Honest Reflections

Two-minute read.

“Don’t forget, the joy of the Lord is our strength,” Jimmy said randomly at the end of our small group one night. We had finished our discussion on the week’s sermon and prayed over prayer requests when our leader sent us off with these words. When I heard the phrase, I didn’t realize it came from Nehemiah. As soon as I got home, I looked up the passage, and ever since, I quote the eight words every chance I get. Joy of the Lord comes from complete confidence in Him, no matter the situation, understanding that this life will pass quickly, but eternal life with the Lord will never end. We can face today’s mountain because God will move it; nothing keeps us from His glory when we place our faith in the Savior.

Joy remains when happiness flees. Because we choose God and trust His plan, even when we don’t understand it, we can experience divine joy. Planning our first Joyful Heart Connections breakfast, we had a meeting a few days before. “Well, we have a problem that we can’t control; it’s supposed to snow Saturday,” Claire said as we began our time together. So focused on tasks for the event, I hadn’t thought about the weather. Instant disappointment welled up within me. Then I thought, “Well, if that’s God’s will, then I trust it.”

The same storm hindered our vacation plans. Supposed to leave two days after the event, an unusual polar vortex sent ice across the southern United States and up the East Coast. No one went anywhere, and the Lord delayed our vacation for two days. Again, I thought, “I trust God’s will, He’s protecting us from things we don’t know.” Instead of losing my joy, I trusted the Savior and had a lovely day at home, catching up on projects I needed to get done.

The Lord instructs us to “count it all joy” when facing trials, viewing them as opportunities for growth. When we adopt a joyful mindset, we choose to focus our gaze on the Savior rather than our problems. In God’s presence, we experience the fullness of joy. Divine joy comes from delighting in the Lord’s goodness and secure hope in Him, rather than superficial emotions. Set your gaze above, align your heart and mind with the Savior, and gain strength from the joy you find in Him.

Journal Questions:

How would you define divine joy?

Describe the difference between joy in the Lord and happiness.

How has joy strengthened you in life’s storms?

Application:

Thank God for the strength you gain from His joy.

Two-minute read.

 Three times in John 14, God emphasizes loving Him through obedience. An action verb, love motivates us to want to please the Savior. Pondering on what Jesus did for us on the cross, accepting His gift of love and mercy, ignites us into action. Experiencing the new life we find in Christ makes us want to share it with others. Unconditional love that forgives the darkest sin inspires love for the Lord and others.

“Love gives all but asks all.”

Andrew Murray

God’s love defines Him. At the Creator’s core, you will find love, which creates. To express love, the Lord needs something to love. As a result, He created man in His image, to love and be loved. More powerful than any other emotion, more transforming than any other act, love changes the world, one person at a time. The more we understand the Savior’s love for us, the more we will want to love Him back, and we do that best when we obey Him.

Becoming obedient to the Lord by obeying His commands will grow you like nothing else. As you learn to love others through God’s teachings, you will discover how much He loves you. Every divine command exhibits the Creator’s love for His creation. The divine rules we live by protect us from the world’s manipulations, keeping us out of the weeds of human emotions, and allowing us to bloom flowers of light.

Express your love for the Savior by obeying His commands. Discover God’s love as you do what He says. Grow and flourish in the bouquet of love the Lord created. In Christ, we will enjoy unconditional, sacrificial, and unselfish love that we can find nowhere else. Jesus gives freely to all regardless of the recipient’s merit or response. Christ defines Himself by actions that serve others with no thought to His personal cost. We must choose to seek the good of others, even our enemies. Agape love, that which Jesus embodies, has no conditions, never ends, and displays patience, kindness, and lack of envy or pride.

Obeying the Lord helps us express agape love in human form. Although we will never do it perfectly, we can try to obey God and become more like Jesus. Let the Creator’s love inspire you to obedience. Bless the Savior with your actions as you do what He did. Let your light shine in the darkness, permeating the heartache of the world, and illuminating hope and healing in the Lord.

Journal Questions:

In what ways do you struggle with obedience?

Do you have difficulty accepting God’s love for you?

In what ways can you obey God today?

Application:

Show your gratitude through action.

Two-minute read.

