Confess Self-Preoccupation - Day 245

Confess Self-Preoccupation
Day 245

We need to be straightforward at this point. Some of you are stuck in grief because you have allowed your loss to become the central focus of your life, dominating your existence. Your loss has become larger than all other relationships, larger than your purpose for existence, larger than God.

But how does one get unstuck? What does one do with the loneliness and suffering?

Elisabeth Elliot says, "He gets down on his knees. Lifts up his hands in the presence of the Lord, and says, 'Lord here is this self-pity. I confess it as a sin. This self-isolation, I confess it as a sin.' And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from all sin, and He can deliver you. He wants to deliver you from all self-preoccupation.'"

You must recognize that your self-preoccupation is a sin and you need to be freed from it. When you admit this to God and seek His forgiveness and help, He will clean your heart and free you from this entrapment.

"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" (Hebrews 9:14).

Living God, I want to serve You, not myself. I am only making things worse by focusing on my loss, which in reality is focusing on myself. I confess my self-preoccupation, and I ask that You forgive me and deliver me from my sinful habits. Amen. 

Two Healthy Responses - Day 244

Two Healthy Responses
Day 244

Pastor Buck Buchanan describes two healthy responses that people can have during the grieving process.The first is to be honest about the depth of the pain, but to choose not to be resentful. He says, "My mom was that way after my Dad died. She said, 'I'm not going to feel sorry for myself.'"

Another healthy response is to use the pain to help others. Pastor Buchanan continues, "Take the hurt, embrace the pain, and then realize that it is probably the tool and the gift God has given you to use now. Then begin to minister to other people and share their experiences."

Notice that both responses involve admitting and accepting your pain and choosing to move forward.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (James 4:8).

Lord God, I choose to move forward. I will draw near to You in the midst of my pain. Show me how to respond to the pain in a way that is healthy and that honors You. Amen. 

Honesty with God - Day 243

Honesty with God
Day 243

Yes, God already knows your every thought, emotion, and struggle, but He wants you to come to Him and admit your struggles and give Him your burdens. Let this be a daily action.

God is greater than everything you currently face and anything you will ever go through.

"You need to be honest," says Dr. Norman Peart. "You need to come and let the Lord know what's already there. You may often try to be "religious" or "Christian" -- and come with a facade. In reality you're doing yourself a great disservice because He wants to reach that deepest point in your life, and it only comes when you open your life and show Him what He already knows. Just let it come, let it flow. He can deal with it."

God desires your sincere heart. What a comfort to know that you do not have to pretend with God.

"In Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God" (2 Corinthians 2:17).

Lord of all, I want to be honest with You -- no more pretending, no more holding it all in. Amen.

Receive God's Help - Day 242

Receive God's Help
Day 242

Even though you may not understand why you feel stuck in grief, the Lord understands everything about you. He still works miracles. Tell Him what your needs are. Confess your failures, and receive help from Him.

"Because God created you in His image, you are of great worth to Him," says Dr. Bill Bright. "He can lift your load instantly if you let Him. Cast all your cares on the Lord. He is not only a God of power and wisdom, He's a God of love. His love matches His creative power, so you can trust Him with everything."

God will help you. He knows you better than anyone; He knows what goes on inside your heart and mind. Trust in Him to help you break free from the chains that bind you.

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall" (Psalm 55:22).

Lord, I cannot understand why You care so much for me, but today I give you my emotions, actions, reactions, and attitudes. I take these burdens off my own back and place them in Your arms. Transform my life, Jesus, Amen.

Live Responsibly - Day 241

Live Responsibly
Day 241

"I've seen individuals who are still living in a state of memorial, a state of going back and rehearsing and feeling bad about what has happened and really verging on cursing God and walking away from Him," says Dr. Norman Peart.

"Come to God honestly and accept the fact that this has happened. It is a big step when one can say, 'This is now life, and I must live it responsibly. I must begin to take steps in life and establish counselors, activities, and responsibilities that push me back into the world.'"

In what areas of your life are you not living responsibly?

Think of a specific step you can take today that will enable you to become more active in life. Depending on where you are in your grief, it may be a phone call to a family member or friend. It may involve signing up for a class, sports team, or club. Perhaps volunteer work is for you. Get out and see people. Build relationships.

"The wise look ahead to see what is coming, but fools deceive themselves" (Proverbs 14:8).

Holy God, I cannot change what has happened, but it is my responsibility to make wise choices in the situation I am in now and to move forward in love. Amen.

