Author: Beth Morrison

Two-minute read.

Our thoughts form our words and actions. In this world, we don’t control much, but we can control the things we say and do. And I have and still manage to do things I regret. For instance, one doctor’s visit haunts me.

Working for a company based in Manhattan, I handled the third-largest territory on the East Coast. Pressure came with the job, and I didn’t always handle the stress well. I regret to say, I often took it out on others. And this day, I took it out on my doctor’s nurse, a wonderful and kind woman who unfortunately faced my wrath over a long wait that put me off schedule. And though I’ve apologized for my behavior, and she extended me grace, I still feel bad I caused that woman pain all those years ago.

If, at that time, I had a renewed mind in Christ, I wouldn’t have done what I did. Instead, I let my self-centered thoughts control my actions. Jesus helps me understand the truth, and He does it with love. The world doesn’t revolve around me; it revolves around Him. And He has one command for me to follow: love God, love others.

Paul teaches the Romans that following Christ doesn’t merely look different from the world, but that we become different from the inside out. Through the renewing work of the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s word, believers experience transformation that reflects Christ’s character and discerns God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Spiritual growth begins with inward transformation rather than outward rule-keeping. Scripture reshapes our thinking and values. The Holy Spirit continually forms believers into the likeness of Christ. Maturity enables wise, God-honoring decision-making. Our transformation never stops- an ongoing renewal, not instant perfection.

Renewed minds can recognize what pleases God. I can guarantee you, my rude behavior that day in the doctor’s office did not make the Lord happy. But the moment when I sincerely apologized and asked for forgiveness did. Because the Holy Spirit convicted me, and Scripture’s truth changed me, my actions transformed, and I reflected Jesus.

Transformation happens in our minds, the battlefield for our thoughts. To experience renewal, we must fill our thoughts with God’s word, replacing worldly assumptions with biblical truth. As we allow the Lord’s perspective to reshape our attitudes and decisions, we will develop wisdom through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

As our thinking changes, our actions, desires, and priorities begin to change as well. Transformational change that brings abundant life comes through a renewed mind.

Journal Questions:

• What negative thought needs replacing?
• What truth from Scripture counters it?
• How can you focus on God’s perspective?

Stressbuster:

Memorize a Bible verse.

Two-minute read.

Be still: stop striving, cease fighting, let go, relax your grip. Be still.

Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

Psalm 46 celebrates God’s protection and sovereign rule. Describing earthquakes, roaring seas, and nations in turmoil, despite the chaos, the Lord remains a safe refuge. After God demonstrates his power by ending wars and bringing peace, the psalmist writes these words: Be still.

The author doesn’t just invite us to quiet meditation; he commands us to stop resisting the Lord’s rule and recognize His supreme authority. God really does know everything, even those deep dark secrets you think no one knows, and He loves you. As our Creator, carefully molded into a unique being by Him, He can’t help but love you.

And Lord knows, with the way we act, sometimes I wonder why?

The word “know” implies more than an intellectual awareness; it acknowledges, recognizes, and submits to God’s sovereignty. The Lord declares He alone controls history, nature, and the destiny of nations. No one else can calm the storm, only the Savior. No one else can heal the sick with a word, only Jesus. No one else died on the cross and rose again for you, only Christ. And when we place our faith in Him, we “know.”

When we stop trying to control what only God does, we find stillness. Trusting the Lord’s presence during uncertainty and hardship gives us peace. Having confidence that our heavenly Father reigns over every circumstance leads us to rest. We will worship Him knowing that His purposes will ultimately prevail.

The Sons of Korah, a group of Levites who served as musicians and worship leaders in the temple, wrote Psalm 46. Although the exact historical event behind Psalm 46 remains unknown, scholars suggest it may have followed Jerusalem’s deliverance from a powerful enemy. Others see it as a general hymn celebrating the Lord’s protection rather than tied to a specific event. Either way, to experience the promise it offers, one must submit to God’s sovereignty, and for many, not giving up control stops them from receiving divine blessings.

