In my marriage, there have been many times when I wanted to speak negatively towards my spouse and define him by his mistakes.

God has been reminding me that we can speak what we see, or speak what God wants us to do in our circumstances and in that person.

When we choose to speak life-giving and kind words, we partner with what God wants to do in our circumstances and in that person.

Our words, too have the power to bring life to a weary soul and healing to the body. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”

As a mother and wife, I have to constantly remind myself to speak with the law of kindness in my tongue. Proverbs 31:26 says, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.” ‭‭

I can easily be overcritical with my family, but I am reminded that as a godly woman, I am to speak with grace and kindness, and not out of irritation or bitterness.

Invite the Holy Spirit to be quick to convict you when you are about to speak something that would grieve Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, we are not only called to speak kindly to our family, but with those we serve and minister to. God reminds us as servants of God to correct others with patience and kindness (2 Timothy 2:24).

Let Faith fuel your Words

As a planner, I naturally speak based on what I see and expect from my work. While it is wise to plan and work for the results you want, God has also been reminding me not to forget what His works and ability can do. 

God can do anything.

He can use 5 loaves and 2 fish to feed 5,000 people. He can heal incurable people without any logical reason from doctors.

We serve the God of the impossible.

“With man, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). God invites us to partner with Him in our works and faith. Faith begins with the words we speak.

Our natural tendency is to speak what we see or expect, but if we want to partner with what God wants to do, our words need to align with faith.

Faith is believing without seeing. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The source of our faith can only come from God.

As we seek God to fill us with His faith, we will then have the faith to partner with God through the words we speak and pray.

Your words have the power to bring life or death to your circumstances. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Be careful of what you speak towards yourself, spouse, children, and circumstances. Your words have the power to shape what you will see.

I remember when my husband pulled a muscle in the beginning years of our marriage and said, “Great, I am not going to be able to bend down and walk normally for the next 2 weeks”.

I was quick to correct his words and said, “No, you will be able to walk after we drive and get to our next destination today.“

By God’s grace, my husband was able to walk normally within the next hour! I am not saying that anything you say will happen just because you say it, but our duty is always to speak God’s will and Word in every circumstance, no matter what we see. When we understand the power of words, our lives will reflect the kingdom of God.

Sometimes, God does not answer our prayers because of our wrong motives. James 4:3 says, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

Be intentional to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal your motives that you may leave room for Him to create in you a clean heart (Psalm 51:10). Let faith continue to fuel the power of our words.

Build up others with your Words

Your words have the power to impart grace to those who hear them. This means your words can bring God’s supernatural strength and encouragement to others — to give people the grace from God to do what they need to do. 

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

Our words are powerful. As we meditate on scriptures that speak on the power of our words, may we be more watchful of what comes out of our mouths. Your words have the power to build people up or tear people down. Use your words wisely.

No matter how intense or angry you may feel, choose to speak kind words to one another. You have access to the fruit of the Spirit as you yield to the Holy Spirit and deny your flesh. You have self-control in how you respond to people and circumstances (Galatians 5:22-23).

Our words matter to Jesus. May we be aware of His nearness and speak words that are full of life and truth.

So remember the power of words.

Prayer: Jesus, in every conversation, help me to choose words that reflect Your love. Guard my mouth from speech that may hurt others and teach me to speak in alignment with Your will. Teach me to know the power of our words. Fill my heart with faith so that my words may build others up and give You room to move.

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Hardships are not bad when we use them as an opportunity to find God’s power and strength to sustain us.

My second labor with my newborn was much harder than my first one. I was expecting it to be easier because I came into it with more faith than during my labor with my first child.

To my surprise, this second time around was so painful that I didn’t think I could continue delivering my baby without an epidural. Praise God that by the time I did ask for an epidural, I was already 9.5 cm dilated and ready to push my baby out. 

I questioned why God didn’t give me a painless delivery, but in my questioning, God reminded me of the beauty of my hard labor which was seeing God’s miraculous power sustain me through. 

