Honest Reflections

Two-minute read.

Every morning, we get to try again.

When I attended Weight Watchers years ago, we had an exceptional leader named Tonja. Blonde, blue-eyed, with an incredible smile, she made everyone feel loved and welcome. Anytime I felt discouraged, Tonja had a way of picking me up. After the death of my nephew, I will never forget how she comforted me.

“When you lose someone, it’s like someone pulled a nail out of a board; it leaves a hole that can never be filled.”

I’ve thought of those words so often in the last decade, they have proven true. No one can fill the hole left by a loved one. Tonja taught me another valuable lesson, one I still use today. When I would have a “bad” week, either I didn’t lose any weight, or I stayed the same, she would say, “Today’s a new day. Let the past go and start again.” And so I would let go of the past and start fresh, trying again.

The Lord does the same thing for us every morning. Every day, we fall short of the mark. Whether we say something we regret, we do something we know we shouldn’t have, or anything in between, God gives a do-over every day. Instead of making the same mistakes, we can say and do things differently. And if we fail, we can try again tomorrow. God’s unending mercies allow us to keep trying until we get it right. We can make amends when we need to, ask for forgiveness, and then do our best not to repeat the offense.

In the first thirteen years of my marriage, I made more mistakes than I care to admit. Hurting Ron with words causes me the most shame. But God used those instances to grow and mature me. Accepting responsibility for my actions and asking my husband for forgiveness humbled me. Because of those moments, I saw a part of myself I hadn’t seen before, and I knew I needed to change my ways. Through therapy, I dealt with the underlying issues that caused me to say destructive things. With prayer, supplication, and work, the Lord helped me transform into someone who no longer says those things. Because of God’s mercy and my husband’s grace, I had the chance to do things differently, and I did.

Each day, we get to try again. Using the Lord’s mercy as an opportunity to do better will transform you. Over time, you will leave the poor behaviors in the rear view mirror, and respond more like Jesus, with love and compassion to all.

Journal Questions:

When has someone given you a second chance that changed your life?

How can you do better today than yesterday?

What does God’s fresh mercies mean to you?

Application:

Thank God for renewing His mercies daily.

Two-minute read.

Each Sunday, no matter where we attend church, the service starts with worship music. As God’s people gather, raising their voices in praise, I can only imagine how it must bless the Lord. As a child, my church sang traditional hymns, accompanied by a piano or organ, and the choir. I thought that part of the service dragged on forever and would count the stanzas to see how much longer we had to go. Secretly, when they cut out a few verses, for whatever reason, it made me happy.

Now, I can’t wait for the instruments to begin playing and the worship leader to start singing. Maturing in Christ, I understand worship differently. As God transforms me, revealing my sin and helping me become more like Jesus, I can’t help but want to praise Him. The freedom found in the Savior gives us not only a new life but a purpose. Loving God and others will take you on the best kind of journey. Only by partnering with the Creator can you fulfill His desires for your life. As you draw closer to God, His desires become yours.

Gathering with other believers for corporate worship not only strengthens your faith but also emotionally encourages one another and fosters community through the shared spiritual experience—one body, with many parts, worshipping the Savior who bonds them together. Over Christmas, while suffering from the flu, I couldn’t attend church and missed it. Although we watched online and I sang along in a hoarse voice during the praise and worship, it didn’t feel the same. Nothing compares to a room full of Christ’s followers joining their voices in worship, giving God the glory He deserves.

No other name compares to the Lord’s. Only one true God exists, and to Him we should sing our songs of gratitude. If you attend church regularly, making it a part of your typical week, you will have more hope, experience spiritual growth, and a more profound sense of connection to your faith. When we finally returned to church after my illness, I received hugs of welcome and felt loved in a way that you can only experience in a faith community, bonded together by the Savior. And once again, as the band began to play, my heart soared to join in worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Enter God’s gates with songs of worship on your lips. Rejoice in the work He has done for you. Let the Savior know how much He means to you by lifting praises to Him in song.

Journal Questions:

How does worship music affect you?

In what ways can you become a regular worshipper?

How do your songs of praise honor the Savior?

