What you don’t know CAN hurt you. I have just come through a serious respiratory illness that suddenly appeared without warning. After several months, I was getting worse and worse, and not only did my symptoms get so severe that I was struggling to breathe, my doctors could not even…
Have you ever had one of those days when you’re feeling all the emotions? One evening, as I was walking my dog, I felt my emotions rising to the surface. They had been simmering within me for a while. Disappointment. Discouragement. Worry. Anger. I doubted my purpose. I wondered if…
“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” James 1:19 Pause Pray Proceed The first time I read those three words it was as if a lightbulb went off in my mind. So simple, yet so…
Happiness is fleeting. As much as we’d all like to say we’re happy every single moment, that’s simply not the truth. So many things in life can toy with our emotions. Situations we face, people we encounter, news we hear about — all of these can uplift, discourage or frustrate…
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible) Women tend to be emotional. This is how God designed us. He gave us His Word to…
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV) Women tend to be emotional. This is how God designed us. He gave us His Word to help us deal with our emotions when they…
“And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.” (Luke 8:24-25 in the King James Version)
Like the disciples of Jesus on board a capsizing ship, we must recognize that God is the authority in our life. When you feel like you’re going to drown, call out to the Master, the captain of your soul! He can silence your fear and quiet your emotions. Take courage. Your life is in His hands.
Prayer: Mighty God, By simply saying, “Peace, be still!” all of my anxiety and raging thoughts give way to the calm reassurance of Your voice. You are my Master!
Devotion to Julie Long
God has scars too. Sometimes I forget that and try to hide mine. I often feel that I’m the only one who has known rejection, shame, and pain.
That isn’t true though. Jesus was beaten and died on a cross because He loved us. He was misunderstood, hated, and gossiped about. He was all too familiar with pain and suffering.
The Bible tells us that He was tempted by the same things that we are today. He understands when we struggle, feeling discouraged and wounded (Hebrews 4:15). Because He has been-there-done-that, we don’t have to worry about bringing our problems and concerns to Him. We know he cares and understands.
Prayer: Lord, You knew that it was like to be hungry, tired, and pressured. You walked on earth, died for our sins, and rose again so that we might have a new life. Thank you for the gift of Your love.
Devotion by Bonnie Peacock