[Sermon Series: "That's What I Thought" - Part 5]
When God Comes To Heal What Hurts
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Psalm 147:3 (NIV)
It was such a small moment - insignificant to most. A little girl was spinning and dancing while her dad smiled and clapped. But as I watched her, a sob caught in my throat.
She was unapologetically herself and so free in her father’s delight. And something about it broke me.
In that moment, I realized I had once been that little girl. But somewhere along the way, I replaced freedom with striving and took on shame in the areas that once brought me joy.
I was surprised by the sadness that hit me, but I knew deep down this wasn’t just a tearful moment. It was an invitation to heal something that had long been hurting.
Maybe you’ve been carrying your own quiet grief.
You’ve learned to ignore it - all those times you believed something was wrong with you when you were left out. Or the pain of carrying a shattered heart that has left you broken. Or perhaps you’re weary of trying to be so faithful yet still feeling so invisible.
Then comes a moment - or a whole season - when you can no longer ignore what you’ve been tolerating. The pain surfaces in a new way. And suddenly, you sense God inviting you to look at it. But how do you even begin?
Oh, friend. You’re not alone. What I’m learning is that when the Lord asks us to step into a season of healing, it’s never to shame us but to restore us.
Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” It’s His job to heal. Ours is simply to come. God is committed to restoring every part of us, even the quiet, hurting places in our souls. He is asking us to trust Him with our broken hearts and our wounds.
Healing isn’t always a one-time prayer or a single moment. It’s a continual walk with God, a process of bringing Him what hurts, letting Him replace lies with truth, and surrendering to His timeline, not ours.
Watching that little girl delight in who she was, fully at home in her father’s love, opened a window to the healing God was inviting me to experience. It moved me deeply because in that moment, I remembered that’s still how He sees me. And I realized just how much I missed that version of myself.
Friend, you and I are like that little girl. And our heavenly Father wants us to live in that same freedom.
God is not asking for us to give a better performance but for us to come into His presence. He invites us to walk bravely with Him and let Him do the healing, one step at a time.
Lord, I bring You the pain I’ve learned to tolerate, and I ask You to heal me. I have been hurting for a long time, but I know Your heart for me is always good. Help me take the next step toward You. You are my good Father, and I will keep running into Your safe arms. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Ashley Morgan Jackson
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"
Jesus Wants You To Know...
"Expect troubles - they are just part of living in this world. Stop trying to figure out a way to avoid every problem. An easy life is not the answer. An easy life tricks you into forgetting that you need Me. But everyone needs Me. When you come to Me for help - when you depend on Me - I give you the power to live above your problems. But don’t just expect troubles; expect the impossible too. There will be times when you have no idea what to do, when you can’t possibly handle the situation you’re facing. Don’t try to run away from this situation. It’s actually the best place to find Me in all My Power and Glory." - "Jesus Calling for Kids" by Sarah Young
Daily Bread
Give us this day our daily bread.
Matthew 6:11
When we pray "Give us this day our daily bread." we are acknowledging that God is our sustainer and provider. It is a misconception to think that we provide for our needs ourselves. We must trust God daily to provide what he knows we need.
As the Israelites wandered in the desert, they had no way to get food. Miraculously, God provided manna that appeared on the ground each morning. God's provision was sufficient for one day at a time. Each day the children of Israel received fresh manna as a tangible reminder of God's love for them. If they attempted to store it for the days to come, they found that it had spoiled by the next day. It was impossible to stockpile God's provision because God wanted them to trust in Him, not in their pantry. God's grace was sufficient for each day.
God wants us to trust Him daily with our needs. This trust does not make us poor planners or careless with our futures, unprepared to face what may come. Rather, it keeps our relationship with the Lord in its proper perspective as He reminds us daily of our dependence upon Him. God is aware of what tomorrow will bring and how we should prepare for it. He knows the problems we will face, and He has already made provision for us to overcome them. He asks us to trust in Him daily. Our faith in Him today cannot substitute for our trust in Him tomorrow. If we walk with Him closely today, we will be in the center of His will tomorrow.
- Excerpt from “Experiencing God Day-By-Day” by Henry and Richard Blackaby
Quote: Charles Spurgeon
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."