Application:

Enter God’s presence with thanks.

Two-minute read.

When bad things happen, people ask, “Why did God allow this?” We ignore the fact that sin entered the world thousands of years ago, and many of the “bad” things that occur come from it. The Lord doesn’t send temptation; He sends help. Jesus came to save the lost and give us victory over our sin, the Creator’s greatest gift to us. God also gave us free will to choose who we follow and how we live. Many people don’t choose the Savior, living for self instead, and allowing their sin nature to rule the roost.

Watching “Eden,” a movie inspired by actual events in 1929, a writer and his wife isolate themselves on an island in the Galapagos. From letters written to his homeland in Germany, others learn and decide to follow. A family of three and a baroness and her crew ascend on the island. As the story unfolds, we see the effects of sin in humanity as they allow primal emotions to rule their actions, denying God’s existence. Thievery, lying, cheating, and eventually murder ensue on an island paradise created by the Lord.

The Lord didn’t want those things to happen; people chose them. God created an island paradise, and humanity destroyed it with their sinful desires. As in the original garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had everything they could ever desire, yet they still ate of the forbidden fruit, not the Creator’s desire for them, but their desire for themselves. And now we have sin in the world, a battle we all must fight.

However, if we did not have free will, we could not love. God understands He can’t force people to love and follow Him; we must choose it. And if we don’t have the choice, we can’t love. Every day, the Lord sends His gifts to us: breath in our lungs, food in our bellies, roofs over our heads, every good and perfect gift comes from above. The Creator gives us kind and helpful gifts, not destructiveness. No evil comes attached to the Lord’s blessings. We can accept God’s offerings and acknowledge His goodness with gratitude. None of us deserves the grace and mercy the Almighty gives us. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross paid the price for our sins; He got what we deserved so we could have a relationship with the Father.

Christ, God’s greatest gift to humanity, didn’t bring chaos; He brought love. Knowing what He had to do, Jesus took His place on the cross so we wouldn’t have to pay the penalty for our sin. Following the Savior will help us become more like Him, understanding His goodness and the gift of love He offers.

Journal Questions:

Why do you think bad things happen in life?

How do you think of God’s gifts in your life?

What do you consider God’s greatest gift and why?

Application:

Recognize God as the source.

Two-minute read.

God loves gathering His people together, redeeming and restoring them. Sunday services have that effect on me. Each week, we gather with hundreds of other believers, singing worship, listening to messages, and resetting ourselves for the week ahead. Living in America, I’ve always had the privilege of attending church without worry of persecution, and I thank the Lord for the opportunity. Serving on the prayer team for an international organization, I know that many countries do not allow the same luxury.

Persevering under persecution, believers in other nations find ways to gather and praise the Lord. Risking their lives, they form underground churches that love and support each other through the hardships of government persecution. And praise God for His faithful love endures forever, even during their struggles.

In 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, Paul praises the church of Macedonia for their abundant joy that overflowed in rich generosity, despite “being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor” (vs. 2). Paul goes on to explain that not only did they give of their own free will but begged him for the privilege of sharing in the gift with others. Jesus’s transformational work among the believers in Macedonia helped them look beyond their temporary circumstances to the eternal rewards that awaited them, and they wanted others to discover what they found in the Savior.

As followers of Jesus, we should want the same thing Macedonia wanted. Looking past our current circumstances, keeping the Son in our eyes, we will focus on the true prize, eternity in heaven with the Savior, where we will have no more struggles, basking in the glory of the Lord forever. Distractions in this world try to shift our focus from the eternal to the temporary. When we lose focus, we become adrift in a sea of narratives, seeking truth, but unable to find it. Having our eyes fixed on things above helps us discern and prioritize our time, keeping on track with the Lord’s mission for our lives.

Living for the Savior brings abundant life as we find joy in the Lord, gaining His strength and walking obediently in His ways. One faith step at a time reveals the next one we should take. God never gives us the entire road map, but leads us in increments, unfolding our purpose as we go. Watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” over Christmas reminded me that everything affects everything. Our smallest acts of kindness have ripple effects we know nothing about.