Today’s verse holds both a command, be still, and a promise, every nation will exult the Savior. Rather than merely telling us to find inner peace, the authors call us to surrender our lives before a sovereign God, whose power brings true security and lasting peace.

Journal Questions:

• What noise distracts you spiritually?
• How can you create a quiet space today?
• What is God speaking to your heart?

Stressbuster:

Turn off all notifications for one hour.

Two-minute read.

Jesus spoke these words as He walked toward the greatest suffering He would ever endure, which makes His promise even more remarkable. Christ offered us peace not from a place of comfort, but from a place of complete trust in His Father.

The Savior’s peace rests on several unshakeable realities. Through His sacrifice we receive forgiveness of sins, reconciling us to God. The Holy Spirit lives in us, and Christ reigns over all things, securing for us an eternal future. Jesus doesn’t promise a life without storms, but he does promise His presence amid them.

When Jesus says “My peace,” it characterizes His own life and earthly ministry. The Savior remained calm during violent storms, and stayed composed in the face of opposition. Christ showed compassion under tremendous pressure. He trusted the Father completely, even as He faced the cross. Jesus offers believers the same kind of peace, not merely peaceful circumstances, but a heart anchored in complete confidence in God.

The world’s peace doesn’t last and usually has conditions, such as good health, financial security, stable relationships, comfortable circumstances, or political and social stability. When those things disappear, worldly peace often disappears with them. Jesus offers us something entirely different. Christ’s peace remains during suffering, endures through uncertainty, sustains us in grief, and provides confidence when we face an uncertain future.

God gives us a gift of grace, not something we earn or manufacture.

Therefore, Jesus wants us to have carefree hearts, not burdened by worldly troubles. The Lord doesn’t want fear to rule our hearts. We can bring our worries to Christ, trusting Him with whatever troubles us. The Savior has overcome the world and given us His Spirit. He remains sovereign, and Christ’s promises cannot fail.

When you have a troubled heart, remember that Jesus has already given you His peace. We can’t create it, but we can accept it by faith. As you rest in His presence and trust His promises, His peace steadies your heart, calms your fears, and reminds you that He never leaves you.

Christ doesn’t give us a fragile peace; it does not vanish when life becomes difficult. With quiet confidence we can rest in God’s presence, enjoying His peace, knowing His love never fails.

Journal Questions:

• What steals your peace most often?
• How is God’s peace different from the world’s?
• What would peace look like today?

Stressbuster:

Sit in silence for ten minutes.

Two-minute read.

In a world where circumstances, relationships, and even people can change unexpectedly, Jesus remains constant. His character, promises, power, and love never change. The author of Hebrews reminds us of the enormity of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, of His fulfillment of His Father’s promises, and of the practical instructions for following Jesus.

We find stability in the Son’s unchanging nature.

Trying to find solid ground in changing leaders, shifting cultures, or new ideas will leave you stumbling. Because lies go round the world three times before truth has time to get its boots on, we can easily fall prey to false teachers. But the better we know Jesus, the quicker we will identify the lies and not let them hinder our walk.

Using both names, Jesus Christ, has significance. “Jesus” points to His humanity, the One who walked among us, suffered, died, and rose again. While “Christ” identifies Him as the promised Messiah, God’s Anointed One. The same Jesus who healed the sick, welcomed sinners, calmed storms, and showed compassion reigns as the risen Christ today.

Life rarely stays the same. Seasons change. Plans change. Health changes. Relationships change. Even we change over time. But today’s verse reminds us that the One we follow does not change.

The same Jesus who called the fishermen by the Sea of Galilee calls people today. The Savior who forgave Peter after his failure still extends grace to repentant hearts. The Shepherd who walked with His disciples through uncertainty still walks with His people now.

When everything around you feels unsettled, fix your eyes on Christ. His steadfast love never changes and will remain so forever. Because He never changes, you can confidently entrust every season of your life to Him.

We can trust our unchanging Savior when life feels uncertain. His promises remain dependable because God doesn’t base His love on our performance. In every season, the Lord gives us sufficient grace; His truth remains in every culture. Because of Christ’s presence, we can have confidence for the future.