John 10:11
John 10:11
When we truly grasp this, it should transform the way we see ourselves and the world around us. The same soul that Satan relentlessly chases is the soul that Christ bled for, prayed for, and continues to guard. You are more precious than you often realize. Every struggle, every temptation, every moment of doubt becomes a reminder of the battle for your heart, but also a reminder of God’s unwavering love and sacrifice. Let this truth sink in: the King of heaven chose you. He fought for you. And He continues to fight for your soul every single day. Nothing can separate you from His love. Your life, your choices, your faith, they matter infinitely, because you belong to Him.
- Ellie Mont
God Is With You Always - Even In Your Mess
Next time doubt weighs heavy on your heart, when you feel like you don’t belong, when you feel like you’re drowning in your own skin, ask yourself, Is this from God? Because if it’s making you question your worth, if it’s feeding your fear, it’s not His voice.
God doesn’t whisper insecurity. He doesn’t drown you in the lies of “not enough.” That voice telling you you’re too weak, too broken, too flawed, that’s the enemy trying to keep you small. He wants to keep you questioning, keep you stuck in the endless loop of doubt. If he can make you question your worth, he can keep you from stepping into what God has for you.But listen. God called you. Not because you’ve got it all together. Not because you have it all figured out. But because He’s been with you in your mess, and He knows you can handle what’s coming next. He sees it all. Even when you can’t see past your own fear, He sees you. He chose you, with all your brokenness, for something far bigger than your anxiety or your shame.
So when doubt tries to bury you, don’t sit with it. Fight back. Tell it, You don’t own me anymore. Stand in the truth: You are chosen. You are loved. You are equipped. You are enough. Not because you’ve earned it. Not because you can do it on your own. But because He called you. And when He calls, He equips.
You weren’t made to live in the shadows of fear. You were made to walk in the light, boldly, even when your knees are shaking, even when the weight of the world is crushing you. There comes a point where the life you’ve built suffocates you. You can feel it in the ache in your chest, in the late nights where silence screams. You know this isn’t it, but the fear of letting go feels suffocating too.
Sometimes you have to let go to finally breathe. You’re not meant to stay stuck in that small, safe place you’ve built out of fear. God’s calling you to step outside, into the unknown, into the wild life He has for you. It won’t be easy. It won’t be neat. But it will be real. It will be everything you were meant for. - Ellie Mont
Jesus Wants You To Know...
"It’s okay to be tired. It’s okay to be weak. I understand how difficult things have been. I don’t want to judge you. I just want to wrap you up in My everlasting arms and let you rest. Forget about the world, forget the things you need to do, forget the pressures - just come to Me and rest."
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
- Isaiah 42:3 (NIV)
- "Jesus Calling for Kids" by Sarah Young
How Your Thought Life Affects Your Peace
If we’re being honest with ourselves, most of us aren’t who or what we think we are. Our thinking is marred at best, off-track, and in most cases, needs to be changed.
How do I know this to be true? Aside from my experience pastoring so many through the years, God’s Word calls us to a “renewal” of our minds. That means trading in our old perceptions, opinions, ideas, beliefs, and self-centered attitudes for a new set of perceptions, opinions, ideas, beliefs, and attitudes that God develops in us. These godly responses are nurtured by regular reading of Scripture and meditating on what’s been read in the Bible. Christ’s followers are urged to avoid being “conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).
Out of a renewal of our thinking comes a change in our speech patterns and our behaviors. As our speech and behavior become renewed, our relationships with others become renewed. And as our relationships become renewed, our immediate world is renewed as well. It all begins in the mind with what we choose to think and what we choose to dwell upon.
You have the ability to determine what you’ll think. At any time, you can refocus your mind to a new topic, task, or problem to solve instead of negative thinking that will steal your peace and/or cause you to venture into rebellion or sin. You have the ability to say, “I choose to trust God,” in any situation you face or thought you have.
Furthermore, any child of God who takes a willful stand against thought patterns that clearly are harmful is going to be provided a way of escape from that circumstance. God will help you focus your mind on something other than your problem or bad thought pattern if you will make the initial step in His direction.
