That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God…For God did not give us a spirit of timidity…but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind…. — 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (AMPC)

From the book Closer to God Each Day Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

On difficult days, it is helpful to be reminded to persevere in order to fulfill the call of God on our lives. On those days when you feel like giving up, just remember that God has given you the power to hold on!

In the scripture for today we learn that Timothy was a young minister who simply felt like giving up. The fire that had once burned within him was beginning to grow cold. The church in those days was experiencing a great deal of persecution, and Timothy had some fears. Perhaps he felt worn-out and that everything was crashing down upon him. He had reached a place where he needed to be encouraged to stir himself up in faith.

Paul was saying, “Timothy, you may feel like quitting, but I am reminding you of the call on your life. Remember the power of the Holy Spirit that changed your life. He gives you a spirit of power, love, discipline, and self-control.” Paul encouraged Timothy to be stable.

If we have stability, we do what is right even when it is difficult and does not feel good. Be encouraged today that you can do whatever you need to do. In Christ, you’ve got what it takes!

Giving up is only an option for those who plan to fail in life.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for the power to persevere. Right now, I ask for Your supernatural strength, encouragement and peace to deal with every situation in life. Thank You for being with me every step of the way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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And He came and preached the Good News of peace to you [Gentiles] who were far away, and peace to those [Jews] who were near. — Ephesians 2:17 (AMP)

From the book Ephesians: The Biblical Commentary – by Joyce Meyer

Jesus preached the same message of peace to Jew and Gentile alike. He had come to kill the hostility that divided them. Through Him they both had access to the Father. Those who had been outsiders were now included in the household of God.

Have you ever felt like an outsider, as if you didn’t belong or weren’t welcome? Most of us have felt that way at some time, and it is exactly how Satan wants us to feel. He hopes we will feel either inferior or superior, and he doesn’t care which one it is as long as it brings division.

But in Christ, no one is inferior or superior; instead, we are all one in Him. Paul taught that there is no more Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, but we are all one in Christ (see Galatians 3:28).

Our confidence and security is in Christ and in Him alone. It cannot be found in our performance or any other so-called advantage we may have.

Paul said that he was more than happy to count all of his advantages as a Jew as rubbish (garbage) compared to the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus and being found and known as “in Him” (see Philippians 3:8–10).

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for offering the priceless gift of salvation to everyone—it’s nothing we could ever earn or achieve on our own. Help me to share this gift with as many people as I possibly can. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its crops [as usual].— James 5:17-18 (AMP)

From the book James: The Biblical Commentary – by Joyce Meyer

I like the fact that James makes the point that Elijah had a nature like ours. He was imperfect and displayed weaknesses, but God heard and answered his prayers.

He will do the same thing for us. Don’t let Satan convince you that God won’t hear your prayers because you have sinned. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23), but we all may be forgiven and restored through God’s grace and mercy.

When we repent of our sins, God forgives them and forgets them. To Him, it is as if we never did anything wrong and have a totally clean slate. We should learn to see ourselves the same way and boldly approach God’s throne in prayer (see Hebrews 4:16), expecting Him to answer.

Prayer Starter: Thank You, Father, for Your amazing grace, mercy and forgiveness that allow me to come to You in confidence. Help me to run to You for help on every occasion, knowing that You delight in hearing my prayers and long to show Yourself strong in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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So wait patiently, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord… — James 5:7 (AMP)

From the book James: The Biblical Commentary – by Joyce Meyer

James starts his epistle writing about patience, and here in the last chapter he writes about patience again. Patience is not just the ability to wait; it is the ability to keep a good attitude while we are waiting.

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that can only be developed under trial. That is the reason God permits us to go through times of testing and difficulty instead of delivering us from them as quickly as we would like. God always has a plan for our deliverance, but He wants us to grow and stretch so we will be stronger when we come out of the trial.

Isaiah 40:31 is a well-known verse about waiting on the Lord: But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; they will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired (AMP).

This verse teaches us that waiting on God is expecting, looking for, and hoping in Him. It is spending time with Him in His Word and in His presence. We do not worry while we wait on God; we do not get frustrated while we wait on God; we do not get upset while we wait on God. We rest in faith believing God will do what needs to be done for us at the right time.

Learning to wait with patience and hopeful expectation is a mark of spiritual maturity. When we find ourselves having to wait on something, we can patiently take a seat in Him and rest in God’s presence. The promise of God’s peace is not made to those who work and struggle in their own strength but to those who rest in Christ Jesus. As we wait on Him, our strength is renewed.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to wait well—with patience and hopeful expectation. Help me to use the challenging times in life as opportunities to grow closer to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. — Philippians 4:8

From the book The Power of Being Thankful Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

When we focus on what has gone wrong in our lives, it can start to seem that nothing ever goes right, but that is simply not true. You may have had difficult things take place over the course of your life, but the mindset of gratitude realizes that the good times have outnumbered the bad.