When circumstances shift, remember that your foundation has not moved.

Journal Questions:

• What changes are causing you stress?
• How does God’s consistency comfort you?
• What truth can you cling to today?

Stressbuster:

Write down three things that remain constant in your life.

Two-minute read.

Picture it: Moses dies, and Joshua must now lead the Israelites. Starting with guiding the nation across the overflowing waters of the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Melting snow from Mount Hermon caused the river to swell; instead of a narrow stream, the river became fast-moving with a strong current. The waters overflowed the banks, flooding the surrounding plain- muddy, steep, and slippery. Without divine intervention, the nation couldn’t cross.

Knowing Joshua would experience fear, the Lord encouraged the new leader before he ever took a step. In this chapter, God tells Joshua three times to “be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6,7, and 9). More than encouragement, the Creator commands Joshua to have courage by obeying, even when he feels inadequate or uncertain.

Every believer eventually stands where Joshua stood—facing a future they cannot fully see. Whether facing a new job, a ministry opportunity, a difficult diagnosis, the loss of a loved one, or a calling that feels far beyond your capabilities, you don’t face it alone.

God doesn’t say, “You aren’t strong enough.”

Our heavenly Father says, “I am with you.”

Whatever the Lord calls us to do, He will equip us for the task. And He goes with us as we accomplish our mission. We don’t build courage on our self-confidence, but on God -confidence. We can move forward, even with trembling hands, because the One who calls us goes before us, walks beside us, and remains faithful every step of the way.

As you face new seasons, remember Joshua standing before the Jordan River, the entire nation behind him, watching the floodwaters roar past. In your mind’s eye, watch him take the first step, the waters miraculously parting as God made a way when one didn’t exist. With divine courage, take the first step and have confidence in the Lord’s presence. Continue to obey Him even when staring at an uncertain future. Don’t allow fear to determine your choice. Instead, strengthen your faith through regular time with God.

Remember, the Lord’s calling always comes with His sustaining grace.

Journal Questions:

• What fear needs to be confronted?
• How does God’s presence strengthen you?
• What step of faith can you take today?

Stressbuster:

Listen to uplifting worship music.

Two-minute read.

“I surrender.” The words I wrote in my journal this morning after spending a night wrestling with the Lord about a situation I have no control over. My heart aches in my chest, my watery eyes overflow at a moment’s notice, and my smile doesn’t come easily. A situation I have prayed and fasted for has shown no signs of hope, and if anything, seems worse than ever. Once again, I must ask the Lord for help to forgive, keep my heart soft, and bless them. None of those things I want to do, but I know I must.

Even when we spend years committing our plans to the Lord by praying over our calendar, our family and friends, and anything else, it doesn’t mean we’ll get what we want. And it certainly doesn’t mean we have control. Every so often, God reminds me I’m not the boss of Him. Typically, I find the lesson painful, as I do today.

Our Savior moves on our behalf every day, but most of the time we don’t even notice. We take for granted the safe drive to work, or the good night’s sleep we had. We don’t notice the breaths we take without even thinking. When we walk to the fridge for a snack, we forget who provided it. None of us can do anything without God’s help. He fills our lungs with breath; He gives us life; we owe everything to Him.

“Committed” in this verse means “to roll” something onto another. Right now I’m rolling my angry thoughts, revengeful notions, and hurtful feelings onto the Lord. When I opened this page and saw the topic, I took a screenshot and sent it to a friend who knows the details, with the caption “God does have a sense of humor!”

But you know what, my heart feels lighter because as I rolled all of that onto Him, emptying myself at the foot of the cross, He filled me back up. Pouring His unconditional love into my soul, the Creator rejuvenated His creation.

And I praise Him for it.

Commit whatever plans you have to the Lord. Lay them at the foot of the cross, and then watch as God acts on your behalf.

Journal Questions:

• What outcome are you trying to control?
• What would surrender look like?
• How can you trust God with the results?