Keep the Past in Perspective - Day 240

Keep the Past in Perspective
Day 240

Be careful not to let your past control your future.

"My first wife is a memory," says Virgil. "She'll always be a memory. She'll always be there. But I can't let her control my life."

Your loved one will always hold a special place in your heart, but daily decisions cannot be made based on emotions tied up in this person's death. Decisions today should be relative to the present and to the future. Your hope lies before you and not behind you.

"There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off" (Proverbs 23:18). This hope is available for those who have place their trust in Jesus Christ.

Dear Jesus, my past is so precious to me, but I know that I must live in the present and look forward to the future. Amen. 

Look Beyond the Past - Day 239

Look Beyond the Past
Day 239

It would be dangerous to drive down the street if your attention were focused solely on the rearview mirror, looking at what is behind. Grief tends to make you look to the past, to what you lost. The pain of that loss, it's true, will be with you forever, but to move on, you must focus on the future as well as on the past.

"You can either stay in that grief, or you can move on. But you will move on with the grief," says Linda, whose baby was stillborn. "You always have that, and you can't expect that one day you won't ever feel sorry that you lost a loved one. That will always be part of you."

Use your past to build on your future. Seek the God of the past, the present, and the future for a hope that will sustain you.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Revelation 22:13).

Lord God, You are my only hope. I do not want to forget the past, but I cannot live there either. Amen. 

Letting Go - Day 238

Letting Go
Day 238

To move on means (1) you have to acknowledge that things will never be the same again, and (2) you have to desire God's plan for your life now. Letting go of a lost loved one is tough, especially when the love is deep, and he or she has filled a need in you that was never filled until you met that person.

"To really admit to yourself, "This person is gone, and life's got to go on, and I've got to buck up and turn the corner and get going,' is probably one of the toughest transitions in the grief process," says Dr. Joseph Stowell.

Your plan for life was suddenly changed. But God has a purpose for you, and you were created to fulfill that purpose. That is why you are here on earth right now. Find God's plan for your life and seek fulfillment from Him.

"The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever -- do not abandon the works of your hands" (Psalm 138:8).

"But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth" (Exodus 9:16).

Lord God, things will never be the same again, and I will never be able to go back to the way things were. I admit this, Lord, and I will move forward with purpose, seeking to fulfill Your plan for my life. What do You have for me to do? Amen.

Steps Toward Closure - Day 237

Steps Toward Closure
Day 237

Closure is crucial to your grief journey, and at some point you must take action to help bring it about. Start by identifying the person, memories, objects, and emotions you have been hanging on to too tightly. Here are suggestions to help you come to a place where you can release these. One idea is to make a scrapbook of memories. Another idea is to do volunteer work in memory of your loved one. You could also give some of your loved one's possessions to a needy family.

Virgil found a way to release his feelings after his wife died: "She died in April, and on Mother's Day the kids wanted to take flowers and go to her grave and just express how they felt. So we sat around the grave site and shared our feelings."

Releasing is not forgetting; it is the act of setting free. Your loved one was such a blessing to you.  Cherish the memories, but pass the blessing on to someone else now.

"Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8).

Lord, I am ready to experience freedom. All that I have been hanging on to, I release in Your name. Show me where to go from here. Amen. 

Experiencing Closure - Day 236

Experiencing Closure

Day 236

By now you have recognized that everyone grieves in different ways and for different amounts of time. closure is also an individual experience. Closure in grief is when a particular struggle, emotion, or problem either ends or gets to a place where you are free to move on from it. 

For some people closure occurs over a long period of time. For others, it occurs at specific moments. Closure can come through the words or comfort of another person, an important memory, a letter, a graveside visit, a Scripture, a new understanding, financial help, or a service to another. God will provide a healing closure for you, and He will bless you in that closure. Pray for closure and look for it. 

In this biblical account, God blessed the widow with financial provision and by enabling her to keep her sons at home when she feared she could not. 

"My husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves." Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?" "Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil." Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side."

She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one." But he replied, "There is not a jar left." Then the oil stopped flowing. (2 Kings 4:1-6).

This financial provision was enough to pay off all her debts and to bring an end to the desperate economic crisis that her husband's death introduced. 

God will help you to find closure for the many struggles you face in grief. Keep in mind, though, that God provides for each person in different ways. He will meet your needs in His time and by His perfect plan. 

