Honest Reflections

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 11:1-12:18, Acts 28:1-31. Psalm 9:1-12. Proverbs 19:1-3

Daily Verse: “A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.” Prov. 19:3

Blaming God.

Instead of taking responsibility for their actions, fools blame God. Free will means we can do anything we want, a gift the Lord gave us. For instance, we can choose whether to act with love or hate. No one can make us do one or the other.

Every morning, I choose to love Ron. Folding his laundry always forces the issue, as irritation rises because he doesn’t notice I do it, just enjoying the result of clean clothes in his closet. But then I remind myself of everything he does for me, so I keep folding as an act of love and appreciation for my husband.

But say I decided not to fold his clothes and let the dirty laundry pile up. Eventually, Ron would notice, and an argument would erupt, causing a relational rift as hubby reminds me of all he does for us. 

A fool would blame God for the problem. Instead of taking responsibility for my part in the argument, I blame God for not making Ron more understanding or appreciative of me. But I caused the problem because of my choice.

Actions have consequences. Learning to take responsibility for our choices takes work. Blaming God for our foolishness doesn’t end well. The Lord gave us free will; use it wisely.

Lord, forgive us for blaming You for our actions. Help us take responsibility for our decisions and learn from them. Let our efforts honor You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 9:1-10:14, Acts 27:21-44, Psalm 8:1-9, Proverbs 18:23-24

Daily Verse: “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Prov. 18:24

Loyal friendship.

One reliable and trustworthy friend has more value than a billion acquaintances. Just because you know many people doesn’t mean they will go the distance when things get tough. Surface friendships only use people to meet their needs; true friends put others first.

When life takes you into the valley, it weeds out your friends. True friends walk through the bad times with you; surface relationships scatter like seeds in the wind. Don’t waste time worrying about the people who only care about themselves. 

Reliable friends stick closer than a brother. Think of the people you could call at 2:00 a.m. that would answer the phone and help you in your time of need. Invest in those relationships, centering on them God, and building a support system that works both ways. A cord of three strands doesn’t break.

We need friends, ones we can rely upon during the storms of life. You possess a rare treasure if you have one friend who sticks closer than a brother. Become the type of friend you want, and invest in life-giving relationships that support you.

Lord, forgive us for spending too much time in surface relationships. Help us develop deeper relationships with others as we pursue You.  Show us the path we should take that leads to a life lived fully with others on the same journey. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 7:1-8:40, Acts 27:1-20, Psalm 7:1-17, Proverbs 18:22

Daily Verse: “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” Prov. 18:22

Gift from God.

Finding a suitable mate, particularly a wife, brings God’s favor. My sister-in-law told me long before I met my husband, “You’ll make a good wife.”

I didn’t understand why she said that at the time. Proverbs 31:10-31 titled “The Wife of Noble Character,” hung framed beside my bed for years. I read the verses every morning and asked God to mold me into her. 

“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.” Prov. 31:10-11

The following 19 verses describe the characteristics of a wife of noble character. As I go about my days, rising early, working hard, and becoming a Godly wife to Ron, I think of different verses, praying them into our lives.

Read over the description of the wife of a noble character. Delight in God’s word and let it take root in your heart.

Lord, thank You for giving us scripture to guide and direct us. Help us become wives of noble character. Let husbands receive the Lord’s favor because of the wife they chose. Give us the tools to make our marriages honor You in all ways. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 5:18-6:81, Acts 26:1-32, Psalm 6:1-10, Proverbs 18:20-21

Daily Verse: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Prov. 18:21

Consequences of speech.

We pay the price for the words that come from our mouths. Before we speak, we must first think about it. What occupies our minds determines our outlook on life. We either say uplifting and encouraging words or negative, life-sucking ones. God gave us the ability to choose which path we will take.

Visiting friends for the weekend, we played Pickleball. Before we went, my girlfriend told me all her shortcomings with the game. Imagine my surprise when her play didn’t reflect her words; expecting someone who couldn’t hit the ball, she played well.

Afterward, she asked me for feedback from my coach’s perspective.

“Stop telling yourself you’re bad. You tell everyone you’re the weakest player on the court, defeating yourself before you even begin. You never lose; you either win or learn.”

Her words led to her downfall. Changing her attitude and thoughts changes her perspective and leads to life.

Think about your language. Do you use words that give life or lead to death?

Lord, forgive us for using harmful speech that leads to death. Help us recognize our life-stealing thoughts and replace them with uplifting and encouraging words. Let us give life with our speech, helping others do the same. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 4:5-5:17, Acts 25:1-27, Psalm 5:1-12, Proverbs 18:19

Daily Verse: “A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.” Prov. 18:19

Effects of disputes.

Conflicts ruin relationships. People become offended, and a friend becomes an enemy as a result. Often, an unrealistic or unexpressed expectation causes separation.

For instance, I expect people to tell the truth and act with integrity, an expectation I have in relationships. But other people don’t value truth or have the same expectation. Therefore, having a relationship becomes difficult because no trust exists.

God has clear expectations of how we should live and operate. People who disagree with the Lord’s directions and openly defy Him become His enemy. We can’t force people to live up to our expectations, nor can God. Free will allows us to live our lives any way we want.

Not everyone wants to walk the same path. God gave us the ability to choose which way we want to go. Some people will head in the opposite direction of what we would like, and we have no choice but to let them go.

Lord, help us accept and love people, even when at odds. Give us soft hearts; let us not take offense when people don’t meet our expectations, but instead, learn to love those we disagree with in our lives. Help us honor You well today and always. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 2:18-4:4, Acts 24:1-27, Psalm 4:1-8,, Proverbs 18:16-18

Daily Verse: “The one who states his case first seems right until the other comes and examines him.” Prov. 18:17

Different perspectives.