When you guard your mind, you guard your peace. When you offer prayers to God with faith and thanksgiving - no matter what trials you face - He assures you inner peace (Philippians 4:6-7). And when you focus your thinking on what’s true, noble, virtuous, lovely, pure, and praiseworthy, you rely upon God with increasing faith and trust.
You can never fully exhaust your ability to think about the goodness and greatness of God. Choose to respond to life the way Jesus responded. Guard your prayer life. Guard your thought life. Seek the Father and all that’s godly. His Word promises that when you fill your mind with what is virtuous and praiseworthy, “the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:9).
- Dr. Charles F. Stanley
(Excerpt from reading plan “Finding Peace" [Day 13])
Finding Contentment Through Christ's Strength
“I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13 (CSB)
Help!
This word may be simple, but my prayer sure wasn’t. It was one of the most gut-wrenching prayers I had ever prayed … and the most powerful.
It came after months of watching an already heartbreaking situation spin devastatingly out of control. I had cried out in prayer many times, offering up my solutions to God. But I was all out of words, with nothing left but a cry for help.
Have you ever come to the end of yourself like that?
I’m reminded of Philippians 4:13: “I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Sometimes we may be tempted to read this verse out of context, but God's Word isn't cheerleading us to do whatever we want. While it’s true that anything good we accomplish is by God's power (John 15:5), if we zoom out a bit in the book of Philippians, we see Paul’s words weren't really about achieving our dreams.
Instead, Paul wrote his letter to the church in Philippi to encourage believers to find joy in Christ, persevere in faith no matter what, and “be content” in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11-12, CSB). The good and the bad. Moments of triumph and moments of desperation and emptiness.
When he wrote this around A.D. 60-64, Paul was imprisoned in Rome for preaching the gospel. When he said, “I am able to do all things,” he mostly meant things no one wants to do, like endure suffering and wait for God to intervene. Yet Paul revealed the secret to his contentment: It came by Christ’s strength alone.
Paul was not speaking about mere feelings of happiness, which he wasn't feeling in prison. Instead, true contentment means deeply trusting in God’s sovereignty and receiving His peace even when life feels overwhelming.
In my situation, I had been fighting God for control. I knew my desired outcome. Though I knew I should pray for His will to be done … what if His will went against everything I desperately wanted to happen?
But my strength was gone, so I had only two choices: 1) give up and sink into despair or 2) trust the God of the universe to do what He knew was best.
I chose the latter. And while the situation didn’t change, I sure did. Peace flooded my heart as I went from wrestling God to resting in His sovereign power and grace.
Contentment amid heartbreak is possible when we choose to rely on His strength rather than our own. Is there something you need to let go of to experience that for yourself? Will you trust Him enough to do so? Even if all you have to offer is a cry for help, that's all you really need.
Father, trusting You can be hard, but wrestling You is even harder. Give us the strength to lay down our resistance so we can experience true strength and contentment that comes only from You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Stacy J. Lowe
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"
Jesus Wants You To Know...
"I am training you to be an overcomer - to find Joy in the midst of circumstances that previously would have defeated you. Your ability to transcend trouble is based on this rock-solid fact: I have overcome the world; I have already won the ultimate victory! Nonetheless, as I taught, you will have trouble in this world. So expect to encounter many difficulties as you journey through life. You inhabit a planet that is always at war, and the enemy of your soul never rests. But don’t be afraid, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. This is good reason to rejoice!" - "Jesus Always" by Sarah Young
Giving Up Anxiety
Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns;
what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns;
yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Matthew 6:25-26
There’s nothing about a circumstance that automatically creates anxiety. Anxiety occurs because of the way we respond to a problem or troubling situation. Your ability to choose is part of God’s gift of free will to every human being. You can choose how you feel. You can choose what you think about, and you can choose how you will respond to a circumstance. It certainly isn’t God’s purpose for you to feel anxious - He doesn’t allow situations in your life so you’ll have anxiety. The Father may allow a situation in your life to develop stronger faith, grow and mature, or change a bad habit or negative attitude. But God doesn’t set you up for anxiety. He’s always at work to bring you to a place where you’ll trust Him more, obey Him more fully, and receive more of His blessings.
- Dr. Charles F. Stanley
Jesus Wants You To Know...