Paul in the Bible went through many hardships yet he was able to find contentment through Jesus. Paul says in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Christ who gives me strength.”

Jesus was the key to helping Paul go through hard times.

As we cling to Jesus during hard times, we will find His strength sustain us through. The beauty of hardships is that it allows us see that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. 

Speak this over yourself: I can do all this through Christ who gives me strength. 

No matter what you are facing, will you look to Jesus and trust in His power to sustain you?

You can do all things through Jesus who gives you strength.

When you’re facing hard times, instead of complaining, take joy and remember that there is an opportunity for you to grow in perseverance and come out stronger in the Lord. God reminds us in James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

We can rejoice as we go through hardships when we remember that God works all things out for our good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Sometimes the good work God is doing through us may not be comfortable, but we are being conformed into the image of Jesus.

The beauty of hardships is seeing Jesus sustain us and seeing ourselves become more like Jesus. God is close to the brokenhearted and it is during hard times that we can gain deeper revelations of God’s love for us through Jesus.

Paul in the Bible went through many hardships such as beatings and prison. At one point, many believed he had died from being stoned and dragged outside the city, yet after His disciples surrounded him, Paul got up and went back on a mission to share the gospel (Acts 14:19-20).

Paul went through hardships and was hard-pressed, yet not crushed. 

How? Because of the power of Jesus working in Him and through Him. 

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:7-11, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

Our bodies are just earthen vessels (or like jars of clay that are easily breakable), yet we can be hard-pressed but not crushed, confused but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, and struck down but not destroyed because of the power of God living in us through Jesus.

It’s easy to question God’s love for us when we are going through hard times. We may think, “Where is God? Why am I going through this pain?”

While our hardships and pain may be real, we must remember that God too is real and still with us. 

Our hardships are opportunities for us to find God real and see His power and grace sustain us when we could never persevere without Him. We can conquer our hardships and not be crushed through the love and power of Jesus. 

Will you look to Jesus for strength no matter what you are facing? Will you trust that He is for you and not against you?

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬-‭32‬).

Nothing can separate you from God’s love — not even hardships. Jesus tells us that we will face hardships but that we can have courage because He has overcome the world, which means that we too will overcome our hardships through Jesus. 

Romans 8‬:‭35‬, ‭37‬-‭39‬ says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Through Christ, we can conquer our hardships by persevering. Our perseverance is proof of God’s love sustaining us.

Remember what Romans 8:27 says, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Not even death can separate us from God’s love because in Jesus we have eternal life. Trust that Jesus is always with you. Lean on His Word and strength when times get hard and you will find His love real to sustain you. Ask the Holy Spirit for Bible verses for strength and courage in difficult times.

So remember, there is beauty in hardships. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being our strength in times of hardship. Help us to see the beauty in every trial as You sustain and transform us through Your love. Teach us to trust in Your power and rejoice, knowing that nothing can separate us from Your unfailing love.

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Bible verses for strength and courage in difficult times

• “But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
• “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13
• “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
• “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
• “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” – Psalm 91:1-6
• “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” – Psalm 23:1

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Contentment in the Bible verses

• ” I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:11-13

• “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” – 1 Timothy 6:6-7

• “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “‘Never will I leave you;never will I forsake you.’” – Hebrews 13:5-6

• “”And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19

• “…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

• “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” – Psalm 103:2-5

We are prone to stress and grumble when we do things without Jesus. My days can get super busy, especially with a toddler and newborn, but as I take time to slow down my thoughts and look to Jesus, I am filled with His peace and love.

When complaints arise in my mind, I am reminded to fill my thoughts with gratitude as I look to Jesus. I find that negative thoughts leave as I fill my heart with gratitude for Jesus and His love for me. 

When negative thoughts come, that is our cue to turn to abide in Jesus.

With Jesus, we can overcome negative thoughts that come our way. The flesh will always gravitate us towards grumbling and finding the wrongs in our lives, but we are to put off our fleshy desires and put on Christ (Ephesians 4:24). Jesus invites us to abide in Him always so that we may bear fruit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). 

