Devotions

[heartbroken]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/11/07/but-what-if-you-could?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--BwNyFHL8n78jBx9d4lyzsGJp5GOWiYDvHRdVPu3T-hB0Trw0bE5UTaP_Hbjr1jHix_PpwWgAd6marF_rN8XxI0vGm0g&_hsmi=330719416&utm_content=330719416&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

But What if You Could?
November 7, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst, President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.” Psalm 116:7 (CSB)

It was just a broken ice maker. It wasn’t a catastrophic event.  I was safe. I was in a good place. And I was looking forward to spending a few days on vacation. But when the ice maker broke at the beach house we were staying in, I started spiraling. I was having an out-of-proportion reaction to the minor situation in front of me. And when that happens, I know it’s not just about the thing. It’s all the other things attached to this thing.  I can’t fix this thing! And I can’t find a repairman. And even if I do find someone to help me, what if a part has to be ordered?

And what if that part is on back order? Or worse yet, what if it can’t be fixed? Now here I am with another broken thing, and there’s nothing I can do about it!

I’m usually very “go with the flow.” But not this day.  About the third time I said out loud, “I can’t fix this ice maker!”

I stopped myself, and five words popped into my head.  But what if I could?

What if I try to fix it?

What’s the worst thing that could happen it breaks?

It’s already broken. I rolled my eyes at the absurdity of what I was about to attempt. I Googled “how to fix an ice maker.” It was too general of a search, bringing up way too many options and way too many written instructions. Then I decided to look on YouTube, and I narrowed my search with the name of the fridge.  I watched the video several times. I opened the freezer. And no joke I did it! I fixed that ice maker! You would have thought I just climbed Mount Everest or finished running a marathon based on my victory dance around that kitchen!  I know this is a whole lot of drama around what should have been just an everyday aggravation. But isn’t this where a lot of us fall apart?

It’s that last little broken thing, put on top of all the hurt we’re carrying, that breaks us wide open and leaks out another flood of tears.  It was never really about the ice maker. It was a moment of resilience I could see, touch and celebrate. This resilience was tangible evidence that I was healing, growing, and moving forward by trying new things.  Most of all, it was a moment when I didn’t succumb to the limitations of living hurt. I’ve written in my journal so many times, “Just because I’ve been hurt doesn’t mean I have to live hurt.”

That’s easy to write. Hard to live out.  That day in the kitchen, I fixed that ice maker in a rebellious act of resilience. And I knew this was going to be an important part of getting unstuck and moving forward.  For me, two words that indicate stuckness are “can’t” and “don’t.”  I can’t deal with this. I can’t do this. I can’t trust people. I can’t fix this. I can’t change. I don’t think this is ever going to get better. I don’t want to try. I don’t believe it’s possible. I don’t think God has a good plan for me. I don’t want to hope again.  Now, please lean in close here. If we don’t tend well to this kind of broken processing, our can’ts and don’ts will turn into won’ts.

I won’t do this.
I won’t trust people.
I won’t fix this.
I won’t change.
I won’t try.
I won’t believe.
I won’t trust that God has a good plan.
I won’t hope again.

Healing is layered and can be complicated. It takes time to process and move forward from heartbreak, betrayal and broken trust … probably more time than any of us want it to take. But by listening for our “I can’ts” and “I don’ts” and making sure they don’t turn into “I won’ts,” we can see significant progress today. Build our resilience muscles today. Prove today that being brave is not always something we feel — it’s something we do.

Let’s resist fear and anxiety and come into alignment with truth today, like Psalm 116:7: “Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.”

Friend, you don’t have to fix an ice maker, but don’t miss an opportunity to overcome an “I can’t” or “I don’t” today. Maybe try using some new words … I am willing to try. Maybe I can find someone who can teach me. This is an opportunity for me to be brave. But what if I could?

[heartbroken]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/11/08/five-scriptural-prayers-for-joy-when-life-is-hard?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-88cAghW4j4UEPjrYuCQruycDv49tUYqwZwOkr0yyXWj3OnxAvKbulsXaWCga6y_QTkvnciZNtAGlVNIg-nIRGMN9I0BA&_hsmi=330722906&utm_content=330722906&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Five Scriptural Prayers for Joy When Life Is Hard
November 8, 2024
by Asheritah Ciuciu

“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:11 (NLT)

Why am I so cranky?

Have you ever asked yourself that question?

I have, more times than I care to admit.  I could blame my child who just responded disrespectfully to a reasonable request. I could blame my co-worker whose political chatter grates on my nerves. I could blame the stubborn imperfections I see when I look in the mirror.  But truthfully, none of those situations should have the power to steal my joy and turn me into a grump because Jesus offers me His overflowing joy.  In John 15:11, just hours before He would be betrayed, arrested and executed, Jesus told His disciples: “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” (NLT).