Stressbuster:

Declutter one small area.

Two-minute read.

What does a transformed life look like? Paul’s words to the Romans sum it up: joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Once we understand the gospel and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, transformation begins. I live more like the Savior today than ever before, but I still have a long way to go, as do we all.

I finally figured out why doctors “practice” medicine and lawyers “practice” law. Because in both these fields, you must put into practice what you learn in school. And they learn so much, they never stop practicing or learning. Discoveries in medicine and new nuances in the law cause both professions to evolve constantly, hopefully becoming better. And sometimes, when practicing, they make mistakes, something we all have in common.

In the same way, we “practice” following Jesus. Every day, we do what we know to do and what we’ve learned from the Savior, other believers, and the Bible. We practice forgiving those who hurt us, praying for and blessing people, and living out the great commandment, loving God and others. As we do these things, our lives transform, and those around us can see the transformation.

Without realizing it, we will begin living with joyful hope, patient endurance in affliction, and faithful prayer. The Lord’s light will begin to reflect from us, drawing others to it. Each day, we’ll transform more.

Trusting Jesus means we live with confident expectation of His promises. Our hope includes the Lord’s constant presence in our lives, Christ’s eventual return, eternal life, and the completion of God’s work in us. Because we have a future secure in Jesus, we can rejoice, even when life gets hard. We choose confidence in God’s faithfulness despite our present challenges.

Prayer starts the conversation. We ask Jesus to come into our lives, and then we keep talking to Him. Connecting with the Savior doesn’t require flowery words or long, drawn-out sentences. Talk to God like a best friend, because He is. No one loves you more, cares about the details of your life more, or wants to participate in it with you more than your Creator. Keep the conversation going and enjoy a full relationship with the best friend you will ever have.

Journal Questions:

• What situation is testing your patience?
• How can prayer help you endure?
• What lesson might God be teaching you?

Stressbuster:

Slowly savor a favorite beverage.

Two-minute read.

“I don’t know why this is happening!?!?!” A friend’s Facebook post caught my attention. Complaining about her morning, she listed all the unexpected delays she had encountered. For some reason, even her car wouldn’t start, which meant she couldn’t get to work.

“I always take things like that as a sign from above. God’s plans are better than ours.” One of the comments read.

When life seems crazy, we often ask, “Why?” And most of the time, we don’t get an answer. Jeremiah wrote this letter to the Jewish exiles living in Babylon. Persistent disobedience to God resulted in their captivity. They longed for a quick return to Jerusalem, but the Lord told them the exile would last seventy years. While they waited, God wanted them to build homes, plant gardens, raise families, and seek the peace and prosperity of Babylon.

Against that backdrop, the Lord made this promise to His people. He didn’t guarantee immediate rescue, but an assurance that their future remained in His hands. The exiles couldn’t understand why they suffered, but God already knew the outcome. The Divine Creator does things with intention, not by accident. Even when life seems chaotic to us, nothing surprises the Lord.

We see one chapter; God sees the entire story.

Throughout scripture, the Lord reiterates that He has good and hope-filled plans for us when we follow and obey Him. Putting God’s commands into practice gives us life in abundance as we live with His peace. We can have confident expectations based on the Lord’s character and promises. Our hope rests not in favorable circumstances but in the living Savior’s faithfulness.

God’s sovereignty rules every season.

While exiled in Babylon, the Lord remains sovereign. During my friend’s bad morning, God still maintained control. Our circumstances never place us outside His care or purposes.

The Lord fulfilled this promise to the Jewish exiles over decades, not days. God’s timetable differs from ours. Faith teaches us to trust Him as we wait. The exiles experienced divine refinement in the seventy years of captivity. Although painful, Babylon became a place where the Lord refined and prepared them for restoration.

When life doesn’t go according to plan, remember God has a better plan for you. He doesn’t reveal every detail of the journey, but He calls us to trust Him one step at a time.

Journal Questions:

• Which of your plans has changed recently?
• How have unexpected changes blessed you before?
• What future hope does God offer?