Life is not always easy, but with Jesus, we can persevere and still bear fruit through difficult times.

Jesus says in John 15:4, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” Remember that Jesus is always with you. Jesus promises that we will bear fruit as we abide in Him, even during dry and trying times. You can fellowship with the One who is the source of rivers of living water.

The word “abide” means to remain or to cling to. 

So how do we abide in Christ? By choosing to cling to Him in our thoughts and actions. When circumstances tempt us to complain and pull away from Jesus, we must choose to remain in Jesus by encompassing all that He is such as being patient and kind.

To follow Jesus will require us to deny ourselves and carry up our cross (our willingness to die to our fleshly desires). Jesus says in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

If we want to abide in Jesus, we must deny our fleshly desires and choose to walk by the Spirit in our thoughts and actions.

Our natural instinct is to do things with our own strength and ability. This is why sometimes God lets us go through challenges and asks us to do things beyond what we can do to show us that it is through Christ that we can do all things. 

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” In our weakness, we can still experience the grace and transformative power of Jesus as we choose to yield to Jesus. 

No matter the hardships you are going through, remember that God’s strength is available for you. As you abide in Jesus and choose to lay aside your worries and whatever is of the flesh, you will find His supernatural strength.

Make this your prayer: Jesus, help me to do nothing apart from You.

Remember that you are not alone and God is here to help you live a victorious life through Jesus. God says in Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected so that we too can die in the bondage of sin and instead experience a life of freedom in Christ here on earth and for eternity.

We are called to live with God’s perspective and not our own. When we see from His perspective, we can believe in big things and have faith in the impossible. Ephesians 2:6 says, “and He raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” 

When we accept Jesus as our Savior and abide in Him, we get to see from His perspective — a heavenly perspective. By the Holy Spirit, we have access to the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16). 

Let us not dwell on negative thoughts but instead ask the Holy Spirit to show us His perspective.

May our knowledge of God through the Holy Spirit cause us to be kind, patient, thankful, gentle, long-suffering, faithful, and filled with self-control. Colossians 1:9-12 says, “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”

Let us not continue to live in our flesh, but rather walk by the Spirit that we may inherit eternal life with Jesus. 

God has given us His Spirit to strengthen us and conform us to His image — the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). All we need to do is yield to the Holy Spirit and we will see Him strengthen us. So remember, abide in Christ.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for calming our minds and spirits when negative thoughts arise. May we always stay connected to you when life becomes too hard and always trust in Your ability. 

Listen to our Podcast “How To Abide In Christ”

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God will allow tests and trials in our lives to purify our hearts. He has an amazing way of turning what was meant for our harm for our good as we choose to abide in Jesus. 

Coming back from our missions trip this summer was amazing, but we faced a hard time flying back because my husband and I got food poisoning the moment we stepped into the airplane.

On top of this, we were flying with a toddler. My husband started grumbling and questioning whether the mission trip was worth it, and I too found myself complaining and upset.

It wasn’t until I stopped my negative thinking to tune in to the Holy Spirit that I could see my response was not godly at all. God showed me that my complaints only blinded me from seeing God’s goodness on this trip and even through our hardship with the food poisoning.

As I stopped complaining, God showed me that His grace was with us through our hardships. Our long layover gave me enough time to go to the hospital and we even ended up having a whole empty row to ourselves in the airplane which helped our daughter to sleep well and gave us space to access our bags easily. 

With Jesus, I saw this trial as an opportunity to purify my heart from complaining and selfishness.

Even when things don’t look good, remember that Jesus is still with us. He promises us in Matthew 28:20 that He will be with us always, even until the very end of age. 

When fear and discouragement creep in, look at Jesus and remember the hope you have in Him. Jesus is still in the picture during both the good and bad times.

When you accept Jesus as your Savior and abide in Jesus, you become His child whom He will never let go. He is for you here on earth and until eternity. As children of God, we have no reason to ever worry or fear. Whether we are sick or see circumstances not changing in our favor, we can rest in faith believing that God always has the best in store for us.