What Jesus promised His disciples, and by extension those of us who follow Him today, is a supernatural joy that transcends circumstances. A supernatural joy that comes only from God’s work in us, often in response to our prayers.  The truth is we need God’s help to grow into women of joy, and thankfully, our Bibles are full of sample prayers we can learn to pray on our own. After all, if joy is a fruit of God’s Spirit in us (Galatians 5:22) and the Father longs for us to bear fruit (John 15:2), won’t He be pleased to answer our prayers and grant us joy in Christ?

He certainly will.  So let us confidently ask God to grow us into women of contagious joy, unbothered by mundane irritations and filled with His Spirit.  Here are five powerful prayers you can start praying today:

1.  Based on Nehemiah 8:10: Your joy is my strength, Lord, so please fill me with Your supernatural power to respond cheerfully even when I’m tired.

2.  Based on Psalm 30:5: Though my sorrow may last through this dark night, Your joy will come in the morning. Help me wait patiently for You to turn my tears to laughter.

3.  Based on Psalm 51:12: Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, Jesus, and make me quick to obey You.

4.  Based on Psalm 4:6-7: Lord, You can fill my heart with more joy than a shopping spree or exotic vacation or [fill in the blank]. I choose to trust You.

5.  Based on Psalm 13:3 and Psalm 34:5: Restore the sparkle to my eyes, Lord. May my wrinkles and laugh lines reveal that I am a woman whose face radiates Your joy!

May we grow in supernatural joy that points us and our world to Jesus.

[Lil angel]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/11/26/its-not-too-late-to-turn-back?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-93pYkfm24Zcpwa20-Ov6AGsft7KVZZyBywyAGcneg_LD5ssHapsUmIUXjH5FLhCoBmmZ1x9HEbIvRwI81JMYua2_AQBw&_hsmi=331802950&utm_content=331802950&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

It’s Not Too Late To Turn Back
November 26, 2024
by Carol Whitaker
COMPEL Pro Member

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

“Wait this can’t be right,” I said, looking at the unfamiliar landscape outside my car window.

On my way to my son’s football game, I realized after 20 minutes of driving that I had missed a turn. It would take another 20 minutes to get to my destination.  I sighed in frustration. I was already running late, and my mistake had eaten up valuable time. I had a choice: Give up and go home, or take the time needed to get on the correct path. Honestly, I felt like giving up, but imagining my son’s disappointment when I didn’t show up motivated me to keep going.  The next morning, the Holy Spirit reminded me how my choice to head in the right direction paralleled a turn I had made recently in my spiritual life.  Just a few weeks prior, I had told God that I’d gone too far and that it would take too much work to get back to Him. In the aftermath of my divorce, I entered into an unhealthy relationship and made ungodly choices. When I longed to walk away from the relationship and get right with God again, my overwhelming shame and guilt made it seem impossible.  Immediately after voicing my fears to Him, I heard these words in a song: “Doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter what you’ve done. You are never, you are never, never too far gone” (“Never Too Far Gone” by Jordan Feliz).

God assured me it wasn’t too late; I wasn’t too far gone. As Romans 8:1 says: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (NIV). Similarly, 1 John 1:9 tells us: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

These verses point to two truths:

1.  When believers in Jesus mess up, we aren’t condemned. Satan wants us to believe that we’re too bad for God to forgive, that God doesn't want us back after we’ve sinned. Satan feeds us thoughts like, I can’t believe you did that. You call yourself a Christian? How could you make that mistake again? While God convicts us of sin and prompts us to repent, He doesn’t cast us away. When we sin, He pursues us, wooing us back to Himself.

2.  God cleanses us of unrighteousness. God restores us by forgiving and cleansing us. When we turn to Him and confess our sins, He takes away our shame, our guilt, and the stain of our wrongdoing, making us whole again.

Maybe you’re caught in a trap of poor decisions. Maybe you went in a different direction than God told you to go. Maybe you feel weighed down by shame and condemnation.  You don’t have to continue on that path you can go back, correcting your course. Don’t listen to the lie that you’ve gone too far or that God doesn’t want you because of what you’ve done. His grace and mercy are waiting for you, you only need to turn.

[PippaJane]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/12/02/a-prayer-for-christmas-joy?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_luxqVL14ij61yCiQYF43D_XWraywpNTeV3TgRNggpbo2r4e5b_34BN7nK8-4v81WQFDxeqwwMfPZt4P05OV7VFZUs7w&_hsmi=332766757&utm_content=332766757&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

A Prayer for Christmas Joy
December 2, 2024
by Asheritah Ciuciu

“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” Matthew 2:10 (NIV)

I wiped the smeared icing off the tabletop, taking deep breaths to calm my racing heart.