Look at your life as a whole rather than focusing on tragedies, trials, and disappointments. Looking at the good will give you courage to deal with the bad things and avoid living in fear.

Realizing that God is with you, helping you along the way, provides the courage you need to face the future boldly, knowing that you truly can overcome any obstacle in the strength and power of the Lord.

Prayer Starter: Father, when I am feeling discouraged or overwhelmed by life, help me to see all the good things You have done. I thank You that the good outweighs the bad. And I thank You that there are many more good things to come. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. — Psalm 5:3

From the book Starting Your Day Right Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

If you get up and do the exact same thing every morning, you may get pretty bored after a month or so. But seeking God when you first wake up is never boring. He will always have a new revelation ready for you to hear.

Keep your expectation fresh by changing what you do in your time with God. You might worship the Lord with singing one morning, listen to Christian music another morning, read God’s Word the third morning, and simply sit in His presence the following morning.

Let the Holy Spirit lead you as you learn to enjoy starting your day with God.

Prayer Starter: Father, I long to develop an even more intimate relationship with You. Help me to make a habit of spending time with You, knowing You have something new and exciting waiting for me each day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. — Isaiah 41:10

From the book Power Thoughts Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

We must accept the fact that fear is a human emotion—we all experience it to some degree, but we also know we can live boldly and courageously because God has told us He is always with us. And because of that, we can choose to not live according to the fear we feel.

God taught me to use what I call the “power twins” to help me defeat the spirit of fear. They are “I pray” and “I say.” When I feel fear, I begin to pray and ask for God’s help, then I say, “I will not fear!”

Use these power twins as soon as you feel fearful about anything, and you will be able to keep fear from controlling you. We can learn to manage the emotion of fear and not let it manage us.

Prayer Starter: Father, I know that You are greater than my fears. Right now, I ask for Your supernatural grace, strength and peace in the midst of my circumstances. By faith I declare, “I will not fear!” Thank You, Lord, for setting me free. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

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A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. — Proverbs 15:5

From the book New Day, New You Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Ask yourself how you react to correction or criticism. Try to be honest in your evaluation. Confident people who have validated themselves as valuable can receive correction without anger or a defensive attitude. God says only a fool hates correction (see Proverbs 15:5). Why is that? Because he should be wise enough to want to learn everything he can about himself.

Confident people can listen objectively to another point of view. They can pray about what is said and either receive or reject it according to what God places in their heart.

During the years I was filled with shame and guilt, I could not receive even a tiny word of correction from my husband. If he said anything that even remotely suggested he felt I needed to change in any way, I became emotionally upset, angry, and defensive. Dave would repeatedly say, “I am only trying to help you.”

But I could not get past how I felt when I was given his or anyone else’s help. If I asked him whether he liked an outfit I was wearing, I would get defensive if he said no. I could not even allow him to give me his honest opinion. If his opinion did not agree with mine, I felt rejected. I am grateful that those days are over. Everyone does not have to like what I like in order for me to feel secure.

It is absolutely wonderful to be able to approve of ourselves, because we believe God approves of us, even though others do not. It is good to be humble enough to receive correction, yet confident enough not to let the opinions of others control us.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I truly want to learn and grow—to become more like you. Help me to be more confident—knowing that You love and accept me—so I won’t be controlled by the opinions of others. I also ask for Your grace to humbly receive correction when it’s needed from You or other people in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon]. — Philippians 4:5 (AMPC)

From the book My Time with God Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Disciples of Jesus are called upon to deny themselves and their own interests (see Mark 8:34). I am sure that doesn’t sound too exciting, but it does provide a quality of life that we cannot have while being selfish and self-centered. True happiness is only found when we find something to live for other than ourselves.

I spent the first half of my life being self-absorbed, and then I discovered that Jesus died so I might no longer have to live only for myself. At that point I embarked on a journey of learning to live for God and others. I want to say right away that I have not arrived, but I do press on toward the goal.

Living only for yourself and selfishly seeking only what pleases you is like living in prison and being in solitary confinement. Unless we are willing to die to self, we abide alone; we live isolated lonely lives (see John 12:24); very few people call us friend; and when we are gone, nobody really cares that much. We have traveled through life, and the world is no better because we were here.