Entering my hotel after a long day of flying, my traveler’s suitcase rolling behind me, I would drop onto the bed in exhaustion. Twelve hours of flying, dealing with disgruntled passengers, all while wearing heels and a skirt, wore me out. As glamorous as a Flight Attendant’s life appears, it has a lonely side that many people don’t recognize. Long hours serving thankless people take their toll on anyone. And so, many nights when I collapsed in my hotel room, I would open the nightstand drawer and pull out the Gideon Bible.

Flipping open the hardcover book, I would run my thumb over the edges of the onion paper, flicking through the pages until I landed on a spot. Using my forefinger as a guide, I would begin reading the scriptures, looking for a word from God that would apply to my life. And miracle upon miracle, I always found it. No matter how many times I flipped to a random spot in the Bible, I always discovered something that uplifted and encouraged me, or convicted me. Either way, my practice of seeking the Lord through His word assured me of His presence. In my loneliness, Jesus met me and kept me company.

Each morning, when I spend time with the Savior, reading scriptures, I find something that always speaks to my heart and directs my path. Whether I must forgive an offense or apologize for my actions, each morning, I come away from my time with the Lord with renewed direction and purpose for the day ahead. God’s word truly does light our paths when we seek and apply it to our lives.

Let the Lord illuminate your path with His word. Make spending time in scripture a daily practice and watch how it transforms your life. God has a plan for your life; He can’t wait to share it with you. But if you don’t spend time with the Savior, you will never discover His plan. The Lord reveals truth to us as we follow Him. God doesn’t give us the whole story, but He will give us the next step, and then the next one. Tap into divine light by reading God’s word and applying it to your life.

In a world of uncertainty, trust the certain One who already knows how the story ends. Follow Jesus, let Him light your path and take you on a journey you can’t even imagine. Allow the Lord’s divine light lead you on the path to abundant life.

Journal Questions:

How has God’s word spoken to you?

In what ways do you seek the Lord throughout the day?

When has God lit your path in a specific way?

Application:

Thank God for His truth and guidance.

Two-minute read.

Serving a generous God, we can’t out-give Him if we try. Often, when I’m wrestling with whether to give or not, those words run through my head and tip the balance for generosity. Meditating on the divine gifts the Lord bestowed upon us will make us more generous. First, we received Jesus’s saving grace, given from unconditional love for His creation, and with no strings attached. We must believe to receive; nothing we do can earn Christ’s salvation. Gratitude for the Savior’s resurrecting power will lead to a more generous spirit, as you want others to find what you have.

Speaking at a woman’s event on friendship, I talked about caring for friends as Christ cared for us. Inspired by the desire to connect women with new friends, we provided breakfast and a six-week devotional. Wanting the women to feel Christ’s love, we made it as special as possible, giving our time, talents, and treasures to create a warm, caring event. Watching the women enjoy their breakfast and form new relationships warmed my heart in ways I didn’t expect. Bringing Christ’s family together and loving them blessed me more than anything I did in preparation for the event.

When we try to outdo God, something I enjoy doing, we always fail. And in the giving, we receive more blessings than we give.

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 11:25

Solomon’s wisdom in Proverbs speaks truth. We receive refreshment when we refresh others. At the women’s breakfast, my heart swelled as I watched new friendships form and divine connections happen right before my eyes. No amount of money can buy that type of encouragement. Nothing refreshes the soul like seeing others bloom in their relationship with the Lord and people. The Almighty created us for connection with Him and others. We must choose to join in the party; the Lord doesn’t force His presence on anyone. But He generously offers divine blessings through Christ that God hopes we will choose.

Accept the Lord’s gift of salvation. Allow it to settle in your soul and take root, helping you become a person known for their generosity. Let gratitude motivate your actions. Help people get to know Jesus and experience His gift of grace. The more we meditate on the divine works of our Savior, the more we will want to share them with others. No matter how hard you try, you can’t out-give God.

Journal Questions:

List ways you’ve received divine generosity?

Why do you find it easy/hard to give?

In what ways has refreshing others refreshed you?

Application:

Let your thankfulness overflow to others.

Two-minute read.