“What’s the point?” I sighed, brushing away tears, leaving a sugar streak on my cheek. “Why even try?” I swiped the collapsed gingerbread walls and sticky gumdrops into the bin, scrapping yet another failed Pinterest project.

How do we fight so hard to create fun holiday memories, only to feel like failures?

We imagine these weeks playing out like the script of a Hallmark movie: beautiful family moments set to cheerful tunes. But reality crashes into those daydreams, leaving us disgruntled and weary.

Instead of laughter and cherished moments … chaos and wailing.
Instead of a fun romp through the tree farm … frozen toes and hungry complaining.
Instead of perfectly frosted sugar cookies … burnt edges and runny royal icing.
Instead of peaceful family gatherings … harsh words and hurt feelings.

It’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. So how do we evict the Grinch-like grumpiness and Charlie Brown sadness to recapture the joy of Christmas?

I’m encouraged by the story of the wise men preserved for us in Scripture. As they followed a shining star for hundreds of miles, looking for Jesus, they stopped by King Herod's Jerusalem palace.   But King Herod had to tell them Jesus wasn't there He was in Bethlehem. “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” (Matthew 2:9-10, NIV).

Overjoyed.

That word gives me pause. When the wise men saw the star, the ESV Bible says “they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:10).

That is what I want for us this Christmas season: to recalibrate our holiday disorientation and set our sights on the shining Light of the world. Then we’ll rejoice with jubilation and celebration as the Magi did so long ago.  I offer this prayer for Christmas joy as a simple path to turn our attention back to King Jesus. May you find its words guiding you into His presence again and again:  Lord, how creative You are to use even the stars above to guide people into Your presence! Draw us close to Yourself by any means this Christmas season. Turn our disappointments into prompts for prayer and our festive celebrations into channels of adoration.  You alone bring true joy to the world, so help us slow down, quiet our hearts, and fix our eyes on You, Jesus the Light that shines brighter than any star. As the wise men were filled with great joy, fill us up to overflow with the wonder of Your birth, Jesus.

[Lost Soul]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/12/17/an-incredible-opportunity?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9z_SOD3GtTTJZghrLuhWxlfg_6nq01iQKQGeB2iHNxl0HFhZWLi7HEnvVnOV9h12dj8pIeU2faTG4kd4-fvG2qFSSD_g&_hsmi=335474366&utm_content=335474366&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

An Incredible Opportunity
December 17, 2024
by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’” John 7:37-38 (NIV)

For many believers in Jesus, the subject of “daily devotions” evokes a sense of duty or guilt. Have you ever felt this way?

The practice of having daily devotions was emphasized and exhibited in my home when I was a girl. And after more than 60 years of walking with the Lord, I’m still a huge believer in the importance of spending time in God’s Word and prayer each day.  But I’ve found great freedom and joy as I’ve come to realize that devotional time isn’t so much an obligation as it is an incredible opportunity to know God. There’s a world of difference between checking “devotions” off a to-do list and having devotion. The God of the universe has invited us to draw near to Him, to enter into the Holy of Holies, to experience an intimate love relationship with Him. As James says in his book of the Bible, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8a, CSB).

If you’re God’s child, I believe there is within you something that will never be satisfied by anything less than genuine, close fellowship with your heavenly Father. Until you see Him face to face, you will long and thirst to know Him more.  “As a deer gets thirsty for streams of water, I truly am thirsty for you, my God” (Psalm 42:1, CEV).

If you’re thirsty, Jesus’ words in John 7:37-38 are also an invitation to come to Him not to another program or to one more requirement but to Jesus, the source of all life:  “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’”

Come to Him, come to His Word, and drink. Drink deeply, keep on drinking, and let Him quench your thirst. And then watch as rivers of living water flow out through you to quench the thirst of those around you.

[Admin]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/12/20/from-the-darkness-light-has-dawned?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9jRcJq2V1yBW8CzFsm4pztj-Suq-d8XtQD0wA44Ff-mSzi1dN0b02_ZwOOt4USLl0iswQ7cYTF4RMrjsRr8yuBOdCZNQ&_hsmi=335465732&utm_content=335465732&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
From the Darkness Light Has Dawned
December 20, 2024
by Sarah Freymuth

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 (ESV)

Winter keeps coming, a heaviness in the air and in my chest. Sometimes it’s hard to see my way through this time of perpetual darkness, the appearance of the sun so late, its sinking so early in the day. Even harder still when I have to take a puppy out in the whipping Wisconsin wind.  On the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice, we see the least amount of light. The veil of darkness might make us wish we could curl up and hibernate all winter.  And like the literal dark of this winter day, we can also grow weary of emotional or spiritual darkness, whether it’s more bloodshed on the news, late nights spent waiting for a prodigal child to return, another month of barely paying all the bills, or a season where joy has been elusive. We make our way through the days with that same temptation to close our eyes, hoping to open them to a time when things are different.  Will this winter of our hearts always last?

