You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.—Psalm 73:24 (NIV)
Know that God is thinking and working along with you. Put every problem in His hands; ask Him to give you the right answer. Believe that He is doing just that, and take the guidance as it comes.
Father, help me find solutions to my problems. Guide me to apply Your wisdom to my life.
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.—1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)
The Bible makes it clear that a humble heart is essential to spiritual growth. How do you aim for humility? When you submit to God, He will raise you up. By humbly depending on His strength, and following His instructions, your life will be wonderful.
Merciful Father, rescue me from foolish pride. Help me be a faithful steward for You.
For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.—ROMANS 14:7 NKJV
Some days we wonder why we got ourselves into this caregiving situation. Friends or family may treat us as if we’re foolish to give up so much of our lives for such a demanding, unpaid job. Be it ever so subtly, they’ll remind us that our careers are really important. Or they’ll imply that our immediate family suffers from our current commitment.
As an intense caring mode consumes our lives, we learn the realities of living to serve another. It’s hard to think of the future when the immediate present takes so much of our strength. We may even wonder if we have a future.
Friends and family may mean well, but now is not the time to be distracted from the critical needs at hand. We shouldn’t stop loving those who don’t understand what we do. But we should use our lives to show the doubters how important each of God’s children is—even those in less-than-perfect health.
As we live to serve the Lord and a failing human being, God blesses us. The needs of the future will wait. But don’t worry—the Lord will deal with them at their proper time.
Thank You, Lord, for supporting me, even when others don’t understand my mission.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.—Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Lent is the perfect time to listen to the voice deep in your heart and to be guided by God’s wisdom. Steer away from things that you know aren’t good for you and make habits and choices that lead you toward living your best life.
God of All Grace, You are my guide. Help me live a life that frees me from discomfort in my heart. Help me make choices that please You.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”—ZEPHANIAH 3:17 ESV
What is causing you unrest today? Inadequacy? Lack of strength? Poor finances?
God wants you to know that He is with you. He sees your circumstances, your concerns, your worries. And He wants you to know that He’s the mighty one who will save you. He is rejoicing over you with gladness, exulting over you with loud singing. Why?
Because He loves you. And He wants to wrap you in His love that’s like a thick comforter on a cold winter evening. He wants us to rest in His love. For only His love can calm the fear that hinders you from doing what He’s tasked you to do.
God’s love sent His Son to die for you, that you might receive everything you need pertaining to life and godliness.
His love enables you to keep on going even when you’re ready to give up. His love allows you to rest, to gain strength, to be still in the midst of the storm that is raging all around you. The waters will not rise enough to drown you, nor will the raging fire consume you.
Father, I thank You for the gift of Your love. It calms me, it soothes me, it gives me peace in the middle of the storm. Please fill me with Your love and peace today.
Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath.—Exodus 16:29 (NIV)
Some describe the Sundays in Lent as “Little Easters,” a day of feasting rather than fasting, a time of joyful expectation of the resurrection. Today, on this first Little Easter, rest, reflect and rejoice in celebration of Christ’s resurrection.
Heavenly Father, I come to You today, in awe of all You have done for me. I love You, Lord Jesus.
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.—GALATIANS 1:10 NIV
Sometimes we work ourselves to the bone because we have no choice. Other times, we do it to win the approval of others.
Today, let’s be honest with ourselves. Are we run-down? Worn out? If that’s the result of situations we can’t control, let’s ask the Lord to give us the strength we need to keep going. But if we’re exhausted because we’re afraid of letting someone down or hurting his or her feelings, it might be time to reassess. If we’re up to our eyebrows in work, overlooking other options for the people under our care, then we might be caught up in the “man-pleaser” game.
Here’s how the game works: We do our best to make others happy—at any expense. Our health, our finances, our time. We sacrifice in unbalanced ways because we’re concerned about what people will think of us.
Today, let’s aim to be God-pleasers. Let’s do the things He calls us to—nothing more and nothing less.
Lord, You see my heart. You know what struggles I have in accomplishing these tasks. Redirect my thoughts, Father, to pleasing You rather than men.
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”—Joel 2:12 (NIV)
Fasting is an ancient practice that can draw you closer to God. You may fast from a pleasure or a habit. Whatever you fast from can do wonderful and unexpected things in your life and in your relationship with God.
Dear Lord, strengthen my faith and fix my eyes on You, so that I may resist temptation.
“Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.—2 Kings 20:3 (NIV)
King Hezekiah was an honest and good ruler. When he became ill, he prayed the above words and God gave him fifteen more years of life. If you are in desperate need of God’s help, model your prayer after King Hezekiah.
Heavenly Father, I have walked before you faithfully. See my tears and hear my prayers.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.—1 John 4:18 (NIV)
One of God’s greatest promises is that no matter what happens, nothing can separate you from His love and protection. When you build up your spirit with this truth, your faith becomes unshakable and you become able to handle any problem with grace and strength.
Mighty God, I can relax because I know that You are in control. You are working for my good.
Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.—Joshua 21:45 (NIV)
God keeps his promises. Throughout the Old Testament, whenever His people fell into trouble, God restored them and delivered on His promises. He will do the same for you.
Wonderful Counselor, I trust You and Your promises because I am on this journey with You and I know that You are faithful.
…So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.—Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV)
Rick Warren said, “God’s love is like an ocean. You can see its beginning, but not its end.” His love for you is unconditional and eternal. He loves you on good days and bad ones. He loves you no matter what. His love never fails.
Heavenly Father, fill my heart and bless my soul with Your precious gift of love.
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly…—1 CORINTHIANS 9:26 (NIV)
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.—PROVERBS 12:25 (NIV
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God— this is your true and proper worship.—Romans 12:1 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.—Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.—James 4:14 (NIV)
Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb.—Job 38:8 (ESV)
Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables.—2 Chronicles 32:27 (NIV)
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will
eat; or about your body, what you will wear.”—Luke 12:22 (NIV)
So may all your enemies perish, Lord! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.—Judges 5:31 (NIV)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.—Ephesians 2:8–9 (NIV)
Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat.—Revelation 7:16 (NIV)
But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.—Psalm 94:22 (NIV)
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God…—1 Peter 2:16–17 (NIV)
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!—1 John 3:1 (NIV)
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.—John 15:13 (NIV)
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”—Luke 1:46–47 (NIV)
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.—1 Samuel 18:1 (ESV)
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”—Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.—John 15:12 (ESV)
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.—2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)
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