Do you remember when you first placed your faith in Christ? I do, as a child, I asked the Lord into my heart, but I didn’t really understand what it meant; I only knew I needed Jesus. When I became an adult, having turned my back on the Savior and hit rock bottom, I gained a deeper understanding. As I began the journey back to Jesus, I started to understand my sinful nature and why I need saving. We can’t save ourselves; we need Christ to do it for us. No matter how hard we try, we will always sin. The Lord knows that, and so He extended His grace and mercy through the cross.

Looking back over those years in the pit, Jesus never left me. The Lord answered my childish prayer, and His Spirit took up residency inside my heart. When I walked away from Jesus, He never walked away from me. Time and again, by the grace of God, I survived the harm I tried to do to myself. When I finally acknowledged my ways didn’t work, the Savior waited for me with outstretched arms, embracing me back into the fold like a prodigal child.

Every morning, we can transform. Each day when we turn to Jesus and say, “I’m yours. What do you want to do with me?” He answers. Seeking Christ’s guidance will reveal the paths we should take and the things we should do. The more we listen to the Holy Spirit, the quicker we will respond to His promptings and discover the Lord’s will for our lives.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

Through salvation, we become attached to the vine. The Holy Spirit connects us to the Savior who helps us bear fruit. Without Jesus, we can’t bear fruit that we can share with others. Once we share our gifts, we grow more fruit to share with even more people. God’s work in our lives never ends until He calls us home. Until then, through salvation, we become fruitful branches that introduce others to the saving grace of Jesus.

Praise God for salvation through Christ. Not only do we receive grace and mercy, but He gives us purpose and meaning for life that brings abundant joy. As we follow the Savior, we’ll discover life like we never imagined, bearing good fruit, and lighting the world with the Lord’s love.

Journal Questions:

What happened when you placed your faith in Christ?

How have you grown in the Lord since your salvation?

What kind of fruit have you produced lately?

Application:

Thank God for His grace.

Two-minute read.

God transforms our lives when we align our hearts and minds with Him. Instead of doing what the world does, we do what the Savior would do, resulting in an abundant life found only in Christ. Recently, I’ve started praying a new prayer, “Lord, protect my mind from the whispers of the devil.” Living in the eastern part of Virginia, we have a lot of water. Rivers, bays, and oceans form a complex system that requires many bridges and tunnels. The James River Bridge, which connects the peninsula to the south side, spans 4.5 miles over the water with a 415-foot lift for ships that allows clearance of 145 feet when raised. Nearly a million vehicles a month cross the steep drawbridge, and I’m one of them.

Every time I start up the hill to the drawbridge, my stomach drops, and errant thoughts run through my head. Anxiety wants to draw me into its grips with images of my car going over the edge into the rapidly moving river. Recognizing the whispers from the devil, I prayed for the Lord to protect my mind from the devil’s antics. Instead of listening to the whispers, I praised God for the blessings, thanking Him for the bridge that makes travel convenient, the safe car with good tires, and the railings that keep vehicles from plunging into the water. By changing my thoughts, I transformed my anxiety into praise.

When we meditate on God’s word and ways, He will transform us. Actions begin with thoughts; what we think determines what we do. If we take our thoughts captive and bring them into obedience with Christ, we will develop a grateful mindset. An attitude of gratitude defeats the world’s manipulations.

Focus your thoughts on the Savior. Develop an attitude of gratitude by meditating on what Jesus did for us on the cross. When we have cross-vision, viewing everything through the lens of Christ, He will transform us. Daily chores become an act of worship. Meeting people becomes an opportunity to love them for the Lord. Life becomes a series of divine appointments rather than coincidences. Everything and everyone matters to the Creator and has eternal significance. Our limited perspective can’t comprehend all the Lord’s workings, but we can trust He will work all things to the good for those who love and serve Him.

Change your thinking, change your life. Develop a grateful mindset by seeking reasons to praise God. You’ll find that once you start counting your blessings, you will never finish; they far outweigh the things of this world.

Journal Questions:

When has focusing on things of the world stolen your joy?

What’s one thing you can do today to change your thinking?

How has Jesus transformed your life?

Application:

Renew your thoughts through gratitude.

Two-minute read.