Holy Spirit, bring me to the point of closure and peace so that I can think of my loved one with a smile on my face and reassurance in my heart. Amen. 

Resuming Life - Day 235

Resuming Life

Day 235

When a loved one dies, the week of the funeral is usually very busy. It is filled with details and obligations and visits from friends. But in the weeks and months that follow, if you are honest, you may be surprised to see those around you resuming their normal, everyday lives. You may feel, "How could they?"

Yet you know this is natural. Life does go on, but you may wonder how you will ever be part of that life again. You cannot merely "turn off" your grief; you will carry a part of that grief with you always. But as you walk through your grief journey, you must take conscious steps forward each day. 

Jodie, whose husband died, says, "I got tired of getting up the next morning with puffy eyes and all of that, and I thought, You know, there's got to be an end to this. But all I could do was just keep asking the Lord, 'Lord please just help me get over this. Please just get me to a point where I can handle it.'

"Slowly I got better. But every once in a while the feelings will come, and I just know that the Lord collects those tears, and they're special to Him. Just cry out to the Lord because He's the healer."

Let the Scriptures motivate you to press on forward.

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained" (Philippians 3:14-16).

Lord Jesus, guide me in Your Word and show me what You want me to do today. Empower me with Your Spirit to live. Amen. 

The Time Must Come - Day 234

The Time Must Come

Day 234

A Person in the grieving process should never be rushed by others. You need to fully process your feelings and emotions, and you should not feel guilty about taking the time to do that. However, in order to proceed with healing, there will come a time when you have to say, "Enough. It is time to move on."

Your sinful nature will resist this movement because it always wants the path of least resistance. It is easier to give in to self-pity or other negative emotions than to get involved in activities where you have to deal with other people. But moving back into life is God's plan for you, and His Spirit will help you do this. 

"For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want" (Galatians 5:17).

Holy Spirit, I've had enough. It is time to move on. Lead me forward in strength, so that I will not give in to my weakened emotional state. Amen.

Making Progress - Day 233

Making Progress
Day 233

You probably know what it is like to be stuck in a traffic jam. At such times you wonder, "What is the problem? Why aren't things moving on?" Yet there is a reason, even when you cannot see what it is. If you have found yourself stuck in grief, making no progress day after day or month after month, there's a reason for the gridlock.

Think back to the healing suggestions that have been discussed the previous few days. Have you acted on any of these suggestions? These ideas will help you make forward progress.

1. Write out your memories.
2. Address unresolved issues. 
3. Acknowledge hidden grief. 
4. Release your emotions. 
5. Look for the exceptions to your sorrow. 
6. Make a conscious decision each day to move forward.

On your journey through grief you will experience some delays and detours, but it is important that you do not get stuck at any partial level of healing. 

"I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes. I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands" (Psalm 119:59-60).

God, through my pain, I turn to You, and I will move forward. Amen. 

Decide to Move Forward - Day 232

Decide to Move Forward
Day 232

The most important thing to understand if you are stuck in grief is that only you can make the decision to get unstuck. Only you can make the decision to move on.

Dr. Tim Clinton observes, "You close yourself off from interactions in life that normally would be healthy for you. You're so sorrowed that you close your world in. You start disengaging from life to control your world. But the more you disengage, the more you've cut off that life supply."

Choose to move forward in your grief -- rebuild relationships, serve others in your community, express your emotions, share your story, begin a new sport, hobby, or activity. Your effort to control your life and cut off relational ties will not help anyone, least of all you.

When Ruth lost her husband, she did not disengage from life. Boaz commented on this and said  to Ruth, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband -- how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge" (Ruth 2:11-12).  Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David through whose physical lineage came Jesus.

Jesus, I know that I must move on. I am making the decision right now to get myself unstuck from this place in my grief. I need You to replenish my life supply. Amen. 

Look for the Exceptions - Day 231

Look for the Exceptions
Day 231

Think of something good that has happened to you lately. If you do not feel you can label anything as good, think instead of the "exceptions" to your sorrow.  Think of any times this past week when you were not focused on your sorrow. What were you doing during those times?

"The mind can't occupy itself with two thoughts at a time," says Jim Grassi. "If you focus on those things that are good and pure and right and fun and new and exciting and challenging, it's going to be harder for those other thoughts to seep into your head."

Your healing journey will contain positives, or exceptions to the negative, as you continue forward. Teach yourself to recognize these forward steps.