God made us for a purpose, and He supports us on the journey as we transition into new beings in Christ. We need to thank Him for His good works and faithful love that endures forever.

Journal Questions:

How does keeping your eyes on Jesus help you persevere?

In what ways can you focus on things above today?

What good work has God done in your life?

Application:

Thank God for who He is.

Two-minute read.

“In,” not “for.” People misunderstand Paul’s words to the Thessalonians. The apostle tells us to thank God IN all situations, not FOR them. No one thanks God FOR a negative health diagnosis, but they do thank God IN the situation for the doctors, nurses, medicines, and technology that help them get better. Creating a thankful heart means looking for the people, things, and events IN a situation to give gratitude, rather than focusing on the circumstance.

“Can’t see the forest for the trees” refers to someone so focused on the small details that they miss the big picture. In the same way, we can get fixated on a circumstance and lose sight of the blessings within it, not seeing the big picture and God’s presence. During my single years, I became fixated on my singleness, and I could easily overlook the friends and family who supported me through that season. I missed the forest for the trees by focusing on one small aspect of my life rather than the bigger picture.

As I waited for my husband, often, not so patiently, God used that period to refine me. The Lord brought people into my life who helped me learn how to have healthy relationships. When I discovered the Great Commandment, love God and others, it changed my life. As I took myself out of the center seat of my world and began submitting to the Creator, placing Him at the center of my universe, transformation began to happen.

Thankfulness started to develop in my heart as I recognized the blessings God had given me. Through countless layoffs at my company, the Lord protected me. I had a stable home, with an overflow of food and water. As I became involved in church, I developed a network of friends who rallied around me and still walk with me today, cheering me onward.

Following the Savior continues to develop a thankful heart within me. As I give more and more of my life to Him, I find it easier to praise the Lord. Each breath I take gives me a reason to thank God. When my feet hit the floor in the morning, I offer up praise. Every devotion, every book, every project I get to do, I offer gratitude to the Creator for letting me do His work. Jesus teaches me to live intentionally, with my eyes focused on Him, aligning my heart’s desires with His, and when I do, it cultivates thankfulness in my heart.

Cultivate a thankful heart by keeping the Son in your eyes. Ask the Lord for help if needed, to find things IN your situation to thank Him for today. No matter what you face in the next 24 hours, God goes with you. He has a plan, and it will unfold, all while the Lord gives you the strength to persevere and find reasons to give Him praise.

Journal Questions:

In what situation are you too focused on the forest instead of the trees?

What’s one thing in your current situation you can thank God for today?

How can you cultivate a thankful heart with Jesus?

Application:

Gratitude is a daily choice.

Two-minute read.

To live united, we must have a place of agreement. As Christ followers, He gives us a starting point. Believing in the Lord as our Savior begins the conversation, no matter what the situation. As we encounter life circumstances, we can look to the scriptures for instruction and follow Jesus’s example. Created for connection with the Lord and with people, God has provided everything we need to find victory.

As human beings, we all share the same problem; every one of us falls short of the mark, sinners in need of grace. Some people recognize their need for a Savior; others don’t. When Jesus walked the earth, He treated everyone the same, loving all. If people didn’t want to follow Him, the Lord didn’t force the issue, allowing them their free will. Not all will want to have Christ at the center of their life, but we can still love them and pray for them, hoping one day they will change their mind.

In a world full of chaos and turmoil, living in unity with others brings joy to God’s heart and peace to our lives. Appreciating differences gives spice to life. If everyone did the same thing, life would have no excitement. But learning to love people for their differences not only grows us, but helps them reach their full potential. And ultimately, don’t we all want to eek every ounce of life out of our purpose?

As we close this six-week devotional on friendship, let’s challenge ourselves to live in unity with God’s people, loving them, despite their differences. The Lord gives us free will to make our own decisions and choose how we will act. To love others, we must do the same. Remember, God loves us enough not to leave us as we are, but to transform us into new beings. We can help others do the same by praying for them and supporting them on their journey with Christ.

One day, we will meet in heaven, a place filled with people from all nationalities worshiping the Lord together. Why not start now? Loving those God places in our lives to the best of our ability and living in unity with His people one day at a time.