"Yet even though you are My child, and you know you’re supposed to give thanks in all circumstances, sometimes your words ring hollow: You can say them without feeling the least bit thankful. It’s especially hard for you to be grateful in the midst of a bad day, when everything seems to be going wrong. . . When you struggle to be grateful, stop and remember who I Am: the Author of your life and your faith."
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)
- "Jesus Lives" by Sarah Young
The Miscalculation of Joy
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
James 1:2-3 (ESV)
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
James 1:2-3 (ESV)
I thought I had it figured out: Walk closely with God, make wise decisions, pray fervently, and then joy will naturally follow.
But instead, I found long waits, unanswered prayers, and moments that didn’t feel joyful at all.
It didn’t add up.
Maybe you’ve been there too. Times of doing all the “right” things - being faithful, serving, consistently praying - but joy still feels distant. You start wondering: Where did I go wrong? Shouldn’t things be different?
That’s when God gently interrupted my thinking with a truth I’d overlooked.
I had been measuring joy by how comfortable life felt. I didn't think of it as something that could exist in the middle of the struggle. But then James 1:2-3 came alive to me: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
“Count it all joy … when you meet trials.” Not just when things make sense. Not just after prayers are answered with a breakthrough. In all of it. Even the hard stuff.
James wasn’t saying trials are fun - he was saying they’re meaningful. They’re not wasted. God uses them to strengthen and refine us. He gives us more than fleeting joy - it’s the kind that lasts.
At first, I wrestled with this. I wanted joy to come after the hard part. But then I remembered what Nehemiah 8:10 says: “The joy of the LORD is your strength” (ESV). True joy doesn’t depend on how life looks - it’s rooted in knowing God is with us, even in uncertainty.
Galatians 5:22 reminds us that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. That means God grows it in us. We don’t have to fake it or force it. And often, that growth happens in quiet, unseen, less-than-joyful places. When we love those who are hard to love. When we trust God without knowing the outcome. When we choose to keep going with heavy hearts. When we do these things, heaven notices.
If joy feels out of reach, it doesn’t mean your faith is broken. It might just mean God is growing some deep and lasting fruit in your heart. Abide in Him. Trials aren’t proof He’s abandoned you; they’re part of how He cultivates your endurance.
A farmer plants, waters, and waits. He doesn’t see results right away, but he trusts the process. I’m not a farmer, but I know what it’s like to stare at the ground of my circumstances and wonder if good can grow from this.
Yet even in the wondering, the joy God gives is steady, rooted in His presence and not in perfect circumstances. Let's keep pressing forward. God is working in our struggle.
Joy isn’t a finish line - it’s fruit that grows as we walk with Jesus.
God, when I miscalculate joy by measuring it through ease and comfort, remind me that true joy is found in Your presence, even during trials. Help me see the fruit of deep joy that You’re growing within my heart. Strengthen my trust in Your process. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
- Jackie Smith-Bell
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"
Patience
Satan knows something we often forget. God is a builder, not a sprinter. From the beginning of time, God has chosen to work with intention, care, and process. He does not rush transformation. He molds hearts slowly. He weaves stories through seasons. Because of that, Satan’s most effective weapon is not always temptation in its most obvious form. It is impatience.
He whispers into waiting hearts. You have waited long enough. Maybe God has forgotten. Maybe you missed it. Maybe you should just move on. If we are not anchored, we listen. We trade the beauty of being built by God for the burden of building ourselves. We move ahead of Him. We rush. We panic. We settle. In doing so, we miss the masterpiece He was creating in the waiting.
Impatience is not just about time. It is about trust. When we grow restless in God’s process, it reveals that we do not believe His timing is perfect. It shows that we would rather have immediate relief than eternal strength. But growth, real growth, takes time. Trees do not grow overnight. Foundations are not laid in a moment. Neither are we.
God is not interested in quick fixes. He is after lasting transformation. He builds with eternity in mind. While Satan screams, hurry, God says, be still. While Satan tries to stir up fear through delay, God uses delay to develop depth. While the enemy waves the flag of urgency, God is quietly laying bricks of strength, wisdom, endurance, and character in our lives.