"A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps" (Proverbs 14:15).

Lord, I know I cannot walk aimlessly through grief; it is too tangled and torturous. Show me the positive steps I have made so far so I can be encouraged by them. Amen. 

Release Your Emotions - Day 230

Release Your Emotions
Day 230

Barbara Johnson shares practical advice that she had once given to a woman who could not stop crying because of grief. Her plan involves accelerating your emotions by releasing them for a set time each day. She says, "This woman worked at a department store, and she was selling clothes. And she was crying all over the clothes. She said, 'I just can't stop crying. I'm just crying all the time.'

"I said, 'Well, go into your room and be sure you're home alone. Turn on some sad music. Lock the door. And then just pound the pillow and cry and grieve and let the emotions out. Set a timer for thirty minutes. Then every day lessen the timer one minute. By the end of thirty days you will have exhausted yourself with all this crying.'

"She called me after about a week and she said, 'Barbara, that really worked. I mean, I've only done it a week, and I can even work all day at the store and I don't even cry on the clothes anymore.'

"So, it does help when you can ventilate and drain some of that abscess and pain out. See, tears are a good escape. I think God sent us tears as an escape measure. We need to cry."

Release your tears for a time, but learn to compose yourself for other times.

"This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you" (2 Kings 20:5).

Sometimes, Lord, I just have to cry. Amen.

~ Don't I know it! I don't really get much time to be in the house alone being a single mom. But, after Justice is in bed for the night, I find a sad movie and can release at that time. I try not to be sad around him. I don't want to burden him with my sadness, because I've told him that heaven is a beautiful place and that is where Mimi and Auntie Boobies are. He asked me if they would come back and I told him that it is such a wonderful place that it would be mean to ask them to. He asked if he could go to that wonderful place and I was all .. ummm no. Because you will in your own time, but right now it is time to be here and live life on earth.

Acknowledge Hidden Grief – Day 229

Acknowledge Hidden Grief

Day 229

Hidden losses-miscarriages, abortions, stillbirths-bring deep grief that can be difficult to move forward from. You may feel that those around you are reacting far too tightly to this loss. You may even try to hide your grief, unsure of it.

Your grief is real and justified. Despite what others are thinking or saying to you, you must give yourself permission to grieve. The Bible holds all human life to be equally valuable-from the womb to the final seconds of life and beyond.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:13-16).

Creator God, my pain is deep, and I hide it from others. But, Lord, I acknowledge this grief to You, and I pray for healing on my journey. Amen. 

Address Unresolved Issues – Day 228

Address Unresolved Issues

Day 228

Having unresolved issues with the person that died will cause you to be stuck in grief. These issues may be petty disagreements over work or family life, or they could be deep-rooted conflicts that were never settled. You can still settle those issues in your own heart.

“You can’t get unstuck from grief until you deal with the issues that stuck and gummed things up in the first place,” says Dr. Ray Pritchard.

To complete the grieving process, you must go back and deal with unresolved issues. These matters can be resolved. A pastor, counselor, or support group may help you with this.

You could also write a letter to the loved one with whom you had the disagreement or misunderstanding. Give details and ask for forgiveness. Because the person you lost cannot read the letter or respond to you, this exercise is totally for your benefit. Finally, tear up the letter. The matter is settled and finished. You can do no more.

Tell God about these conflicts. Tell Him what the disagreement was, how you felt then, and how you feel now.

“Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together” (Isaiah 43:26).

Lord God, I keep thinking, If only. But I cannot go back, so I must go forward with Your help. Lead me to a Christian counselor or support group that can help me settle the issues causing such turmoil in my heart. But first, Lord, let me tell You all about it …

Write Your Memories – Day 227

Write Your Memories

Day 227

Writing down your memories is a way to become unstuck if you are stuck in grief. Set aside a regular time to write out all the positive experiences you can remember that include your loved one. One memory will lead to another, and you will have much to write. This exercise shines light on the positive memories, which will help you keep the negative memories in perspective.

“When you lose someone,” says Dr. H. Norman Wright, “what you have left basically are the memories. At first they’re so sharp that they hurt. In time those memories begin to dull. They diminish. That in itself is another loss that you have to go through. In writing about it, you don’t lose those memories. They’re always there in black and white.”

Writing down memories is a special process that takes time and courage.

“For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you” (2 Corinthians 2:4).