In Mark 4 we see the disciples traveling on a boat with Jesus during a bad storm. The waves broke over the boat which caused the boat to be nearly swamped (Mark 4:37). 

Jesus was asleep, so they woke him up in fear and said, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38)

Jesus then got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He then says to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:38-40). 

The disciples responded and said, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41). 

The disciples forgot Jesus who is God and who loves them in the midst of the storm. Let us not forget the Jesus who is with us in the midst of our hardships. No matter what storm we may face, we can call for Jesus with faith as we remember who He is.

Giving thanks helps us to acknowledge that Jesus is still in the picture. Jesus tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to give thanks in all circumstances because apart from thanksgiving, we cannot see nor abide in Jesus.

When things get hard and circumstances don’t go our way, that is our time to give thanks in all circumstances and find Jesus. Just because things go bad does not mean Jesus has left us. He promises to always be with us (Deuteronomy 31:6). 

Jesus tells us that we will face troubles but to take heart because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). This means that we can always have hope because our end story as children of God is victorious. We will reign with Him forevermore despite what we face today. Jesus is coming back to judge the world and make every wrong thing right (2 Timothy 4:1).

Even when things look bad, we can still have hope because Jesus is still in the picture. We know the end story for us as children of God — we will reign with Jesus for eternity. 

Revelation 5:10 says, “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

We must remember that our lives in the flesh are temporary. Eternity however will be forever and we are promised to reign with Jesus where there will be no crying or pain (Revelation 21:4).

We too can have hope that here on earth God will turn everything that was meant for our harm for our good. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Jesus is with us and for us always. So remember, in the midst of the storm Jesus is still in the picture. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for never abandoning us. Help us to give thanks in all circumstances and find you wherever we are. We will look at You through the hard times and continue to trust that You will turn things around for our good. 

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My weakness is worrying. I always have to remind myself to stop worrying when I catch myself falling into negative thinking. 

It seemed impossible for me to believe that I could find 24/7 rest until Jesus led me to Matthew 11:28 which says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

I realized that Jesus was inviting me to rest by taking upon His yoke and learning from Him. 

The key to finding 24/7 rest is to follow what Jesus is doing 24/7. He is inviting us to be yoked with Him. In the old days, 2 oxen would be attached together by a yoke to help carry heavy objects for farming.

We now are invited by Jesus to be yoked with Him so that we don’t have to bear the weight of life and our worries. Jesus makes it clear that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). 

As I started to look to Jesus in every moment of every day and seek what He was thinking and doing, I found His ways never led me to worry but rather to peace and stillness.

There have been times when I wanted to finish something for work or errands, but instead, I listened to Jesus and put it off for tomorrow and found that I had enough time the next day. This prevented me from stressing the day prior and allowed me to rest well.

This is just one example of how following Jesus has led me to peace and how He too can lead you to peace. 

Many times we spend time with Jesus to find rest then leave our time with Jesus and ignore His voice and leading. This leads us to be back in distress rather than rest. 

If we want 24/7 peace, we need to practice learning from Jesus throughout the day and follow His leadership.

The only way to find peace and be filled with faith is to look to Jesus. He is the one who established our faith and is the only one who can perfect it. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer, and perfecter of faith.”

When you find yourself starting to stress and worry, that is your cue to look to Jesus and align your heart with His heart. We can only persevere with peace during hardships by fixing our eyes on Jesus. Only He was made to strengthen our souls.

Our job is to look to Jesus and listen to His Words that bring us life. Jesus says in John 6:63, “The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.”

Will you make time throughout the day to look at Jesus and listen to Him? Perfect peace is possible as we keep our minds stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3). 

It’s not our responsibility to worry. Many of us have normalized worrying, thinking it is our duty to worry about our lives and the things we are called to steward. 

It’s God’s job to ultimately take care of us because He is our Shepherd and therefore we lack nothing (Psalm 23:1). 

God reminds us in Matthew 6:33-34, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Worrying pulls us away from God. Rest comes as we constantly abide in His presence. As long as you are abiding in Him, He will take care of you and you will find peace. 