I invite you to declare war on selfishness! As occasion and opportunity open up to you, do good to all people (see Galatians 6:10). Be kind and do what is for their welfare.

Make a decision to put a smile on at least three faces today. You may be surprised to find that their smile will make you smile too!

Prayer Starter: Prayer: Father, help me use all of my abilities to be a blessing to other people today and every day. Grant me the grace to live a life that is pleasing to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end. — Hebrews 6:11

Adapted from the resource Love Out Loud Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Beginning something is easy but finishing takes courage. In the early stages of something new, we get all excited about it. We have a lot of emotions to support us.

However, when the emotions wear off and all that’s left is a lot of hard work and the need for patience, that’s when we find out who really has what it takes to reach the goal and truly succeed.

In God’s mind, we aren’t successful if we abandon what He’s called us to do. He wants us to finish and do it with joy!

If you have been tempted to give up—don’t. If you don’t finish the thing you’re currently involved in, you will face the same challenges with the next endeavor. Some people spend their entire lives starting all kinds of new things and never finishing any of them.

This happens for various reasons. Sometimes people lose interest or get distracted. Sometimes they aren’t willing to press through obstacles that arise as they move toward their goal.

God doesn’t promise that finishing everything we start will be easy. In fact, most of the time things don’t go smoothly because we need to learn the lessons that come from resolving problems.

But we cannot let ourselves quit; we must rely on God’s grace and keep moving toward the finish line until we cross it in victory.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I ask for a renewed strength and determination today to press toward my goals and everything You have called me to do. When things get difficult or I am tempted to give up, help me to see the value of remaining patient and finishing what I started. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. — Proverbs 27:17

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

If we listen, God will speak to us about our relationships—our marriages, friendships, business associations, and even casual acquaintances. He may ask us to sever friendships or relationships with people who can tempt us to stray from His plan for our lives.

We can easily become like those we spend time with. If we spend time with people who are selfish and self-centered, we may soon find ourselves often focused on ourselves, thinking about what we can do or get for ourselves. In contrast, God may encourage us to make friends with someone who is a giver. If we spend time with such a person, before long, we will be givers, too.

It is enjoyable and beneficial to spend time with someone who really hears from God, someone who truly senses what the Holy Spirit is saying and doing. It is not fun to spend time with people who are dull in their spiritual hearing, and we can tell when we are with someone like that.

The verse for today says that “iron sharpens iron,” and we can sharpen our ability to hear the right things by being with people who practice listening for God’s voice and obeying Him.

Prayer Starter: Father, I lift my relationships up to you. Help me to know who I should spend time with—the people who will influence me in a positive way and deepen my relationship with You. Help me to also be a positive influence in the lives of others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. — Exodus 14:15-16

Adapted from the resource The Confident Woman Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses felt very inadequate and kept telling God what he could not do and did not have.

God asked him what he had in his hand and Moses replied, “A rod.” It was an ordinary rod, used for herding sheep. God told him to throw it down, implying that Moses was to give it to Him. When God gave the rod back to Moses, it was filled with miracle-working power and was used by Moses to part the Red Sea as well as for other miracles.

If you will give God what you have, no matter how little and ineffective you may think it is, God will use it and give you back more than you gave Him.

In other words, it is not our abilities that God desires, but it is our availability He wants. He wants us to see possibilities, not problems. Don’t spend your life thinking “if only” you had something else, then you could do something worthwhile. “If only” is a thief of what could be.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I make myself available to You, just as I am. Please use me to do Your will, and help me to begin seeing possibilities everywhere I go. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. — Genesis 50:20

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

God wants to restore your soul. The closer you get to Him, the more you experience His healing, strengthening, restoring power. He’ll take you back to where your life got off track and make everything right from that moment forward.

Joseph is the classic biblical example of how God takes what was meant for evil against us and works it for our good. In that dramatic scene where Joseph is speaking in Genesis 50:20, he tells his brothers that the evil they meant to do to him (and it was truly evil), God had used for good to save them and their families and hundreds of thousands of others in a time of famine.

In my own life, I cannot truthfully say I am glad I was abused. But through the power of forgiveness and yielding my pain to God, He has healed me and made me a better, stronger, more spiritually powerful and sensitive person. He has restored my soul and driven out the fear and insecurity.

I can trust, love, forgive, and live with simplicity in my approach to life because God has restored my soul, and He can do the same thing for you.