When you listen to someone give their side in a dispute, it seems logical and correct. However, every story has three perspectives: theirs, ours, and the truth. If you don’t know both sides of the story, you can’t find the truth, which lies somewhere in the middle.

Because we live in a world of narratives, the truth has become more challenging to find. Not only do people tell false tells, but they believe them. God knows we lie to ourselves more than we do anyone else.

For instance, my husband’s working to resolve one of my hospital bills. Insurance said they paid it; the hospital says they haven’t. When Ron called our insurance company, they initiated a conference call with the hospital to resolve the issue by hearing both sides of the story and, in the process, discovering the truth.

Resolving disputes requires cross-examination, listening to both sides of the story, and focusing on the truth. Healthy communication allows us to resolve issues quickly by understanding each other’s perspectives and finding the truth.

Lord, thank You for helping us resolve conflicts with good communication. Lead us in the way of truth as we strive to listen to all sides of the story and not jump to conclusions without sufficient information. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 1 Chronicles 1:1-2:17, Acts 23:11-35, Psalm 3:1-8, Proverbs 18:14-15

Daily Verse: “A man’s spirit will endure sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?” Prov. 18:14

Healthy spirit.

Depression sucks the life out of a person, and they may not realize their suffering from it.  After my hospital stay in the spring of 2023, I suffered from depression; my husband pointed it out to me.

Having an unexpected, life-threatening issue and surgery traumatized me.  I went from teaching a tennis lesson to lying in a hospital bed for four days.  Once the doctor removed the blood clot and I recovered, I felt fine.  But my mind couldn’t keep up with my body’s trauma, and I sunk into a depression as I struggled with mortality and the fragility of life.

My spirit needed time to process the events, and when Ron pointed out my depression, through therapy and medication, I worked through it. 

The National Institute of Health estimates that 21 million adults struggle with depression.  Get help; you can overcome depression with proper care.  God wants us to live life to the fullest, giving us the tools to do so.

Revitalize your spirit through God’s word.  Seek professional help if necessary.  Develop a healthy spirit by seeking help if needed.

Lord, I pray for those struggling with depression today.  Help them find assistance for their crushed spirits.  Lead them on the path of healing as they follow You.  IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 23:31-25:30, Acts 22:17-23:10, Psalm 2:1-12, Proverbs 18:13

Daily Verse: “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” Prov. 18:13

Poor listening.

Marriage helped me become a better listener. Ron has taught me that I don’t know people’s thoughts, and to learn them, I must listen. For so many years, I didn’t listen well, thinking I knew what the person would say, cutting them off and interjecting my thoughts, total self-absorption.

“Poor listening reveals that the person has a low regard for what the other is saying or is too absorbed in self-importance.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary

Mike and Lynda Cooke taught me listening skills, marriage mentors to us. Using a napkin, whoever holds it gets to talk, and the other person must listen to every word without interrupting. 

Listening well takes work. Repeat back to the person what they just said to make sure you understand them before responding. Practice listening and not assuming you know. People will surprise you with their words, and you will become a better listener.

Respect people by listening to them and understanding their point of view before trying to convey yours.

Lord, forgive us for not listening to others well and assuming we know their thoughts. Help us become better listeners as we practice listening and develop the skill. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 22:3-23:30, Acts 21:37-22:16, Psalm 1:1-6, Proverbs 18:11-12

Daily Verse: “Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.” Prov. 18:12

Reward of humility.

As a prideful person, humility takes work for me. My latest struggle with pride came over an issue with my crafting business. My inventory requires me to move up to a larger space and pay more rent. However, the communication in telling me this information didn’t go well. My anger began to rise; my old nature started to rear its angry head, and my pride flared into action.

But then I realized that getting angry and acting childish did no good. Thinking of a friend’s daughter who went through a similar situation and her humility inspired me to rethink my actions. I want to build good relationships and represent Christ well, not give the devil a foothold.

So, I humbled myself and sent an apologetic email, looking at it from their perspective and thanking them for doing their best to help me. Instead of creating tension, humility paved the way for peace. I didn’t get what I wanted, but I trust God to pave the way for something even better.

Pride destroys, humility builds.

Lord, forgive us when we let pride lead the way. Please keep us humble, treating others as Jesus would, with grace and mercy. Let us become more like Christ as we pursue Him daily. IJNIP. Amen

One minute read.

Daily Reading: 2 Kings 20:1-22:2, Acts 21:18-36, Psalm 150:1-6, Proverbs 18:9-10

Daily Verse: “Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.” Prov. 19:9

Destructive laziness.

People who intentionally cause destruction and lazy people get classified together in today’s verse.  Slack workers don’t do the best job and may make things that fall apart, causing destruction.  Lazy people destroy indirectly but still cause destruction.

When we first moved into our home, it had a beautiful floor made of wood and laminate.  Unfortunately, whoever installed the floor didn’t do a good job; they installed the black padding underneath upside down.  As a result, black marks appeared on the floor any time water spilled on the floor, like from our dishwasher.  Water from our shoes and around the doors caused the floor to blacken.  Eventually, we had to replace the entire floor because someone didn’t do the job correctly.

Laziness destroys.  God tells us to work as if unto Him.  Whatever task lies before us, we should do it to the best of our ability, honoring the Lord with our efforts.

Don’t link yourself with people who destroy.  Work hard and do your best.  God will bless your efforts.

Lord, forgive our laziness.  Help us do whatever task You assign us to the best of our ability.  Let our work honor You as we try to serve You well.  IJNIP. Amen