How many times do we worry about tomorrow? God commands us to not worry because worrying doesn’t add a single hour to our life (Matthew 6:27) nor does it help our circumstances.

As children of God, we don’t have to live in worry because God knows what we need and He is a faithful Father to meet every need we have. God will give us everything we need as long as we seek first His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

What are you worrying about? Is it your future? Your family? The assignment you are called to do? Whatever your worries may be, it is time to lay them aside and trust God to take care of you. 

Peace and rest come as we remember that Jesus is in charge of our lives and our well-being here on earth and for eternity. So remember, find 24/7 rest in Jesus. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the peace that comes from trusting You. We hand over all our worries and burdens to you in confidence because we know that you hold all things together for us. 

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I recently experienced heartache from someone I so dearly love. The only emotion I found myself having was sadness and the feeling of betrayal. This person has repented and asked for my forgiveness, but I couldn’t find myself embracing the moment or that person. 

During my time with Jesus, He reminded me of Romans 8:28 which says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

God reminded me that He has the power to turn ALL things (even the bad circumstances) around for my good. Through this heartache, I’ve learned to depend on Jesus like never before and to press into prayer for that person instead of giving in to anxiety. I’ve learned to have faith and hope amidst disappointment and to show unconditional love. 

Best of all, I’ve learned to be more like Jesus through this hard time. 

That’s the beauty of God — He is able to turn whatever was meant for our harm for our good and for His glory as we choose to love Him.  When we remember God can turn our worst situations for our good, we can embrace the hard times. No hardship is ever wasted in the Lord.

There is a purpose in heaven for every moment we go through — the good and bad, the easy and hard. 

Because there is a purpose under heaven for every time and season we go through, we can enjoy every moment of it knowing it will not be wasted.

Romans 8:28 says, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” As we choose to love Jesus, He turns all things around for our good and His glory.

Every hard and painful season will never be wasted because we serve a God who turns everything around for our good and His purposes. We may not understand our circumstances at the moment, but we can embrace them knowing God does.

Will you have hope in the midst of your hardship knowing that Jesus will turn it for your good as you abide in Him?

Hebrews 12:10 says, “God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

We can endure hardship as we remember that God is using it to discipline us to make us look more like Jesus. 

Hebrews 12:7 says, “Endure hardship as discipline…” When we know we are being disciplined through our hardships, we can endure hardship with joy knowing that all discipline is for our good.

Like any good father, God disciplines us as His children because He loves us and knows the best of life is found as we walk in His holiness and righteousness. 

There are some things in life that we can only learn through hardships. Embrace the hard times knowing you will reap a beautiful reward of righteousness and peace in your life. The reward of your endurance will always outweigh the pain as you abide in Jesus. 

Complaints can easily arise in our hearts if we let them. Instead of complaining, give thanks that God is using this hard time to mature you more like Jesus.  

James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

We can face our hardships with joy when we remember that God has a purpose through this for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). 

Embrace the moments when you are stretched to love unconditionally, grow in patience, long-suffering, and more because it’s during these moments that your faith is being strengthened in Jesus.

Our faith cannot grow unless it is tested. Will you embrace every hard moment knowing God has a purpose for it?

Don’t grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest and see His goodness (Galatians 6:9).

To embrace today will require us to embrace Jesus. Apart from Jesus, we cannot produce any good fruit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). 

Jesus makes it clear in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

So take time to embrace Jesus in the midst of the busyness. Why not take 5 minutes to acknowledge Jesus and invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you? While you’re driving, go and worship Him. Take a 10 min break and meditate on His Word.

When stress, fear, lust, or hurtful thoughts arise, that’s your sign to embrace Jesus. 

If we don’t make time to embrace Jesus, we won’t be able to fully embrace the day to the fullest. Jesus has come to give us abundant life (John 10:10) so we must cling to Him throughout the day. 

Will you take time to stop other thoughts and embrace Jesus? It is the gift of God to enjoy life for those who love and obey Him (Ecclesiastes 3:13). So remember, embrace today as you embrace Jesus.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for being there for me as I navigate life. Help me to stay focused on You and embrace You through every circumstance. I know that no matter what comes my way, You have good plans for me.