Prayer Starter: Thank You, Father, for being a God of restoration. Right now, I commit all of my pain and disappointments to You. I ask You to take the negative things that have happened in my life—including any difficult circumstances in the present—and work them out for my good. I know You love me and that You always have my best interest in mind. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. — Jeremiah 29:11

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

God’s plan for the people of the nation of Israel was only for their good. Yet they wandered around in the wilderness for 40 years on what was actually an 11-day journey. Why? Was it their enemies, their circumstances, the trials along the way, or something entirely different that prevented them from arriving at their destination in a timely manner?

God called the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt to go to the land He had promised to give them as a perpetual inheritance—a land that flowed with milk and honey and every good thing they could imagine—a land in which there would be no shortage of anything they needed—a land of prosperity in every realm of their existence.

But the Israelites had no positive vision for their lives—no dreams. They knew where they came from, but they did not know where they were going. Everything was based on what they had seen in the past or what they could presently see. They did not know how to see with “the eye of faith.”

We really shouldn’t view the Israelites with astonishment, because most of us do the same thing they did. We keep dealing with the same problems over and over again. The disappointing result is that it takes us years to experience victory over something that could have and should have been dealt with quickly.

I come from a background of abuse. My childhood was filled with fear and torment, and my personality was a mess! I built up walls of protection to keep people from hurting me, not realizing that while I was locking others out, I was also locking myself in. I was filled with fear and believed that the only way I could face life was to be in control so no one could hurt me.

As a young adult trying to live for Christ and follow the Christian lifestyle, I knew where I had come from, but I did not know where I was going. I felt that my future would always be marred by my past. I thought, How could anyone with a past like mine ever be all right? It’s impossible!

But Jesus had a different plan. He said, The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me…to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity](Luke 4:18 AMPC).

Jesus came to open the prison doors and set the captives free—and that included me. However, I did not make any progress until I started to believe that I really could be set free. I had to get rid of my negative thinking and replace it with a positive vision for my life. I had to believe that neither my past nor my present could determine my future. Only then could Jesus free me from the bondage of my past—and free me, He did. What a marvelous miracle!

You may have had a miserable past; you may even be in current circumstances that are very negative and depressing. You may be facing situations that are so bad it seems you have no real reason to hope. But I say to you boldly: Your future is not determined by your past or your present!

Most of the generation the Lord called out of Egypt never entered into the Promised Land. Instead, they died in the wilderness. To me, this is one of the saddest things that can happen to a child of God—to have so much available and yet never be able to enjoy any of it.

Start believing that God’s Word is true. Mark 9:23 assures you that with God all things are possible. Because you serve a God who created everything you see out of the unseen realm (see Hebrews 11:3), you can give Him your nothingness and watch Him go to work on your behalf. All you have to do is have faith in Him and believe His Word—He will do the rest!

Prayer Starter: Dear Father, I thank You for loving me and having a vision—a good plan—for my life. I pray that You will help me overcome any negative thoughts of problems, past or present, that come against my mind, and make my life what You want it to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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…Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you. — Matthew 5:48 (MSG)

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

Identity: The distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity.

The best way to defeat a lie is to know and speak the truth. The next time the enemy lies to you about who you are and accuses you of being unworthy, declare your identity in Christ. Answer him by saying:

• I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).
• I am forgiven of all my sins (see Ephesians 1:7).
• I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (see 1 John 5:18).
• I am a conqueror through Him Who loves me (see Romans 8:37).

Those are just a few of the many things that identify you as a child of God. You are not identified by your background, your level of education, your mistakes, or your friends—you are identified by what God has done for you and in you.

Prayer Starter: Thank You, Father, that my identity is in You. In Christ, I am righteous, forgiven, and more than a conqueror. When I become focused on my own weaknesses or get discouraged about the things I’m not, help me to remember who You say that I am. Through the power of Your Word, change my self-image and help me to truly understand my identity as a child of the King. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. — John 16:24

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

I believe there are people who are not receiving from God what He wants them to have because they won’t ask Him boldly. They make weak, faithless requests.

I’ve had people ask for prayer and say: “Is it okay if I ask for two things?” Their uncertainty is sad to me because Jesus clearly told us to ask so that our joy would be complete.

I want whatever God wants to give me spiritually, emotionally, financially, physically, socially, and mentally. I pray boldly, but I don’t do it because I think I’mworthy. I know that I have faults, but I also know that God loves me, and my confidence is not in myself—it’s in Him.

My joy isn’t from having things that God gives to me, but from loving God intimately and knowing that He wants me to be totally dependent on Him for everything I need. I get up every day and do the best I can, and by faith I want to receive all that God wants me to have.

A few years ago, I stepped out in faith and prayed a bold prayer that even sounded crazy to me. I said, “God, I’m asking You to let me help every single person on the face of the earth.”