We sit and wait and wonder.  But even when it feels like dawn will never come the Bright Morning Star is awake and alight with life and hope (Revelation 22:16). Jesus has come into this world and taken darkness captive by the power of His light. First John 1:5 reminds us “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

And Psalm 139:8-12 says He does not fear going to the depths for us. The darkness is not dark to Him. Nothing in our situation can scare Him away. It’s the opposite in our suffering, He draws close.  Jesus came to a world riddled with darkness, destruction, temptation and broken systems. He was born as a man, while still fully God, and lived among us, calling all people to Himself as the Light of life. When we are weary, He is our strength. When we run out of steam, He keeps us going. When we battle the lies of the evil one, He fights for us.  He is the Light that cannot be overcome (John 1:5). This is the hope we hold close, the joy that illuminates our hearts because we can shift our focus from the weak winter sun to the eternal Son who sets us free to live in His love and shine it out to others.  The more I am mindful of this truth, today's wakeup doesn’t seem as harsh as usual. Blue and gray and white clouds climb the sky patterned in winter’s blanket, a layered beauty I know the sun resides behind.  Glory to God the Light of the world has come.

[Admin]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/12/23/establishing-the-work-of-your-hands?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--FqUds0a_vTR5gU_NCoWDMEyEBoE1tlnHc9Xu-qnLy1FesKsqz6kp07nJObHrDXnLH12bE4NBaYenAGtJAtnhn6T_YFw&_hsmi=336914331&utm_content=336914331&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Establishing the Work of Your Hands
December 23, 2024
by Karen Ehman

“And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.” Psalm 90:17 (AMPC)

My daughter who once loved to brush the hair of her dolls, her siblings, or any animal that would sit still is now a salon owner who loves to help her mama with all things beauty related.  Recently, she asked what skincare products I use. A sheepish smile crept over my face. You see, I don’t use any products at all! She was flabbergasted, and quicker than you can say “collagen cream,” she hooked me up with a three-step regimen to keep my skin glowing.  Yet Psalm 90:17 talks about a different beauty the beauty of the Lord: “And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.”

I love that the beauty of the Lord resting upon us is mentioned alongside God establishing the work of our hands. The Hebrew term for “work” in this verse maaseh refers to common tasks, practices, concerns and deeds. These are the routine duties we perform, the practices we implement so our days run smoothly. "Work" may also include the concerns we have about someone who requires our attention or the deeds our hands carry out for those who are hurting.  In Psalm 90:17, we find a marvelous daily pattern of prayer: asking God, in all His beauty, to confirm and establish the work of our hands. And accompanying this prayer, I’ve also implemented a three-step regimen to carry out each evening that can help me have a beautiful next day.  First, I ask myself what I need to "button up." Is there an issue unresolved or a task unfinished?

Did I get interrupted while doing the dishes or paying bills online? I will identify one such task I can button up before bed, checking it off my to-do list.

Second, I choose something I can get a head start on for the next day. For instance, could I brown the meat for the sloppy Joes I plan to make for a grieving neighbor?

Getting a jump start on a task or two can help tomorrow go more smoothly.

Finally, I ask myself what my "big three" chores are for the next day. I might have a dozen things I’d like to accomplish; however, I list only the top three most imperative tasks. Three feels doable, and I can always add more items if those get completed.

God cares deeply about our daily lives. When we earnestly pray, He — in all His beauty — will establish our plans and empower us to work to complete them for His glory alone.

[Lost Soul]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2025/01/01/four-truths-to-remember-about-gods-strength-at-the-start-of-2025?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Ikf4qLJ4BMJPoJQ-Sg5ENqsFaAVhDJEDmEvGMJPgzEzwAZRY9vFDGY4083u0L-Ub8SHtQNtCRMavG5g-BNk20cq98SQ&_hsmi=338898111&utm_content=338898111&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Four Truths To Remember About God’s Strength at the Start of 2025
January 1, 2025
by Grace Valentine

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:19a (NIV)

The beginning of a new year can spark goals and vision, but sometimes it can bring exhaustion, discontentment and fear.  Three years ago, I started January in a tiring job, pursuing goals of professional success and financial stability that seemed impossible. Exhausted from work, from the effort of trying to fit in, and from unmet expectations, I wished for a year when things finally would go my way.  I confided in a friend about my resentment toward the previous year and my desperation for drastic change preferably overnight. She listened, nodded, and even reflected on her own recent hardships.  Then she said, “I used to care about life giving me a ‘break,’ but honestly, I know this adversity will be an opportunity to lean on God more. Now I just ask that God gives me His strength.”