Lord, give me the discipline and the courage to sit down and write out special memories about my loved one. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Frozen in Grief – Day 226

Frozen in Grief

Day 226

Grief freezes you in a place; it freezes your emotions, and it can become so bad that you are trapped in a prison of your own making.

In the North when the first frost of the season comes, the lakes begin to ice over. At this point the ice can still be broken or thawed. But as the winter season progresses, layers of ice build up until the lake is so solid that even a truck can drive across it.

Dr. John Trent uses this image to help us understand how, over time, you can become frozen in layer after layer of grief if you do not deal with your emotions and your negative mental images as they come. He says, “You get all those images and pictures built up, and the ice can be thick. So whether you’re frozen or whether you’re stuck, the key to thawing things out is like how the spring comes. It comes when we turn the warmth of the sun, in this case God’s Son, on those negative pictures.”

For each negative emotion, each image that plays and replays itself in your mind, you must express it and let God’s Son melt it with His love.

“He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow” (Psalm 147:18).

Heavenly God, shine Your Sonlight on my thoughts and emotions today. Thaw this block of ice that imprisons me, and free me to move again. Amen.

Good Grief – Day 225

Good Grief

Day 225

Good grief is accepting the fact that your loved one has died, accepting the sorrow and pain, and knowing there is more to come. Good grief is getting through the days, the months, and, eventually through the years.

Dr. Erwin Lutz says, “There was a young woman who saw me for counsel. She was madly in love with her husband, and he died unexpectedly. She was contemplating suicide. She said, ‘I simply cannot live. I want to die, and I want to be with him. That’s all that I care about.’ So I explained to hear that what she needed to do was to get through her first year. I promised her that the sun would shine again.

“She saw me several months later, and she said, ‘You know, the sun is beginning to shine. I have now discovered I can make it without him.’ And she’s on her way. Grief takes time but you will find it gets better, and you must recognize that it is a period of transition to a brand-new kind of life for you.”

Your life will never be the same again, but you will get through the grief. The grieving process is a transition into your new life.

“He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age” (Ruth 4:15).

Lord, I did not want a new life. I liked my old one just fine, but I understand that going back is not an option. Therefore, Lord, I will move forward. Teach me to seek You and embrace You and grow in this new life. Amen. 

Bad Grief – Day 224

Bad Grief

Day 224

Grief is a process. A process is a series of actions and gradual changes that one progresses through. The grieving process involves forward movement – going from one emotion, one level, one day to the next.

There is such a thing as good grief. It involves identifying the loss, recognizing the grieving process, accepting that life will never be the same, and continuing forward on the journey. There is also bad grief: continually thinking about the person that died and refusing to let him or her go.

“Let me give you an example of bad grief,” says Dr. Erwin Lutzer. “Here’s a woman whose husband has been dead for fifteen years, and she will not touch his study, but leaves it exactly as he left it, fearing that if she were to touch it or sell the books, it would be a sign of dishonor and disrespect.

“Let me give you another example of bad grief. A woman convinced her husband to go to a concert that he didn’t want to go to. So they go to this concert, and he’s killed in a car accident. For fourteen years she goes to his grave every single morning, bemoaning the fact that she convinced him to go to something that he didn’t want to go to. That grief is not of God. That is bad grief.”

Grief that is not of God will not bring healing and peace. Humble yourself before God, and seek His forgiveness if you have a preoccupation with your lost loved one and have refused to let him or her go.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

Holy God, it is hard to let go. Forgive me for holding on so tightly. Help me to release my feelings and fears and to look for Your ray of sunshine each day. Amen. 

How Your Perception of God Affects You – Day 223

How Your Perception of God Affects You

Day 223

Points to think about:

• Your identity, security, and confidence are all deeply woven into your perception of God.
• You may have a false perception of God because of the human tendency to project onto Him the unloving characteristics of people you have looked up to.
• You may believe that God is going to treat you as others do.
• Your perception of God must come from the Scriptures and not from your past relationships, some of which may have been very harmful.

Robert McGee in Search of Significance says, “There have been many times in my life when I felt that God was going to punish me by causing me to lose all that I had, either because I’d done something I shouldn’t have, or because I failed to do something I should have. This erroneous perception of God had driven me away from Him on many occasions when I’ve needed Him most, and is completely contrary to the One whom Paul describes as the ‘Father of mercies and God of all comfort [2 Corinthians 1:3]’” (Word Publishing, 1998).

Father God, my relationship with You is not about my effort to obey or to be a good Christian; it is about who You are and who I can be through You. Amen.