Stressbuster:

Take a nature break.

Two-minute read.

Recently, we purchased a used Prius from a small dealership. When we walked in to get the keys, the older gentleman in the corner, not seeing us, said, “Pride, huh? That’s one I never heard before.”

As we left, I told Ron, “They’re talking about sin.” Focused on the car, he hadn’t even noticed. When I asked about the topic of their conversation, I learned that it centered on what caused the Roman Empire to fall. In the manager’s opinion, pride caused it. From his studies, he had concluded that at the root of all sin lies pride.

Paul addresses his pride in his second letter to the Corinthians. Because he had received extraordinary revelations from God, he could easily fall prey to pride. But Paul had a thorn in his flesh, though we don’t know for sure what kind. We do know that Paul asked the Lord to remove the thorn three times, and God responded, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

Instead of removing the thorn, the Lord gave Paul something greater: the assurance of sustaining grace. God sometimes answers our prayers not by changing our circumstances, but by strengthening us within them.

When my nephew died, I discovered God’s sustaining grace. As each day passed without him, the Lord showed up in a myriad of ways. Through friends, our church, counseling, my broken heart began to heal. Grief evolves, and we learn to live with it. Life never returns to the old normal; instead, a new normal begins to develop. One in which the Lord strengthened me and helped me persevere. Knowing that Cody lives in heaven with the Savior and that we’ll one day meet again gives me the hope I need. Trusting God with my pain and accepting His grace gives me strength.

The Creator gives us grace sufficient for every season. In suffering, we will discover the Lord’s provision. When we experience disappointment and uncertainty, God will help us persevere. In our weakness, He becomes our strength as we faithfully serve and follow Him. The Lord’s grace never gets depleted.

While the world celebrates self-sufficiency and strength, God’s kingdom works oppositely. Recognizing our limitations allows us to become more dependent on the Lord. Our weakness allows the Savior to display His power. God accomplishes His purpose through people who rely on Him rather than on their own abilities.

Journal Questions:

• Where do you demand perfection?
• How does perfectionism increase your stress?
• What grace can you extend to yourself today?

Stressbuster:

Leave one nonessential task unfinished.

Two-minute read.

Solomon, author of Ecclesiastes, spends the first ten verses of chapter three listing the different seasons in life. And then he creates a bridge between life’s changing seasons and God’s eternal purposes by reminding us that while we experience life one moment at a time, the Lord sees the entire picture. Our Savior can weep with us in the moment while rejoicing in what He knows will come.

Everyone has a God-sized hole in their soul that only Jesus can fill. The Creator designed us with a desire for eternity in our hearts. Around the world, you will see people trying to fill this desire with anything but the Savior: alcohol, drugs, people, shopping, work, the list never ends. But none of those things will bring satisfaction. Only the Lord can fill the hole He created.

God weaves every season, whether joyful or painful, into His greater purpose. A seed buried in the ground doesn’t look like much. A winter landscape can seem barren. Yet in the right season, growth and beauty emerge. The seed first had to die before it could grow. Most of the Lord’s handiwork becomes visible only in hindsight. We can always see His hand at work when we look back.

Our Creator gave us an awareness that He made us for more than temporary things. Material success never completely satisfies us. Achievements doesn’t fill the soul. People continually search for a deeper meaning that only Jesus can fill.

We have a limited perspective, only able to see the current chapter, but God sees the entire story. Where we see today’s struggle, the Lord knows the purpose it will bring. As much as we sense and desire eternity, we cannot fully comprehend all that God does.

Solomon teaches us that God has perfect timing. What seems delayed, broken, or unfinished today will become beautiful in the Lord’s timing. The deepest desires of our hearts point us to a relationship with the Savior and eternity. We must trust, even though we don’t understand. We only see in part; one day, we will see the whole. God never stops working. He unfolds things gradually, and many answers only become clear later.

Journal Questions:

• What situation feels delayed?
• How does waiting affect your stress level?
• What can you trust God with today?

Stressbuster:

Watch a sunrise or sunset.