That is where the battle lies. Not in whether God is working. He always is. But in whether we will wait long enough to let Him finish. Will we let Him chisel us into the image of Christ? Will we trust Him when the promise has not come? When the doors stay shut? When we feel unseen? Or will we grab the pen back from His hand and write our own endings?
Abraham rushed the promise and birthed Ishmael. Saul rushed the sacrifice and lost the kingdom. But Jesus waited thirty years before His public ministry began. He trusted the timing of the Father. He knew that being built was more important than being seen. He knew that God’s timeline is not a punishment. It is protection.
What Satan fears most is a generation who understands that God builds in His time. A generation who waits with faith instead of rushing in fear. A generation who knows that every season of waiting is a season of building. He fears those who rest in the process instead of fighting it.
So when impatience attacks your heart, recognize the lie. The lie that God is slow. The lie that God is indifferent. The lie that God is done with you. Whisper back the truth. God does not rush. He builds. He builds you to be strong enough to carry the blessings. He builds you to be ready for the battles. He builds you to be a reflection of His glory.
Trust the Builder. Trust His timing. Trust His plan. You are not too far gone. You are not forgotten. You are being built.
And the finished work will be worth the wait.
- Ellie Mont
Choose Not To Lose
You need to choose not to lose.
Life will try to break you. People will fail you. Plans will fall apart. But you still have a choice. You can choose not to let the pain define you. You can choose not to let the past control you. You can choose to stand even when everything in you wants to collapse.
You need to choose not to lose. Because with God, you can’t.
You were never meant to fight this battle alone. He is with you in the silence. He is near in the heartbreak. He is working even when you cannot see it. Victory does not always look like winning in the eyes of the world. Sometimes victory is getting up again. Sometimes victory is praising through tears. Sometimes victory is simply not giving up.
Do not let the enemy tell you this is the end. It is not. This is a chapter. This is part of the refining. This is part of the testimony.
God is not finished. He is still writing. He is still building. He is still healing.
So breathe. Stand. Pray. Choose to believe that the pain has a purpose. Choose to trust that God’s promises are still true. Choose to remember who you are and who walks with you.
You need to choose not to lose. Because no matter what it looks like right now, the victory has already been won.
And it belongs to you.
- Ellie Mont
Jesus Wants You To Know...
"As you journey along your life-path with Me, refuse to let the past define you or your expectations of what lies ahead. You may feel as if the road you are on is tiresome or even a dead end. That is because you’re projecting the past into the future. The roadblock you are straining to see up ahead is really just an illusion. The future is in My hands, and I can do surprising things with it!"
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. - Ephesians 3:14-21 (NKJV)- "Jesus Lives" by Sarah Young
Blinded By The God Of This Age
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe,
lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine on them.
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe,
lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine on them.
- 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NKJV)
The Good News is revealed to everyone, except to those who refuse to believe. Satan is "the god of this evil world." His work is to deceive, and he has blinded those who don't believe in Christ (2 Corinthians
When you are blinded, you cannot see things as they really are, even though others around you see them clearly. You cannot experience the full reality of all that is around you. You may feel you are experiencing all that there is to life, yet you may be unaware that you are missing what God desires for you. You may even be in danger because of your blindness and not know it.
Paul warned that the “god of this age” can blind you to the reality of Jesus Christ. Christ's presence can make a significant difference in your life. However, if Satan convinces you to doubt that Christ can do what He promised, he will have blinded you to the reality of what your life is really like and to what it could become. Others may see what your unbelief causes you to miss, but you will be unaware of it. Your life may be steadily moving toward disaster, but you will be oblivious to it.
Christ comes to you as light (John 1:4-5,9 ). He illuminates your sin so that you see its ugliness and destructiveness. He reveals Himself so that you can appreciate the glory of His person and the marvelous riches He brings. His presence lights your path so that you can see impending danger. Don't let the god of this age distort your spiritual vision. Don't be fooled into thinking that everything is as it should be when, in fact, you are missing out on so much that God wants to do in your life. Ask Christ to illuminate your life and let you clearly see your spiritual condition.
