as Your child! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men. — Colossians 3:23 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource My Time with God – by Joyce Meyer

Being excellent simply means that we do the best we can with what we have. God is excellent, and He’s called us to be excellent, too, so we should never be satisfied to do only what we have to do in order to get by. We should always go the extra mile and do an excellent job at whatever we need to do (see Matthew 5:41).

Mediocrity seems to be normal in society today, but it isn’t God’s will for us as His children. If we’re going to do a job, we can and should give it our best. We can take excellent care of all that we have, treat people as valuable and choose to keep an excellent attitude, realizing that everywhere we go, we represent God. And do you want to know what really pleases God? When you do your best not only when people are watching, but when nobody is watching. God sees everything we do for Him and for others, and He’s faithful to reward us.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me be an excellent person who brings glory to You in everything I do and everywhere I go. Thank You for giving me what I need to live in integrity and honesty! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you . . .

— Colossians 1:3 (NKJV)

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud – by Joyce Meyer

The word intercession simply means praying for someone besides your­self. It is loving others by going to God on their behalf and taking their needs to Him in prayer. Intercession is one of the most important kinds of prayer because many people do not pray for themselves. Why? Many times, it’s because they have no relationship with God.

There are also times when people are hurting too deeply to even know how to pray, or they have fought a long battle, and they’re too weary to pray. For example, I once visited a friend who had fought a valiant fight against cancer and prayed like a warrior, but she reached a point where she wasn’t strong enough to pray the way she wanted to. She said, “Joyce, I just cannot pray anymore.” She needed her friends to pray for her—not just to pray for her, but to really pray for her—to pray in her place, because she couldn’t.

I want to encourage you to come closer to God by joining Jesus in His min­istry of intercession. Your family and friends need your prayers. Your neighbors and co-workers need your prayers. The people of your church, your community, and the world need your prayers. There may be times when you’re the only person on earth praying for someone else—and your intercession can literally change the course of that person’s entire life. We live in hard times, and we have to pray for each other. Your intercession is the most powerful, most valuable gift you can ever give to those around you, and it will make an eternal difference in their lives and yours.

Prayer Starter: Father, please show me who I need to be praying for today. Thank You for working in each of their situations as well as mine! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. — Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)

Adapted from the resource Hearing from God Each Morning – by Joyce Meyer

Once we begin to see ourselves as God’s friends, our prayers become more Spirit-led, more faith-filled, and much bolder. Right after He taught His disciples to pray using what we call the “Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus told a story to illustrate His lesson on prayer. He said:

Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and will say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves [of bread], for a friend of mine who is on a journey has just come, and I have nothing to put before him; and he from within will answer, Do not disturb me; the door is now closed, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and supply you [with anything]? I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

– Luke 11:5–8 (AMPC)

Notice that the man who needs bread gets it “because of his shameless persistence and insistence.” We will only “shamelessly persist” with our closest friends—because friendship makes us bold, and the more we grow and progress in our friendship with God, the bolder and more confident we can be as we approach Him.

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank You for seeing me as Your friend, and that because of You, I can come to you with boldness and confidence for whatever I need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel [so that he may be able to steer his course rightly].

— Proverbs 1:5 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource The Confident Woman – by Joyce Meyer

Did you know that preparation for what God wants you to do doesn’t have to be formal or conventional training? It also doesn’t have to be full-time ministry. He might call you into business, government, or some other field. But no matter what it is, if you want to do it with confidence, you will need preparation.

Even people who are able to get formal training still need to have some experience. Knowing something mentally and knowing how to apply it practically can be two very different things. God is looking for people with experience in life, so ask Him to begin training you today, so you can learn what you need to be ready for your future. We all need to be lifetime learners, and we can learn something every day if we see life as our classroom.

In my case, I wasn’t able to go to college when I got out of high school, but God taught me everywhere I was. I learned some great lessons about integrity, excellence, and honesty in places like the grocery store and shopping malls. If you have an open, willing heart and ask God to teach you today, He’ll start preparing you for the future He has for you.

Prayer Starter: Father, what are You trying to teach me today? Whatever it is, help me learn in every situation. Thank You for training me and preparing me for the future You have for me! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven… — Matthew 5:44-45 (ESV)

Adapted from the resource Healing the Soul of a Woman – by Joyce Meyer

When we think about our enemies (also known as the people who’ve hurt us), we often want to run as far away from them as possible. We don’t want to see them, hear about them, or think about them. And we definitely don’t want to love them or pray for them. When we’ve been wounded, we just want to heal from the hurt in our hearts that’s connected to them. If we decided to only follow our feelings, we’d probably never pray for our enemies…but that’s exactly what Jesus is asking us to do.