At first, I pushed back. I wanted God’s strength and also a break. But was I really asking God to give me His strength and to make me more faithful as much as I was asking Him to make my life better?

It’s not wrong to ask God for relief and deliverance. We serve a Savior of miracles who can part the sea, give sight to the blind, and remove whatever hardship we face. But the Lord can also give us His strength to get through a disappointing day or to grow through a hard season. Our hardest trial might be an opportunity to see God’s power.  Habakkuk 3:17-19a says, “Though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food … The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights” (NIV).

This year may hold hardships, but let’s remember these four truths:

1.  God’s strength is available to us if we simply call on Him.

2.  God is already in the future we are worried about. His Word can give us wisdom and remind us good things are coming.

3. Trouble is promised in this broken world. But God uses all things for our good and His glory (John 16:33). So even on our worst day, we can trust He is working, even if we don’t understand how until heaven.

4.  Our trial can become our testimony. We serve a God of redemption who can redeem our past years and this year.

Remember that while last year had its challenges and this year may include hard moments, your Savior will always give His strength when you ask for it. With Jesus, there is joy in the morning and strength in the struggle.

[Cocopops]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2025/01/02/its-time-for-a-fresh-start?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--ajgAqRwwkbw0h01_f9LvtuGLrteMWiKLGmrRi5m9PYA0-a4DxnOYmdBAt3DMU5tsE0YrAEX_nZ67dh9Y0XRdPOKtvWw&_hsmi=338898559&utm_content=338898559&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

It’s Time for a Fresh Start!
January 2, 2025
by Rachel Booth Smith

“Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” Genesis 1:31a (NLT)

When my family joined a new church, I was eager to make friends. Even though I was in my 30s, I felt a childlike nervousness about entering an unfamiliar room, finding a seat and making introductions with strangers.  Unfortunately, a rash on my eye exacerbated my awkward feelings. Doctors hadn’t yet discovered it was ocular rosacea; they only knew it wasn’t contagious. With my one puffy, red and watering eye, I looked either very sad or very sickly.  As I arrived, I imagined the room emptying, people eager to protect their families from my mysterious ailment. I worried my first impression would be not great.  We’ve all had different first impressions of God too. Some were warm and inviting; some were misinformed or even painful. Either way, as we grow and learn more about God’s character, we find ourselves adjusting and allowing God to introduce different aspects of Himself.  Genesis invites us to get to know God from the beginning: the beginning of the Bible and the beginning of the gospel. Genesis is His introduction to humanity. When we open the first page, laying aside all of our not-great past impressions or presets, what does God really want us to know?

“Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” (Genesis 1:31a).

In Genesis 1, we see God repeatedly make good things (including people!) because goodness flows from Him. It is the essence of who He is.  The very first thing God wants us to know about Him is that He’s good.  After introducing God as Creator, Genesis then confronts a question that still plagues people today: What will a good God do when His people choose evil?

As we read Genesis, we discover God is unendingly patient. He waits and restores. He teaches and works behind the scenes to bless. When people make plans for harm or evil, God turns them around for good (Genesis 50:20). Why? Because as all of creation testifies, He is good. One of my seminary professors says Genesis shows “God is just itchin’ to bless!”

All of His attributes are worth mentioning, but God wants us to know deep in our bones that He is good.  Maybe your first impression of God didn’t emphasize His goodness. Or maybe you’ve lost sight of who He is and what He cares about. Perhaps you’ve simply never learned to hear His voice, and you’re desperate for whispered words from His gentle heart.  If so, are you ready for a fresh start?

I want to personally invite you to open the pages of Genesis and allow the God of all good things to reintroduce Himself to you.  At the beginning of the greatest story ever told, let God give you a new first impression of who He is. Watch Him interact with flawed people, turning things meant for evil into good and see how He is still doing the same for you.  Are you ready to experience His goodness?