- Excerpt from “Experiencing God Day-By-Day” by Henry and Richard Blackaby
Hebrews 4:12-13
The Word of God is not simply a collection of words from God, a vehicle for communicating ideas; it is living, life-changing, and dynamic as it works in us. With the incisiveness of a surgeon's knife, God's Word reveals who we are and what we are not. It penetrates the core of our moral and spiritual life. It discerns what is within us, both good and evil. The demands of God's Word require decisions. We must not only listen to the Word; we must also let it shape our life.
The lesson he had just taught from the Old Testament Scriptures was not a mere historical tale. Instead, as had already been made clear by much he had said, it was powerfully relevant to his audience. For the Word of God is living (zōn ) and active (energēs ). Not only that, its penetrating power is greater than any double-edged sword and reaches the innermost being of a person so that it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. In doing this, it is able to discriminate successfully between what is spiritual in man and what is merely “soulish” or natural (it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit), and does so even when these often-contradictory inner elements are interwoven as closely as joints and marrow. The inner life of a Christian is often a strange mixture of motivations both genuinely spiritual and completely human. It takes a supernaturally discerning agent such as the Word of God to sort these out and to expose what is of the flesh. The readers might think that they were contemplating certain steps out of purely spiritual motivations when, as God's Word could show them, they were acting unfaithfully as did Israel of old.
Resources:
"Life Application Study Bible" by Tyndale House Publishers
"The Bible Knowledge Commentary" by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck
"The Bible Knowledge Commentary" by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck
God Is Not Finished Writing
God rewrites our broken chapters with hands that know how to mend hearts. The parts of our stories that feel too heavy to revisit. The moments we thought would be our undoing. He enters into those places not with judgment, but with mercy. Not with condemnation, but with comfort. God does not shy away from our mess. He steps into it with love and begins the work of making all things new.
Some chapters are too painful for us to even speak of. The betrayal. The silence. The prayers that felt unanswered. The hope that slowly faded. But even in that silence, God was writing. Even when you could not see it, His pen never stopped moving. Isaiah 43:19 says, “See, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” The wilderness is not the end. The wasteland is not the last word. God makes a way even there.
When we look back at what we have walked through, it can feel like a different life. A version of ourselves we no longer recognize. But that version of us matters deeply to God. He remembers every cry. Every unanswered text. Every night we laid awake wondering if we were alone. Psalm 56:8 tells us, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” None of it is forgotten.
We serve a God who does not discard our pain. He redeems it. The very places where we feel the most fragile are often the places He chooses to reveal His strength. Second Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness.” Your weakness is not a disqualification. It is an invitation for His power to be made visible.
There are moments when we feel like the story is over. When doors close. When people leave. When dreams die. But endings in God’s hands are often just disguised beginnings. He has a way of turning graves into gardens. John 11 shows us this when Jesus raises Lazarus. What looked like the end was only the setup for resurrection. What looks final to us is never final to Him.
You may not see the full picture yet. You may still be in the middle of the sentence. But God is not finished writing. He is not just the God of beginnings. He is the God of redemption. He takes what we thought was beyond repair and brings new life. He takes the chapters we tried to skip and uses them to minister to others.
Romans 8:28 promises us this: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” All things. Not just the pretty parts. Not just the victories. But the losses. The confusion. The heartbreak. All of it can be worked into something good.
This does not mean everything will feel good. It does not mean we will always understand. But it does mean we are never abandoned. God is not afraid of our brokenness. He came for it. Jesus came for the sick. For the sinners. For the ones who knew they could not fix themselves. That is the beauty of grace. It meets us where we are, but it never leaves us there.
When we surrender our stories to God, He begins to do what only He can. He rewrites not by ignoring the pain, but by healing it. He doesn’t erase the past. He transforms it. He turns scars into signs of survival. Wounds into places where His love shines through. What the enemy meant for harm, God uses for good.
Genesis 50:20 says, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Your story is not just about you. It is a vessel for others to see the power of God at work. There is purpose in your pain. There is hope rising from your hurt.
Let Him have the pen. Let Him write the next chapter. Even if you do not know how the story will unfold. Even if all you have right now is the next small step. Trust the Author. Trust the One who knows the end from the beginning. Isaiah 46:10 says, “I make known the end from the beginning. From ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’”
You are not too far gone. Your story is not too messy. Your heart is not too shattered. He is not overwhelmed by what you carry. He is not disappointed by your doubts. He is not distant from your grief. He is Emmanuel. God with us. Right here. Right now.