Inviting Christ into Your Life – Day 222

Inviting Christ into Your Life

Day 222

Surrendering your life to Christ is a step of faith and an act of will. God is most interested in the sincerity of your heart and not the words you pray.  He recognizes a genuine desire to surrender to Him.

“I know that in your heart if you say, ‘Jesus, I believe in You. I know that You’re my Savior,’ He hears it. He hears your heart,” says Cindy Morgan. “I think He pays a lot more attention to your heart than your words.”

Invite Christ into your life today. He gave His life for you.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:6-10).

Lord Jesus, thank you for saving me from this old life and giving me a new life in You. Amen. 

A Heart of Peace – Day 221

A Heart of Peace

Day 221

The phenomenal result of worshiping God and submitting to His Lordship is that you experience peace in your heart, a peace that goes deeper than the circumstances around you.

Phyllis, whose sister died, says, “Daily the Lord was providing me with spiritual bread. I still was looking for that pouring out of His grace and peace, and I just expected any time I was going to have this overwhelming feeling of peace in my life, but it was not like that. It was just a day-by-day supplying of the bread that I needed for that day.”

After her husband’s death, Jodie says, “I also experienced a lot of peace from the Lord after I started throwing these things at His feet because I knew I couldn’t handle them. His peace that passes all understanding was very real to me.”

The Bible describes God’s peace as a peace that “transcends all understanding,” or “surpasses all comprehension” (Philippians 4:7). This is the only kind of peace that can flow deeper than pain and sorrow.

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27 NASB).

Giving Father, I pray for Your peace in my life. Amen. 

What Is at the Center of Your Life? – Day 220

What Is at the Center of Your Life?

Day 220

In the solar system, planets have a predictable orbit because the sun is a stable gravitational “center”. Imagine what would happen to those planets if the sun suddenly disappeared.

You, too, need a stable center for your life, or your life could go spinning off into orbit. Perhaps you feel as if you are floating crazily and aimlessly right now.

Take care not to place another person at the center of your life; your life cannot revolve around a person because no matter how much that individual loves you, he or she is fallible and can unintentionally fail you.

Dee Brestin says, “Put your trust in God. It sounds simplistic. I think that often particularly women have a tendency toward depending on people instead of God. They cling too tightly. They don’t think they will ever be alone. They almost tend to make that person like God, and they’re shocked when that person either lets them down or dies. How important it is to know that you have a Friend who is closer than a brother, who will never let you down and will never die.”

In the end, only on this is permanent. Your relationship with God, if you have one, cannot be taken away. Because this relationship is so critical to your stability, it’s important to know for sure that you have the kind of relationship with Him that will ensure He is permanently in the center of your life.

“Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you” (Psalm 9:10).

Lord God, You will never leave me or let me down. Forgive me for placing other people and things at the center of my life. I want You as my secure foundation. Amen. 

Security – Day 219

Security

Day 219

When you believe in Jesus and receive Him, you are ushered into the most secure position in the universe. It does not mean things will be easy, but it does mean He will always be with you and sustain you.

The boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified.

“It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.

“You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:24-33).

Your security is in Christ. You are safe and empowered when you remain in Him.

“The more you focus on the problem, on the bad thing that is happening to you, your life just goes down, down, down,” says Anne Graham Lotz. “It’s like Peter when he was walking on the waves. When he started looking at the waves and all of his circumstances, he started to sink. He started to go down, and he needed to keep his eyes on Christ.”

Lord, I lift my eyes to You. Keep me from focusing on the negative, and teach me to embrace the good, which is only in You. Amen.

Yielding to His Lordship – Day 218

Yielding to His Lordship

Day 218

God is not a therapist; He is not just someone you approach to make it through a difficult time. He is Lord and Savior. Your greatest joy will come when you yield your whole life to Him.

“Know that you have to leave it up to Him, and you have no control over life or death- that’s what sustained me through it all,” says Gretchen, whose husband died.

When you honor Him as God, you are better able to accept the circumstances of life.

“Woe is me for my hurt! My wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it” (Jeremiah 10:19 KJV).

Father, yielding to Your Lordship is difficult for me, but I want to give my every thought and effort to You, not just to get me through the rough times, but as an act of worship to You. Amen.

Learning to Worship – Day 217

Learning to Worship

Day 217

You were created to worship God. Worship means to honor or reverence; to regard with great or extravagant respect or devotion (Merriam-Webster). Do these words describe your response to God?