Celebrate the unique people the Lord gives you to love and do life with. Grow together as one body with different parts, and live life fully. In Christ, we have all we need to fulfill our purpose and persevere through the ups and downs of this world as we make our way to the promised land, eternal life with the Savior.

Journal Questions:

How does living in unity with Christ’s followers bring you joy?

In what areas do you struggle to love others?

How can you become more like Jesus today?

Friendship Application:

Celebrate the people in your life and live in unity with them.

Two-minute read.

If you don’t have a women’s or men’s group, find one. Nothing brings me more joy than my D-group, which I’ve mentioned before. Six women, all at different stages in life, who meet regularly to study God’s word and encourage each other on the journey. Our group text doesn’t go silent. Each day we share our studies, prayer requests, and concerns, and help each other with life’s ups and downs.

Regular church attendance also builds community, gathering with other believers to worship Jesus and learn how to follow Him through weekly messages, which gives us a grounding in our faith. Sundays also allow us to reset. The Lord designed the Sabbath, knowing we would need rest from the trials of this world. Disrupting our schedule, refocusing our attention on Jesus, and handing our problems over to the Savior allows us to gain a new perspective and rejuvenate our hearts for the week to come.

Another way I build community comes with individual meetings. I regularly schedule coffee with friends, a time together to share life’s challenges and encourage each other amid trials. Jesus will return; none of us knows when, but until then, we must continue to find ways to build community, connect with other believers, and encourage each other on the journey.

The human body has many parts, but these parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12

As one part of Christ’s body, we all serve a purpose, and we work best in community, the parts working together to serve the Lord. Cultivating community brings the parts together and allows them to fulfill their destiny. How would the eye feel if it couldn’t see? Or the heart if it couldn’t beat? Both play vital roles in the human body and must work together to perform at their peak.

In the same way, when we work together with other believers, we will find our purpose and fulfill it in community, the way Christ intended. Find ways to meet with fellow journeyman, to follow the Savior, and to live life for Him. Discover abundant life in Jesus as you connect with His family and grow and mature together.

 Journal Questions:

How do you cultivate community?

What’s your favorite way to connect with other believers?

How does living in a faith community encourage you?

Friendship Application:

Cultivate community with other believers and find strength for the journey.

Two-minute read.

Choose wisely who you allow into your life. In my early twenties, at the height of my drinking and carousing, I knew I needed to change my lifestyle. However, I struggled to create healthy boundaries with my fellow partiers, finding it difficult not to drink when I spent time with them. When I flunked out of school, instead of wallowing in self-pity, I used it as an opportunity to start again. Moving to another state, I left the temptation behind, giving myself a fresh start at a new school. Instead of choosing life-sucking connections, I became diligent about creating life-giving friendships that pulled me up, not brought me down.

When you look at your friend group, you can determine what the future looks like. If you choose friends with wisdom, you develop healthy, life-giving connections that help you become the best version of you. However, those not going in the same direction as you will help you veer off course and miss out on the essential things in life. Relationships matter more than anything else; we shouldn’t treat them casually, but instead love and nurture them.

Moving to a new area where we didn’t know anyone, I knew we needed to find a Bible believing church first and foremost. Because I wanted to build life-giving connections that would help me continue my journey with Jesus, I knew it all started with church. Finding a place to call home gives us a sense of security. We quickly developed friendships as we began volunteering, joining a couple’s small group and a women’s group. As a result, I’m building relationships with people who build me up and help me persevere with their love and affection. In essence, we planted ourselves beside a stream of water, where our roots can grow into it and never wither, helping me bear good fruit.

God gives us free will to do whatever we want. When we choose to place our faith in Him and allow God to lead our steps, we will discover not only our purpose in life, but the people who will help us fulfill it. Surround yourself with people who have deep roots in the Lord; allow them to breathe life into you with their faithfulness and joy. Become a well-watered tree that helps others find the freedom in Christ you have discovered.

Journal Questions:

How have you developed friendships in your life?

When have you had friends who didn’t build you up?

Describe what a life-giving relationship means to you.