So breathe. Let go of the lie that says it is too late. Let go of the shame that says you should be further along by now. Rest in the truth that God is patient. He is not rushing your healing. He is walking with you in it. Every tear. Every prayer. Every step.
Your story may look different than you imagined. The road may be harder. But the beauty that comes from surrender is unmatched. When He rewrites, He restores. When He restores, He renews. And when He renews, you will stand not just as someone who survived, but as someone who reflects His glory.
Let Him finish what He started. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” He is not done. The pen is still moving.
- Ellie Mont
He Is At Your Right Hand
I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
- Psalm 16:8 (NKJV)
What does it mean to set the Lord always before you? It means that you choose to relate everything you encounter to your trust in God. What you choose to focus on becomes the dominant influence in your life. You may be a Christian, but if your focus is always on your problems, your problems will determine the direction of your life. If your focus is on people, then people will determine what you think and do. In biblical times, the right hand was the most distinguished position, reserved for one's chief adviser and supporter. When you choose to focus on Christ, you invite Him to take the most important position in your life as Counselor and Defender.
Every time you face a new experience, you should turn to Christ for His interpretation and strength. When people insult you and mistreat you, you should seek direction from your Counselor regarding the right response. When you face a crisis, you should receive strength from the One at your right hand. When you experience need, you should consult your Counselor before you react. When you face a fearful situation, you should take courage from the Advocate at your right hand. Everything you do is in the context of your relationship to Christ.
What an incredible act of God's grace that Christ should stand beside you to guide you and counsel you and defend you! How could you ever become dismayed over your situation with Christ at your right hand? What confidence this should give you!
- Excerpt from “Experiencing God Day-By-Day” by Henry and Richard Blackaby
Jesus Wants You To Know...
"At times you feel so weak and tired that you just don’t know if you have the energy to keep going. You feel like the flame of a candle that is flickering and about to burn out. Perhaps you think about coming to Me, but you are afraid I will demand something else of you. And you are just so tired. Or perhaps you worry that I will see your weakness as a lack of faith. So you avoid Me. It’s okay to be tired. It’s okay to be weak. I understand how difficult things have been. I don’t want to judge you. I just want to wrap you up in My everlasting arms and let you rest."
"A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth." - Isaiah 42:3 (NKJV)
- "Jesus Calling for Kids" by Sarah Young
Bitterness
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God
and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Hebrews 12:15
Bitterness has a tenacious way of taking root deep within the soul and resisting all efforts to weed it out. Bitterness occurs for many reasons. It might come from deep hurts you received as a child, hurts you cannot forget. Time, rather than diminishing the hurt, only seems to sharpen the pain. Bitterness can result from the hurtful words of a friend or coworker. Often the person who hurt you is unaware of the extent of your bitterness. You find yourself rehearsing the offense over and over again, each time driving the root of bitterness deeper within your soul. Bitterness can derive from a sense of being unjustly treated.
Bitterness is easy to justify. You can get so used to a bitter heart that you are even comfortable with it, but it will destroy you. Only God is fully aware of its destructive potential. There is nothing so deeply imbedded in your heart that God's grace cannot reach down and remove it. No area in your life is so painful that God's grace cannot bring total healing. No offense committed against you is so heinous that God's love cannot enable you to forgive.
When you allow bitterness to grow in your life, you reject the grace of God that can free you. If you are honest before God, you will admit the bitterness and allow God to forgive you. Bitterness enslaves you, but God is prepared to remove your bitterness and replace it with His peace and joy.
- Excerpt from “Experiencing God Day-By-Day” by Henry and Richard Blackaby
Sermon: "The Contentment Commandments"
1. Thou shalt rejoice
2. Thou shalt not resent3. Thou shalt appreciate all seasons4. Thou shalt keep a secret stash5. Thou shalt not confuse the supply with the source6. Thou shalt not downplay disappointment7. Thou shalt recognize8. Thou shalt release9. Thou shalt receive
10. Thou shalt remain
I Repeat: Rejoice!
Scripture:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. - Philippians 4:4
Reflect:
Where do you try to find joy in your life? Where does Paul say joy can always be found?