[Cocopops]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2025/01/06/lets-look-up?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_L3rtoB7RHuVbKSJ5vMGy8P7ftPi4b83B6nBNwbklIMjn0FJ9J19bWdstUUCeVtmSzVm_hHm-qWeIxF9A2EGnsYIVllw&_hsmi=339642812&utm_content=339642812&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Let’s Look Up
January 6, 2025
by Sarah Freymuth

“But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7 (ESV)

Winding my rental car through sharp turns and steep inclines, I make my way north through the Great Smoky Mountains. The sun glares on my windshield, and I squint before pulling down the visor to meet the ruffled lines of tree-covered mountains jutting into the sky. I’m from the Midwest, and while I'm familiar with the beauty of the Great Lakes, there’s something otherworldly to me about majesty made from mountains. But sometimes I struggle to lift my eyes off of the mountains in my life: the never-ending bills and financial strain, the push and pull of dynamics that disrupt my day, and the tug of my heart that yearns for more in the middle of the mundane.  Later that night, when I’m swaying in a green rocking chair on a wide porch, my eyes rise to the mountains lined with the lush greenery of spruce and pine.  How often do we overlook the miraculous things right in front of us because we don’t have the right perspective? We look down at ourselves, disappointed by what we have or haven’t done. We look around at our problems, working ourselves up, trying to figure out the next move.  We must keep looking up if we want to see the goodness and the beauty before us. It can take a lifetime, yet we can learn to leave what’s weighing us down and tell our hearts to focus on God, who has been beckoning us to Him the entire time.  “But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me” (Micah 7:7).

God reminds us to look up and see His handiwork all throughout our lives, to remember who He is and how He controls all things. Like the Jewish people on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, we can even sing a psalm of ascent to regain perspective:  “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2, ESV).

God, who made the hills and mountains, is our Helper and Deliverer. Those negative comments or that unchangeable situation?

They become easier to handle as we put our trust in the God who promises His presence. When our faith is fixed on the One who is unchanging, our problems are put in the right perspective and don’t seem so insurmountable.  What’s standing in your way today?

Lift your eyes and look up. The God who made heaven and earth has made you too. It’s all about perspective and His perspective is full of goodness, hope and a beautiful future. May we have eyes to see.

[PippaJane]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2025/01/20/keep-listening-and-loving?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-91K-zn08y9mZmaCyexM-BpNZeB-FMnfwfrhKptJhGL4ek83TEcbhsjjDTQyJgVtx-DdJCpZHhEBB9eHfJWLRi6BU88fg&_hsmi=341781260&utm_content=341781260&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Keep Listening and Loving
January 20, 2025
by Anitha Abraham

“And Paul entered the synagogue, as was his custom, and for three Sabbaths he engaged in discussion and friendly debate with them from the Scriptures ....” Acts 17:2 (AMP)

The dinner conversation with friends took an unexpected turn. What started out as “please pass the bread” became a back-and-forth of political opinions. The line in the sand was drawn my friend was on one side, and I was on the other.  “Don’t talk about politics or religion.”

No matter how old we are, it’s something we’ve all heard. Over the years, other topics have been considered “off the table” too.  Is it wrong to disagree with other people?

Not at all. God gave us minds so we can think for ourselves. Throughout history, some disagreements have resulted in much-needed change. But more often, especially online, it seems they now just lead to unfriending and canceling. Disagreements can become divisions. Instead of dialogues, we have monologues. We have forgotten how to disagree respectfully.  In Acts 17:2, when Paul visited Thessalonica, he “entered the synagogue, as was his custom, and for three Sabbaths he engaged in discussion and friendly debate with them from the Scriptures.”

Paul, a Pharisee turned Jesus follower, probably knew the Mosaic Law better than anyone. He could have run circles around the Jewish leaders with his words. Instead, he chose to reason with them in “discussion and friendly debate.” According to HELPS Word Studies, the Greek wording here indicates “giving and receiving information to reach deeper understanding.”

Long after elections, viruses or other hot topics are over, there will continue to be things we disagree about iideologies and beliefs where we find ourselves on one side or the other. Even while we, as Christians, can all agree on the gospel Truth, and we believe God’s Word is the source of that Truth that always prevails, some biblical passages can be interpreted differently. And if we’re being honest, whatever side we’re on, it’s human nature to believe we’re right.  In these discussions, we can go in waving the flag of “I know I’m right” and then proceed to run people over with our opinions. Or we can change our approach to, “I think I’m right, but I'm also here to listen.”

When we open ourselves up, it can change the conversation. It is beneficial not only to make statements but to ask questions. We can do what James 1:19 instructs: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (NLT).

We may not find agreement, but we can reach some level of understanding with the other person and possibly learn something new along the way!  When the right time comes to express ourselves, let’s remember this: “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14, NLT).

Keep listening. Keep loving.