Jesus speaks of the calm confidence in God when He talks about peace—a divine gift that we receive, despite our circumstances. When Christ faced the cross, the events ahead troubled Him, but, understanding His Father’s peace, He could move forward to endure the crucifixion because it pleased the Lord. Walking in the Creator’s will gives us confidence in Him, knowing that when we do what God wants, He opens the doors and provides all we need to complete our task.

Knowing that the Lord has a purpose for our lives and that He uses everything to the good for those who believe and trust in Him leads to divine peace and joy. As we face mountains in our lives, we can remain calm because we know God will lead us over them, one step at a time. Instead of walking with fear, we can run with boldness because when the Lord is for us, who can be against us? “ (Romans 8:31). Wrapping ourselves in the promises of scripture gives us the tools we need to face any challenge and climb any mountain.

Internalizing Christ’s acceptance and love will help you find your identity in Him as a completely loved and cherished person. Nothing you can do will separate you from the Lord’s love for you. God adores His creation and wants the best for all living things. Unfortunately, we don’t always trust His ways and can easily find ourselves on the wrong path. Value comes from the price someone will pay for it. Jesus gave His life for us because He loves us so deeply and completely. Believe the Lord loves you, trust His promises, and experience His peace.

Knowing we would need help, Christ left His Spirit to guard and protect us. Tuning into the holy nudges from within our hearts will help us stay on the righteous path. We can become more like Jesus every day as we trust Him more. Living in God’s peace protects us from Satan’s ploys to create chaos in our lives, planting seeds of anxiety and fear to get us off track. But when we live in divine peace, the devil’s arrows will bounce off of us as the Lord protects us.

Believe in Christ’s love for you and accept the gift of peace He offers. By submitting to the Lord’s ways, you will live in His peace. When we receive the Holy Spirit, His divine presence transforms us. No longer will we listen to the devil’s manipulations, but instead, God’s peace protects our hearts and minds.

Journal Questions:

How have you experienced God’s peace?

How have you accepted the Lord’s gift of unconditional love?

In what areas does the devil try to steal your peace?

Application:

Find peace through gratitude.

Two-minute read.

Jeremiah, thought to have written Lamentations, wrote in the aftermath of Jerusalem’s destruction-a season of devastating loss, suffering, and unanswered “why” questions. Chapter three moves the book from deep anguish to fragile hope. Suffering feels like it will never end, but eventually, it does. God does allow grief in our lives, but compassion always follows. Pain happens in the larger story of restoration. The Lord doesn’t take pleasure in suffering. The Israelites’ poor choices over a long period caused Jerusalem’s destruction. God didn’t want that; His heart grieved for the decisions that caused them suffering. But free will allows us to choose which path we will follow, and God lets us go the way we want.

Poor choices teach us discipline. The Lord’s discipline, rooted in love, has purpose and restraint, never cruel or careless. Many of our “why” questions have answers related to our actions, not God’s. With age comes hindsight. Looking back on my life, I can easily see where my actions caused problems that I blamed on the Creator. For instance, when I followed worldly advice on my relationships, I got my heart broken repeatedly. Instead of following Biblical advice and obeying the Lord, I ignored Him, and I suffered.

But God did teach me from those mistakes when I turned to Him, and I began listening to His word. Like the Israelites caused Jerusalem’s destruction, I caused mine. The Lord allowed grief into my life and taught me from it. Would the Creator have preferred I didn’t make the choices I did? For sure. However, the All-Knowing knew I wouldn’t learn my lesson if He didn’t allow me to follow my free will. Decisions determine the outcome. Trusting feelings that lie will take us down the wrong path. But when we choose Jesus and begin doing things His way, we will please the Lord and receive His grace and mercy.

“We don’t sit close to each other anymore,” the farmer’s wife said to him, sitting next to the passenger window in the old pick-up with a bench seat.

“Huh?” the farmer replied.

“When we dated, I always sat right next to you when you drove. Remember?” she asked, not giving him time to answer. “Now you sit over there, and I sit over here.”

“I’m not the one who moved,” said the farmer, pointing out the obvious.

In our relationship with God, we blame him for moving when we did. The Lord doesn’t force His presence on anyone. As a gentleman, He never goes where He’s not invited. Thankfully, He intervenes and draws us back to Him, but not before we learn a few lessons along the way.

Journal Questions:

When have you felt distant from God?

How has God allowed you to grieve?