My mind said: “Now that is stupid.” But I kept praying that prayer anyway, and our TV ministry has expanded greatly since that time. God has caused tremendous growth; one station that we added after that prayer increased our coverage to 600 million people in India alone!

I don’t know how God is going to let me help every person on the face of the earth, but I am going to continue trusting Him. I would rather ask for a lot and get part of it than ask for a little and get all of it.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for caring about every single area of my life. Right now, I lift up all of my needs to You and boldly ask for Your blessings, provision, healing, protection, grace and strength. I choose to raise my expectations, knowing that You can perform the impossible in my life! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! — Psalm 107:1

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

Thanksgiving can be a part of who we are deep down in our hearts; it is a type of prayer and it should flow out of us in a natural way that is simple and genuine.

Being thankful does not mean merely sitting down at the end of a day, trying to remember everything we need to be thankful for because we think we have to thank God in order to make Him happy, or to satisfy some spiritual requirement, or try to get Him to do something else for us.

Instead, it means having a heart that is sensitive to God’s presence in our everyday lives, and just breathing out grateful prayers of thanksgiving every time we see Him working in our lives or blessing us.

Prayer Starter: Father, I am thankful that prayer is not some ritual or formula that I am required to follow. I am grateful that prayer is a comfortable, ongoing conversation with You based on an intimate relationship with You. I love You, Father, and I am excited to give You thanks all day long. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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O turn to me and have mercy and be gracious to me; grant strength (might and inflexibility to temptation) to Your servant…. — Psalm 86:16 (AMPC)

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

Jesus warned His disciples about all that He was to go through, because He knew it would be difficult for them too.

He said, “Pray that you won’t be tempted” (see Matthew 6:13; Matthew 26:41). He didn’t say, “Wait to pray until you have been tempted, or until you have given in to temptation.” Jesus teaches us to be proactive, which Webster defines as “acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes.”

Many Israelites had already died from snake bites before the rest of them finally said, “Pray for us, Moses, for we have sinned” (see Numbers 21:4–9). They should have recognized their need for God’s help much sooner than they did!

Don’t wait until you are in trouble to seek God. Ask Him to keep you from being tempted to sin today.

Prayer Starter: Father, I need Your help in every single area of my life. Please strengthen me so I can handle everything that comes my way today. Help me to be proactive when it comes to my relationship with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [the leaning of your entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] and of the love which you [have and show] for all the saints (God’s consecrated ones). — Colossians 1:4 (AMPC)

Adapted from the resource Power Thoughts Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

God’s will is for us to live by faith. You might be thinking of how far you have to go in order to be all God wants you to be, and you feel overwhelmed. Your mind wants to think, This is just too much; I will never be able to do all He needs.

This is where faith comes in. You can think, I don’t know how I am going to do it, but I am expecting God’s help. With God, all things are possible.

Just get started and keep going day after day. Be encouraged by any progress you make and refuse to be discouraged by how far you think you still have to go. God is pleased that you are on your way to perfection (see Philippians 3:12).

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for Your love and faithfulness in my life as I continue to grow in You. Help me to keep moving forward even when it doesn’t feel like I’m making progress. Help me to stay focused on You, knowing that You can do the impossible in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: “It is Zion, for whom no one cares!” — Jeremiah 30:17

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

To avoid pain, some of us build walls around ourselves so we will not get hurt, but that is pointless. God has shown me that it is impossible to live in this world if we are not willing to get hurt. People are not perfect; therefore they hurt and disappoint us, just as we hurt and disappoint others.

I have a wonderful husband, but occasionally he has hurt me. Because I came from such a painful background, the moment that kind of thing happened, I used to put up walls to protect myself. After all, I reasoned, no one can hurt me if I don’t let anyone get close to me.

However, I learned that if I wall others out, I also wall myself in. The Lord has shown me that He wants to be my protector, but He cannot do that if I am busy trying to protect myself. He has not promised that I will never get hurt, but He has promised to heal me if I come to Him rather than try to take care of everything myself.

If you build walls around yourself out of fear, then you must tear them down out of faith. Go to Jesus with each old wound and receive His healing grace. When someone hurts you, take that new wound to Jesus. Do not let it fester. Take it to the Lord and be willing to handle it His way and not your own.

Receive this scripture as a personal promise from the Lord to you, For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: “It is Zion, for whom no one cares!” (Jeremiah 30:17).

With the help of the Lord, you can survive hurt and disappointment and find your completion “in Him.”

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for being my Protector. Help me to live today and every day in freedom—not putting up walls out of fear, but embracing the relationships in my life, knowing You will help me and heal me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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