Listen more in our podcast “Embrace Today”

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I had lived a life full of lies, so I know how it feels to carry shame. But praise Jesus that I no longer have to carry that shame because I’ve confessed my wrongs and have turned away from that life of lies and by His blood, I am redeemed as if I never did any wrong.

It was on the cross where Jesus wiped away all my sins.

If it wasn’t for what Jesus did on the cross, I would be stuck with condemnation and an eternity in hell. Yet in Jesus, we get to have a life of hope, joy, purity, peace, and love.

I never want to forget what Jesus did for me so that I never turn away from Jesus. We too must live always remembering what Jesus did on the cross for us.

1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” Through the blood of Jesus, we are made new and free from all our guilt and shame. How beautiful is it that we have a God who forgives all our sins and redeems our lives from the pit (Psalm 103:4).

Let us never forget how much we are loved and valued by the Lord. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Live each day with the cross in sight, remembering His great love for you.

There’s also nothing greater to rejoice over than Jesus and our gift of salvation through Him. If you’re having a bad day, look to Jesus and rejoice in who He is and His love for you. Rejoicing in the Lord will instantly change your day.

God reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that His will is for us to give thanks always. When you are feeling anxious, bring your requests to God WITH thanksgiving. When we give thanks, we remind ourselves of who God is, and we are posturing our hearts to be right with God. Bitterness, anger, fear, and any other impure thoughts cannot grow in a heart that is postured towards God in thanksgiving.

It’s so important that we never forget what God did for us. We can easily turn our affection and dependency away from Jesus when we forget who He is and the things He has done. This is why God reminded the Israelites to be careful to not forget Him when they entered the promised land (Deuteronomy 6:10-12).

Whether we are going through a time of hardship or ease, we must always remember God’s goodness and faithfulness. Let us live each day with the cross in sight, remembering His great love for us. When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we will never forsake Him for another.

Don’t give a thought to any thought that doesn’t belong to Jesus. Any thought that doesn’t cause you to give thanks should not be a thought you tolerate.

Ask yourself: What is coming out of my lips? Am I praising God through the words I speak?

The best way to see God rightly is to give Him praise and thanks. Discouragement and doubt come from a heart that doesn’t see God rightly.

No matter what you are facing, choose to speak life. Your choice of words will either praise God or disregard God’s faithfulness. Don’t let fear take away your praise to Jesus.

Let us exalt Jesus in our hearts today and give Him thanks for saving us. So remember, this is why you should remember.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for paying the penalty for my sin. Help me to remember the sacrifice you made to save me.

Listen more in our podcast “Why You Should Remember”
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Please consider donating to the ministry if you have been blessed. You can do so by clicking here: GIVE
Every dollar counts towards spreading God’s truth. Help us reach more lives with the gospel of Christ.

Worry and joy can’t happen together. We are either living in worry or living in joy. Jesus promises to make our joy complete when we choose to keep His commands and remain in His love (John 15:11). As His beloved children who are living in Him, we have nothing to fear.

God has been blessing our business, however, I found myself constantly worrying whether we would have clients the following month. My husband has been amazing, but the fear that he may not be faithful in the future crept in.

Instead of being able to enjoy God’s blessings, I was left feeling anxious.

God was reminding me that the ability to enjoy our blessings is a gift from God, and very well a gift He wants me to enjoy every day. Ecclesiastes 5:19 says, “Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.” As I chose to trust God and not worry about tomorrow, I found that I could enjoy my blessings in the present moment.

Fear will always make us think of the worst scenarios that could happen to us. So how do we combat fear? By remembering that God is for us.

Because God is for us, what do we have to fear? God is the almighty God who has the power to protect us and do the impossible. Let us live each day remembering the God who is for us and who promises to never leave nor forsake us. He is our rock, fortress, and deliverer (Psalm 18:2).

What fears have you been pondering?