Dr. Ray Pritchard says, “I would define worship in the broadest sense as the soul’s response to God. It is anything that I do in my soul where I am truly aware of my heavenly Father, and I am turning to Him in the time of need. It might be with joy. It might be with praise. But very often it’s with a broken heart.

“I think that those moments when you have lost someone very precious to you, God is honored when deep inside you turn to Him and cry out, ‘Oh God, oh Lord, You are awesome. Your ways are beyond finding out. Lord, I do not understand, but I bow before You because You are an awesome God.’ That to me is worship.”

Hezekiah was a king who trusted God with wholehearted devotion both in good times and in bad. The Bible records that “there was no one like him among all the kings to Judah, either before him or after him” (2 Kings 18:5). Even in the midst of bitter tears, Hezekiah approached God with a reverent, worshipful heart, and God heard his prayer: “’ Remember, O 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).

O Lord, my heart cries out to You. I worship You with reverence. You are Lord of all. Amen. 

Seeking to Know God – Day 216

Seeking to Know God

Day 216

In today’s culture, people are typically unaware of the daily urgency of living for God. It is imperative to choose to live for Christ today because you do not know if you will be given another chance to decide. You do not know what the future holds. The only certainty is that those who surrender their lives to Christ will be given the gift and the hope of a glorious eternal life with Him.

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24).

If you have already made the decision to commit your life to Christ, where are you in that commitment? Do not be content with a shallow faith and basic biblical knowledge. Delve into the Bible, search the Scriptures, pray powerfully, and listen carefully to what God is longing to teach you.

“Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: ‘How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you’” (Proverbs 1:20-23).

Mighty God, I am not content to continue in my own simple ways. I want to know You as I have never known You before. Amen. 

Contemplate the Cross – Day 215

Contemplate the Cross

Day 215

“The clearest demonstration of the love of God is the cross,” says Dr. Larry Crabb. “Without an understanding of the cross, you’re never going to get God’s love clear in your mind.

Do you feel unlovable? Have people turned away from you in your grief? Has anyone glibly offered to pray for you and shared Scripture with you without really taking time to listen to you? Have you heard the story of what Jesus did on the cross, but do not feel it personally? Instead of focusing on how inadequate other people are at expressing their love for you, direct your attention to the cross of Christ. Take time to listen to its message of love.

Crabb continues, “This hanging on the cross is the richest, clearest, most convincing demonstration of God’s love. Without contemplating the cross and looking at it, Christians, you draw the wrong conclusions sometimes.”

Direct your attention to the cross at Calvary. Here is where you are reconciled to God, where you receive the fullness of Christ through His shed blood. If you continued to direct your focus to the cross throughout the day, the next day, and the days after that, you would know without a doubt His love for you. You would begin to live your life on a higher plane.

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [Jesus Christ], and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:19-20).

Loving God, the Bible says that it was Your pleasure to reconcile me to You through this amazing sacrifice on the cross. Help me to focus on the cross and to understand the intense personal significance that I will find there. Amen. 

His Love – Day 214

His Love

Day 214

When you surrender your life to Christ Jesus, you become wholly aware of His great love for you. Your past sins are wiped away, and you can be assured that He will never leave you.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him’” (Lamentations 3:22-24 RSV).

God loves you so much that there is nothing you can do to cause Him to turn away from you. He is always there for you; He is your hope; and He is all you need.

Dr. Larry Crabb says, “Christ is looking at you and saying, ‘Take the worst discouragement that you ever felt, the deepest pain you ever felt, the worst sin you ever committed. Combine them all and they are not enough to make Me move away from you.’”

Father God, I’m so glad that You will never leave me. You love me so much; I can barely comprehend it. Yes, Lord, my hope is in You. Amen.

Accepting His Love – Day 213

Accepting His Love

Day 213

Most people find it easy to believe that God loves other people, but the Bible says that the heavenly Father loves each person the same. You can be confident of His love for you.

Bruce Marchiano says, “If you can take the way you feel about your kids and multiply it a billion times, you might begin to come close to the way He feels about you.”

Accept His love right now. Close your eyes in prayer and ask His Spirit to fill you with his love. There is no greater joy than to know His love.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are” (1 John 3:1 NASB).

Heavenly Father, Your love for me is larger than comprehension. What a wondrous love this is! I am Your blessed child! Amen.