[Lil angel]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2025/01/21/but-god-i-dont-want-to-plant-a-garden-here?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Ef3-QHcLSIL23ARwXQkLQJi3qEtkTa7E5DMYSlWF0dVFOOq8Em8aexXWhOyEmzYdp72l_ag2OS0A-v8iYDCoP3XN1wA&_hsmi=341784091&utm_content=341784091&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

But, God, I Don’t Want To Plant a Garden Here
January 21, 2025
by Tracie Miles

“This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.’” Jeremiah 29:4-5 (NIV)

During difficult times of life or when facing hard transitions, I have found myself struggling to understand God’s plans.  In seasons I certainly don’t want to embrace or settle into, many times my desires don’t line up with God’s plans. I cry out for rescue, hoping He will swoop in and remove me from my uncomfortable situation but sometimes His response is, Stay where you are. Build houses, plant gardens, and live your life.  Jeremiah 29:4 portrays this surprising command given to God’s people in exile. Taken from their homeland to Babylon, the people of Judah longed for a quick return to Jerusalem. They wanted to be rescued, for God to undo their captivity and restore them to their former lives. But instead of immediate deliverance, God’s message through the prophet Jeremiah was to settle down in the very place they wanted to escape.  “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce’” (Jeremiah 29:4-5).

It’s not difficult to imagine their frustration and hopelessness. But, God, we don’t want to plant gardens and build houses here. We don’t belong here. This is not our home. Fix this, Lord!  Yet God’s command was clear He had a purpose for the Israelites in Babylon. They wanted to hear His plans for immediate relief, but instead they heard that their stay would not be short. Thus He encouraged them to embrace the present instead of wasting their days longing for the past or dreaming of a faraway future.  This passage challenges our perspective on difficult seasons of life. We often plead with God to change our circumstances, to remove our pain, struggle or discomfort. But sometimes God’s answer is not to change our situation but to change us within it. He invites us to build and plant, creating and loving life in the very place we don’t want to be.  Perhaps you currently feel out of place, longing for God to change your situation. It’s natural to want to escape hardship and discomfort. But what if God is telling you to stay and “plant a garden” right where you are? What if He is cultivating something within you that requires time, patience and perseverance so true growth can take place?

Resist the urge to merely endure. Instead, ask God how you can invest in the season He has you in, and trust He has a plan even in the waiting.  He’s got you, and you’ve got this. Now, go plant that garden.

[PippaJane]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2025/01/28/gods-gift-of-words?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9g0X4a3lSj_FlrifCK7ABIEC0pCgCJz9mURmqhaev03mJ6FfJiNgvf9KN1MFZ50BoVx_0U9te0jHF1oC6lugmlbrNRmg&_hsmi=341848439&utm_content=341848439&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

God’s Gift of Words
January 28, 2025
by Karen Wingate

“Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” Exodus 4:12 (NIV)

It happens too often. Insensitive, sarcastic or arrogant words slip from my mouth, and I’ll think, I didn’t want to say that. In these moments, I’m distressed that I’ve used one of God’s precious gifts in a way that dishonors both Him and the person to whom I'm speaking. Sometimes I hesitate to speak at all because I’m afraid I’ll mess up the message God has guided me to share.  Words are a beautiful creation if we use them as God intended. God created sound, the structure of our ears, the intricate pathways of our brains, and the anatomy of our tongues. He has set these tools in place because He wants to communicate with us and make it possible for us to communicate with others and proclaim His love.  Sadly, my sinful nature intrudes on my word management. I organize those God-given words into sentences that betray the selfish thoughts and intentions of my heart.  Moses of the Old Testament had this dilemma too. God asked him to speak to Pharaoh about letting the Israelite people leave Egypt. Moses declined to follow God’s command: “I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exodus 4:10c, NIV).

Scholars suggest Moses’ reluctance may have been due to a speech impediment, compounded by the shameful memory of his past botched leadership when he killed an Egyptian 40 years before. Moses hesitated to speak because he didn’t want to mess up the message.  God responded: “Who gave human beings their mouths? .... Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (Exodus 4:11-12, NIV).

God is the best speech coach. His words promise peace (John 14:27), give us wisdom and delight (Psalm 119:24), and empower us to mix His grace into our conversations (Colossians 4:6). We speak best when we first listen to His words.  If you, like me, fear you might mess up God’s message when speaking to others, bring your concern to God. Thank Him for the beautiful gift of words. Acknowledge that He is the Creator of sounds, words and thoughts. Imagine you are giving each word back to the Lord as a precious offering of thanks for what He gave you when He created you. Then pray those words from Exodus 4:12, asking Him to teach you what to say.  He will! God is faithful to keep His promises, and this is His Word spoken to you: If you desire for the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart to be acceptable to the Lord (Psalm 19:14), He will work with you to make you more adept in honoring Him with your words.

[PippaJane]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2025/01/29/praying-with-your-feet?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8kW4js9jYz3DErv1dp-560l2G4IubpMHXx7rMtDV_KcZH7nkgoYabxL76OwZFGqxekxNJka4A71vJdaWQl_PzJtwR4LA&_hsmi=341852077&utm_content=341852077&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Praying With Your Feet
January 29, 2025
by Alicia Bruxvoort

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him …” Colossians 2:6 (ESV)

“Prayer just isn’t working,” I confessed to my friend as we huddled in the back of our favorite coffee shop.