Don’t allow fear to take away your ability to enjoy each day that God has given. God wants you to enjoy life. It’s time we throw away fear and embrace the promises we have as children of God. Enjoying life and God’s faithfulness is our portion.

Psalms‬ ‭23:6‬ ‭says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life…”

As children of God, we have the assurance that God’s goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, here on earth and in eternity. Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts, dwell on God’s truth. As we continue to look to Jesus as our shepherd, He will always guide us to the right paths where we will see His goodness and mercy in our lives.

God doesn’t call us to worry about life but to enjoy life.

Will you surrender those fears in God’s hands and trust that He has the best in store for you?

If we can learn to put aside our worries and instead trust God, we can enjoy life. God knows our needs and He is faithful to provide. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for.”

Instead of thinking of the worst to come, give thanks and declare God’s goodness over your life. It’s time for us to live out who we are in Christ. Jesus has set us free from fear that we may live a life of faith and see God come through. So remember, you are called to enjoy life.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for the blessings and provisions You have placed in my life. Help me to put aside my worries and trust in Your faithfulness.

Listen more in our podcast “Called To Enjoy Life”
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Please consider donating to the ministry if you have been blessed. You can do so by clicking here: GIVE
Every dollar counts towards spreading God’s truth. Help us reach more lives with the gospel of Christ.

We can be our own greatest critic, especially when negative thinking becomes our pattern of thought. I grew up constantly being compared to others, so comparison became a habit for me. It got very toxic to a point where I would look at myself in the mirror and my own pictures and see myself as ugly. I was so consumed with what I saw as “flaws” that I couldn’t see any beauty in me. God had to work in my heart in the past years to renew my mind for me to see myself as He sees me – beautiful and wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:13-14 says, “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.”

As I read this passage, God showed me that He made me, and because He made me, I am His beautiful creation. What I saw as flaws are God’s masterpiece. I had to tell myself every day that I was beautiful until I truly believed it when I saw myself. I knew I was living with a renewed mind the moment I was able to embrace my beauty.

What area in your life are you feeling insecure about?

Comparing ourselves to others will only lead us to see ourselves as imperfect and less than. The comparison trap is a tactic of the enemy that leads to insecurity and prevents us from seeing ourselves as God sees us.

Solomon in Song of Solomon 6:8-9 says to his to-be wife, “Sixty queens there may be, and eighty concubines, and virgins beyond number; but my dove, my perfect one, is unique…” Just as Solomon saw his to-be wife as perfect and unique, God too sees us as His perfect and unique beloved one.

Insecurity is a toxic thought that should not be tolerated. When we have thoughts that we aren’t good enough, we are not seeing ourselves as God sees us. God tells us in His word that we are loved, wanted, capable, and valuable. He wants us to be confident in who we are in Him. God took the time to make each of us, and because He made us, we are all beautiful, unique, and perfect. We may have weaknesses, but through Christ we can do all things.

Will you choose to see yourself as God sees you?

Not for a single moment does He not know where you are or what your thoughts are. You are always on His mind and in His sight. He is familiar with all your ways (Psalm 139:3). God knows everything about you because He cares so much about you.

All of us were intricately made by the hands of God. God poured out His heart in making each of us. The world may try to make us feel less than, but let us hold on to the truth that we are loved and wonderfully made.

When insecurity arises, look to Jesus and not yourself. Invite the Holy Spirit to give you a greater revelation of how much Jesus loves you. You are special to Him. You are His beloved child, the apple of His eye, the centerpiece of His heart.

When we are rooted in God’s love, nothing in this world can shake us.

The next time insecurity creeps in, remember that you are valued by God. Don’t tolerate any thought that says you are not noticed or loved, because God sees you. This is the time for you to step into your identity as a child of God with confidence. So remember, you are seen.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for making me beautiful. Help me to see myself as you see me.

Listen more in our podcast “You Are Seen”
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Please consider donating to the ministry if you have been blessed. You can do so by clicking here: GIVE
Every dollar counts towards spreading God’s truth. Help us reach more lives with the gospel of Christ.