What lessons have you learned from your grief?

Application:

Thank God for patience.

Two-minute read.

Written during Cyrus’s reign in Persia, he conquered Babylon, where the Israelites lived in exile. Fearful of what Cyrus would do, God comforts His people with today’s verse. The Lord had a purpose for the Israelites, and they wouldn’t perish without God’s will coming to pass. Loving His people, the Creator made promises to Abraham that He would and does keep, even to this day. Three times the Lord affirms His presence to the Israelites, promising to hold them up with His victorious hand.

Cyrus freed the exiles, allowing them to rebuild their temple and city, fulfilling the prophecy Isaiah had made centuries earlier. God kept the promise He made to Abraham and prophesied through Isaiah. The Lord kept His word to the Israelites, and He keeps it to us; for that, we can thank Him.

Accepting Christ into our lives, placing our faith in Him, and trusting His teachings give us access to the Holy Spirit, who takes up residence in our hearts and goes wherever we go. Whether you feel Jesus’s presence doesn’t determine it. Every breath we take, thought we have, action we do, Christ does with us. He knows our thoughts before we think them, and has answers to our prayers before we pray them. Thanking the Lord for what He does and will do displaces the fear that tries to paralyze us.

When we moved, and I started volunteering and joining church groups, I was afraid the first time I went to an event. Not knowing anyone, I felt awkward standing or sitting alone while others talked and chatted. But one conversation would change everything. Someone would notice me alone and come and talk to me. Soon, others would as well, and the fear that tried to keep me from going drifted away as God’s people embraced me into their lives. If I had let fear stop me from going, I wouldn’t have made new friends and experienced the joy of fellowship with other believers. By keeping the Son in my eyes and trusting His promises, I overcame my fears.

Thank God for His presence in your life. Focus your eyes on Jesus and His promises. Let gratitude dispel fear as you follow the Savior.

Journal Questions:

How does fear try to stop you?

In what ways does gratitude help you overcome fear?

What promise of God’s can you stand on today?

Application:

Build courage with thankfulness.

Two-minute read.

“Grace is always a gift,” the pastor said in this week’s message at church. Jesus gave us the gift that never stops giving. Every morning, the Lord gives us fresh mercy. Paul, author of 2 Corinthians, had a thorn in his side, a chronic pain the apostle asked the Lord to remove from him three times. Receiving a divine reply, God told Paul that His grace was all he needed. The Lord promised His servant that he would always have enough grace to overcome the thorn.

God promises us the same. Whatever struggles we have in life, the Lord’s grace will help us overcome them, never running out, always in supply. Grace comes in various forms. Receiving a load of wood in the rain, Ron and I stacked it with our rain jackets, keeping us dry. Back-breaking work, when the rain slowed, it seemed like a gift from heaven, God’s grace on a rainy day. At the beginning of the year, while fasting, when temptation started to rear its ugly head, praying and seeking God’s grace helped me persevere. When my mom died, the Lord’s strength helped me enjoy my last days with her and gave me the strength to hold her hand as she transitioned into heaven.

The Lord’s grace moves with us through our lives, helping us with whatever mountain we face. Like Paul, we can deal with our thorns because of God’s grace. When we boast in our weakness, we glorify the Savior’s strength and His continuous presence in our lives. Instead of complaining about our thorns, we can expose our weaknesses to highlight the Lord’s grace. Gaining a new perspective helps us see our struggles from a divine perspective, enabling us to view our sufferings as opportunities to glorify Christ.

Christ on the cross forms the supreme example of “power-in-weakness.” To the world, Jesus looked defeated, and His journey over. But with God’s grace, He overcame the cross, conquering death and giving us the gift of eternal life. Christ didn’t die so that we could suffer, but so we could have life in abundance, even in our sufferings. Accepting that we will have challenges in life and that God will give us the strength to endure them helps us live life to the fullest.

Thank the Lord for His grace, which truly will help us overcome our struggles. He has a rich supply of divine mercy that will never run out. We can trust in Him to see us through whatever storms come our way. When God says His grace is sufficient, He means it.

Journal Questions:

What thorn do you want God to remove?

How have you experienced God’s grace?

Name a weakness that allows you to boast about God’s strength?

Application:

Thank God for His power.