I was trudging through a season of unexpected loss, and my relationship with Jesus felt stilted and strained. The candid conversations I once shared with my Savior had dwindled. The pages of my prayer journal sat empty. My words seemed strangled by the weight of disappointment and the ache of my hurting heart.  How could I pray if I had nothing to say?

“Maybe you should stop worrying about talking to Jesus and just focus on walking with Him,” my friend gently urged.  Her suggestion was a surprising echo of a Bible verse I’d read that morning and jotted down as a tangible reminder to keep pursuing Christ. I pulled a scrap of paper from my purse and showed my friend my sloppy scribbles: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him” (Colossians 2:6).

The Greek word translated as “walk” in this verse doesn’t merely refer to the act of moving our feet. It conveys the idea of keeping company with someone; it implies a shared journey.  Colossians 2:6 isn’t a commentary on our gait it’s a call for connection.  That sliver of Scripture, along with my friend’s timely words, challenged me to find a new way to connect with Jesus in the midst of my discouragement. Instead of staring at the blank pages of my prayer journal, I began taking a daily walk through the woods in my backyard. As I strolled that tree-lined trail, my presence became my prayer.  The sheer act of showing up was my way of saying, Jesus, I’ll walk with You even though I’m struggling to talk to You. I’ll draw near even when You feel far away.  Once I committed to spending time with Jesus, I recognized He was with me too. I heard His joy in the birdsong above my head and noticed His playfulness in the skittering squirrels. I spied His faithfulness in the changing seasons and His strength in the deep-rooted trees.  In my season of weary hope and waning words, my definition of prayer expanded. I discovered that sometimes prayer is brazen cries on bended knees, and sometimes it’s angry tears and silent pleas. Prayer is expressed with honest words as well as with surrendered steps.  So if you’re struggling to pray, dear friend, don’t give up! Connect with Jesus today by letting your presence speak where your words fall short. Then do it again tomorrow.  Prayer may not always involve speaking up, but it does require showing up. And when we show up with a thread of hope and a humble heart, we find Jesus is already there, ready and willing to share our journey and hear our prayers.

[PippaJane]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2025/01/31/theres-peace-in-gods-knowing?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--p3MnbkOPbfoTvoux9bkQQ4G8n8OBVKSct7pfuTLCbyMXWJuWgVvchXevthzYyh-Ky72Z4P9VBjnyZ1GgGO36mmxQwcw&_hsmi=341856438&utm_content=341856438&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

There’s Peace in God’s Knowing
January 31, 2025
by Jasmine Williams

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13 (NIV)

“Mom! He spilled water on the couch and got your pillows soaked!”

My 4-year-old yelled at the top of her lungs, partly concerned about the couch and partly glad she wasn’t the one who spilled the water.  “She already knows,” her big brother replied with such calmness.

Realizing her tattling had no impact, my daughter went about her business while my son helped to clean up his spill, relieved I was aware of his mistake.  How many times do we carry the guilt of a mistake instead of giving it over to the One who already knows?

Maybe somewhere in the hidden depths of our hearts, we felt jealous of a friend. Or maybe we answered a question dishonestly instead of being truthful. Perhaps it’s something more habitual, or we’ve found ourselves in a season of apathy toward God.  Whatever the mistake, we can rest assured of this one truth: God already knows. Hebrews 4:13 tells us, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

There isn’t a flaw, big or small, that our God doesn’t see. There isn’t a feeling we can have or an action we can take of which He is unaware.  For years in my Christian journey, that concept felt a little bit scary to me. If I’m honest, my desire to live righteously was more fueled by fear of condemnation than by faithful conviction. While I loved the Lord, part of my well-doing was rooted in fear of Him seeing me mess up.  But on the flip side of fear is love. As 1 John 4:18 says, “Perfect love drives out fear” (NIV).

Grabbing onto that verse opened my heart to a new appreciation of God’s omniscience.  In the same way my son found peace in my knowledge of what he had done, we can have peace when we see just how beautiful it is that our Father already knows. We can turn to Him unfiltered and unashamed because He sees and loves us. He knows our yesterday, today and tomorrow. In Christ, nothing can separate us from God's love, and we can run to Him no matter how badly we mess up. How sweet is it that He opens His arms again and again?

God wants our confession, and “we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13), but for believers, this is not for the sake of punishment it’s for the sake of relationship with Him! Whether we confess or not, He’s aware of all things. When we struggle with emotions or friendships or any number of things in this world where portraying perfection has become an obsession, we can rest peacefully in the truth that our Father already knows.