If you’re struggling to forgive someone right now, I have good news for you: Forgiveness is not a feeling, so we don’t have to feel like forgiving to forgive. It’s a choice we make because we want to follow Jesus, and it opens the door for our soul to heal.

Now, I want to be sure you understand what I mean—and don’t mean—about forgiving people. To forgive does not mean that we allow others to continue to treat us badly, that we never confront their bad behavior, or that we let them get away with walking all over us. What forgiveness does mean is that we choose not to stay angry with people or get even because of what they’ve done, but to let God take care of vindicating us. It also means that we’ll pray God’s best for them, and even have some compassion for them, because we know they’re only hurting themselves by mistreating others.

I believe one reason some of us struggle so much with forgiveness is that we don’t pray for our enemies; praying for them is a vital step toward being able to genuinely forgive and heal. If you’re wondering how to pray for someone who’s done you wrong, here are a few suggestions:

– Pray that they’ll know Jesus in a real, personal way.

– Pray that God will show them what they need to see about their behavior and how it has hurt others.

– Ask God to bless them.

As hard as praying for our enemies can be, know that being intentional to bless them and not badmouth them will do wonders in helping us heal. If you need to talk about it as part of your healing journey, please don’t share your situation with someone who’ll only feel sorry for you, then start gossiping all about it. Instead, choose to find someone who has the ability to truly help you, who’ll pray with you and for you, and who will keep it confidential. As you take these steps, God will give you the grace you need to forgive and heal the pain in your heart.

Prayer Starter: Father, please give me the strength I need to pray for ____, and to trust You to take care of justice. Thank You for providing the grace I need to forgive ____, and for healing my heart. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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…I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O Lord; I said, You are my God. My times are in Your hands… — Psalm 31:14-15 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Ending Your Day Right – by Joyce Meyer

Trust requires us to place our times in God’s hands, believing that His timing is perfect for all things in our lives. Our human nature wants good things to happen now, not later. But as we mature in our walk with Jesus, we learn to believe for things not immediately, but in God’s perfect timing.

Trusting God often means not knowing how He’s going to accomplish something, and not knowing when He will do it. But not knowing how or when stretches our faith and teaches us to how to trust. Remember: Trust isn’t inherited—it is learned.

Timing plays an important part in learning to trust God. As you experience His faithfulness over and over, you’ll be able to give up trusting in your own understanding or ability, and place your life in His more-than-capable hands. What a wonderful place to be!

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me not to be in a rush, or try to make something happen too soon. Thank You for having the best plan, and for helping me trust Your timing. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. — Romans 1:17 (KJV)

Adapted from the resource Closer to God Each Day – by Joyce Meyer

It’s always my goal to live from faith to faith. A number of years ago God told me, “Joyce, you often go from faith to faith to doubt to unbelief, and then back to faith to doubt to unbelief.”

Have you ever been there? In the middle of this crazy world, sometimes we’re confident, then we’re fearful at other times. Maybe we’re positive and then the next minute we’re negative, or we have faith, but then we have doubt, sometimes all within a matter of minutes. That unpredictability is usually evident in our speech, as we see in James 3:10 (AMPC):

“Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren, ought not to be so.”

Sometimes it can seem nearly impossible to have consistent faith and not doubt. The truth is, without Jesus we can’t, but with Him all things are possible. He’s the Author and Finisher of our faith (see Hebrews 12:2). As we look to Him for strength, He’s always faithful to help us trust Him more.

Prayer Starter: Father, please help me to stay in faith consistently, even when life gets crazy. Thank You for giving me strength to fight the doubts the enemy throws my way, and to move forward in faith today. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” — John 21:15 (NIV)

Adapted from the resource Power Thoughts – by Joyce Meyer

What are you doing to help someone else? Believe it or not, being intentional to make a difference in others’ lives is evidence of your love for God. The cycle of love that pours into your life is not complete until it’s pouring out of you to meet other people’s needs. If love has no action to back it up, then it becomes empty words with no power. God proved His love for us by giving His only Son to die for our sins, and we can prove our love for Him by letting Him work through us to feed His lambs—to help hurting people.

Don’t wait to feel like being a blessing—start doing it on purpose. Maybe you have an elderly neighbor who needs help taking care of their yard. Maybe you have a friend who’s going through a tough time right now and would love to hear from you. Or maybe you know a single mom who could really use a meal. Whoever it is, I guarantee you there’s someone in your path that you can bless today, even if it’s in a seemingly small way. As you take steps to make their day better, it will add joy to your life!

Prayer Starter: Father, please show me who You want me to be kind to today, and how I can make their day better. Thank You for Your love, and for helping me share Your love with the people around me today. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org