Friendship Application:

Choose to focus on the life-giving relationships in your life.

Two-minute read.

Our psychological condition affects our physical condition. When we have a cheerful heart, it heals the broken places. But a sad spirit saps our strength. Over Christmas, I developed a nasty chest cold that took days to go away. Spending several days on the couch recuperating, I watched holiday baking shows that lightened my mood. The bakers’ silly antics and themed challenges made me smile and brought me cheer, which helped me heal.

Friends texted and checked on me, offering to bring me anything I needed. Their thoughtfulness made me feel loved and valued, which also cheered me. With each day that passed, I felt a little better, and by Christmas Eve, I could attend service, which brought me more cheer than anything else. Surrounded by God’s children, singing my favorite Christmas carols, listening to the Pastor’s short message about Jesus, and then closing the evening with candlelight singing of Joy to the World, overwhelmed me with delight and proved the best medicine of all. Connecting my heart with others, united in Christ, gave me divine strength to persevere.

When we place faith in the Savior, He creates a heart connection with the Lord that no one can break. As we follow Jesus and put His teachings into practice, we’ll generate heart connections with other believers. Corporate worship generates cheerful hearts as we gain strength from each other. Developing loving relationships with Christ, our foundation, brings joy to the heart and good medicine for the soul.

Broken spirits need a dose of cheerful hearts to help them overcome the hopelessness that saps their strength. Without hope, we have no reason to keep going. But one spark of possibility can ignite an inferno of hope that helps us overcome even the direst circumstances. The beauty of living in a community of believers comes from shared hope. Because Jesus didn’t promise a rose garden, we know to expect struggles in this life. However, the Lord overcame the troubles of this world when He walked out of the tomb, defeating death, and giving us eternal life with Him.

Connect your heart with Jesus and His family. Allow cheerful hearts to provide good medicine for you, healing the sadness and giving you hope for the future. In Jesus, we have all we need to persevere. Through Him, we can have life in abundance, living fully for the Savior.

Journal Questions:

When has a cheerful heart given you good medicine?

When have you experienced a broken spirit?

How has connecting your heart to the Savior changed your life?

Friendship Application:

Connect your heart with Jesus and allow His joy to fill your soul.

Two-minute read.

Constructive criticism helps people grow and mature, enabling them to reach their full potential. People who genuinely love you will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Personally, I don’t want yes people in my life; I prefer to surround myself with people who help me flourish.

“I’m afraid they only tell you what you want to hear.”

Ron, talking about my Board of Directors, friends in my life I go to for advice, worried they only wanted to appease me. Many of the women I have known for decades, some not quite as long, but they all love Jesus and have walked with Him for years. When I turn to them for advice, they tell me the truth and guide me in the right direction.

For instance, in the year before I met Ron, my mom suffered a medical emergency that threw our entire family into chaos. Everyone reacted differently, tensions ran high, and relationships broke down. One weekend, my mom ended up in the hospital at the same time as my brother’s wife, who cared for both. Scheduled to go away for the weekend, I had coffee with one of my directors to share the developments with her.

“If you want a relationship with your brother, you need to stay home and help. Cancel your trip.”

Only hours away from departure, I knew she had told me a vital truth I needed to hear. Without hesitation, I canceled the trip, collected my mother from the hospital, and took her home, freeing my brother to take care of his wife, and salvaging our relationship. Years later, I consider it one of the best pieces of advice I ever received, grateful for a friend who sharpened me with her words.

Friends help develop each other’s character through constructive criticism that helps them see their blind spots, address them, and grow. We all have areas we can’t see that harm us. Only with trusted friendships can we deal with the issues that stunt our growth. Developing intentional relationships with mature followers of Christ will help us to become the person God designed us to become. Fulfilling our purpose takes a village; we need community to help us mature. Surrounding ourselves with wise friends will sharpen us, developing our character and helping us become more like Christ.

Journal Questions:

What friends sharpen you in your walk with Jesus?

How can you become better at telling the truth in love?

How can you develop Christ-centered relationships today?

Friendship Application:

Seek wise advice for an area you find yourself struggling in today.