There are so many things to enjoy in this life. God has blessed us to be sure! But have you ever noticed how some of our very favorite things let us down? For example, I really enjoy watching Husker football. But if I looked solely to Husker wins for the source of my joy, I’d be depressed right about now. I also really enjoy a nice steak dinner. But all it takes is for the chef to overcook it and I’m disappointed. I enjoy my family more than any other earthly thing but sometimes my wife and I get in disagreements or my kids don’t obey. I can’t count on other people, even my family, to be a constant source of joy.
But in today’s verse, Paul repeats one the most important themes of his letter to Philippians. He reminds the Philippians to rejoice! But not in just anything. He reminds them to rejoice in the Lord. Not just when things are going well for them either. He says to rejoice in the Lord always. It was so important for him to get his point across that he even repeated it again!
Paul knew that in order for the Philippians to stand firm in their faith, they needed to have their joy rooted in the right place. Otherwise, once they faced trials and tribulations, they would fall away. And they would face trials. Paul knew this firsthand. And yet, Paul remained full of joy. This joy wasn’t a superficial happiness. He wasn’t slapping on a fake smile throughout his imprisonment. This was a deep abiding joy that enabled him to endure even the worst suffering because his joy was in the Lord and his hope was in the promises He had made.
In Romans 12:12, Paul said: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” How could he say this? “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). He had set his eyes on Jesus Christ and compared to Him and His glory, the troubles of this world seemed small in comparison.
All of the good things on earth are still just that - earthly things. They are temporary and imperfect. If you are counting on your health, wealth, family, friends, possessions, career, etc. to be the source of your joy, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and heartache. But if your joy is rooted in the Lord and the future hope of His promises, you will remain steadfast. So rejoice! I repeat: rejoice! But not in the things of this earth. Rejoice only and always in Him.
Pray:
Lord, You alone are my constant source of joy. I know that everything else I enjoy will eventually let me down. But if my hope is in You and Your promises, I will always have a reason to rejoice. Amen.
- Nat Crawford (Provided by "Back To The Bible")
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. - Philippians 4:4
Reflect:
Where do you try to find joy in your life? Where does Paul say joy can always be found?
There are so many things to enjoy in this life. God has blessed us to be sure! But have you ever noticed how some of our very favorite things let us down? For example, I really enjoy watching Husker football. But if I looked solely to Husker wins for the source of my joy, I’d be depressed right about now. I also really enjoy a nice steak dinner. But all it takes is for the chef to overcook it and I’m disappointed. I enjoy my family more than any other earthly thing but sometimes my wife and I get in disagreements or my kids don’t obey. I can’t count on other people, even my family, to be a constant source of joy.
But in today’s verse, Paul repeats one the most important themes of his letter to Philippians. He reminds the Philippians to rejoice! But not in just anything. He reminds them to rejoice in the Lord. Not just when things are going well for them either. He says to rejoice in the Lord always. It was so important for him to get his point across that he even repeated it again!
Paul knew that in order for the Philippians to stand firm in their faith, they needed to have their joy rooted in the right place. Otherwise, once they faced trials and tribulations, they would fall away. And they would face trials. Paul knew this firsthand. And yet, Paul remained full of joy. This joy wasn’t a superficial happiness. He wasn’t slapping on a fake smile throughout his imprisonment. This was a deep abiding joy that enabled him to endure even the worst suffering because his joy was in the Lord and his hope was in the promises He had made.
In Romans 12:12, Paul said: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” How could he say this? “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). He had set his eyes on Jesus Christ and compared to Him and His glory, the troubles of this world seemed small in comparison.
All of the good things on earth are still just that - earthly things. They are temporary and imperfect. If you are counting on your health, wealth, family, friends, possessions, career, etc. to be the source of your joy, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and heartache. But if your joy is rooted in the Lord and the future hope of His promises, you will remain steadfast. So rejoice! I repeat: rejoice! But not in the things of this earth. Rejoice only and always in Him.
Pray:
Lord, You alone are my constant source of joy. I know that everything else I enjoy will eventually let me down. But if my hope is in You and Your promises, I will always have a reason to rejoice. Amen.
- Nat Crawford (Provided by "Back To The Bible")