Author name: The Christian Kitchen Table

September 18th – Proverbs 16:20

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Proverbs 16:20

I love how simple this verse is, yet how much wisdom it holds. We live in a world that tells us to trust ourselves, follow our hearts, and figure things out on our own. But God’s Word reminds us that there is blessing in listening to His instruction and putting our trust in Him.

Trusting God isn’t always easy. Sometimes we want to know how everything is going to work out before we’re willing to take the next step. We want the answers, the plan, and reassurance that everything will be okay. But faith doesn’t work that way.

Trusting God means taking the next step even when we can’t see the whole road. It means listening to His Word when it goes against what we feel, and believing that His wisdom is greater than ours. Even when we don’t understand what He’s doing.

And I’ve learned that trusting God doesn’t mean life will always go the way I want it to. But it does means I don’t have to face whatever comes alone. So I will listen to His instruction. I will trust His heart, follow His lead, and leave the rest in His hands.

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September 17th – James 1:19

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James 1:19

Self-control is something I struggle with, especially when it comes to keeping my mouth shut. When someone hurts me or makes me angry, my mouth has a bad habit of getting me into trouble. That’s why James 1:19 is something I need to keep coming back to.

God isn’t telling me to ignore my feelings or pretend I wasn’t hurt. He’s teaching me how to respond to those feelings. Be quick to listen. Slow to speak. And slow to become angry. But that’s a lot harder than it sounds.

When I’m hurt, I want to defend myself. And when I’m angry, I want to make sure the other person knows exactly how I feel. I want to explain my side, have the first word, and make sure I get the last word too. But I don’t have to.

Sometimes I simply need to zip my lips, take a breath, and let God lead my response. Because following Jesus means more than knowing what God’s Word says. It means allowing His Word to change the way I respond when life doesn’t go my way.

I may not be able to control what someone says or does to me, but I can ask God to help me control what comes out of my mouth. So today, I’m asking God to help me slow down before I speak and remember that I don’t need the first word or the last word. I just need to follow His Word and respond in a way that honors Him.

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September 16th – Philippians 2:5

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Philippians 2:5

Relationships can be hard. People can hurt, disappoint, misunderstand us, and sometimes push every button we have. It’s easy to love people when they’re kind to us, but what about when they aren’t? That’s where Jesus becomes our example.

We are called to have the same attitude the Lord had. He didn’t put Himself first. He humbled Himself, showed compassion, extended grace, and loved people even when they didn’t love Him back. And isn’t that exactly how He treats us?

Jesus is patient with us when we fail. He forgives us when we repent, and gives us grace when we don’t deserve it. He doesn’t give up on us when we stumble. Instead, He meets us right where we are and continues to love us while He changes our hearts.

So when someone is hard to love, we need to pause and remember how much Jesus has loved us. We don’t have to respond the way the world responds. We don’t have to return hurt for hurt or anger for anger. Instead, we can choose humility, grace, and forgiveness. That doesn’t mean there won’t be boundaries or difficult conversations. It simply means that even in our hardest relationships, we’re called to reflect the One who has shown us how to love.

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September 15th – James 4:4

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James 4:4

James gives us a hard truth. We can’t be friends with the world and friends with God at the same time. That doesn’t mean we stop loving people, caring for others, or reaching out to those who don’t know Jesus. For Jesus Himself called us to be a light in this world. But there’s a difference between being in the world and belonging to the world.

The world tells us to chase success, put ourselves first, and do whatever makes us happy. But God’s Word calls us to something different. He calls us to humility, forgiveness, selflessness, and a life centered around Him. And that’s where the struggle comes in.

Because often times we want the things of the world while still wanting the closeness of God. We want to follow Jesus, but we also want the approval of people. We want God’s blessings, but we don’t always want His boundaries. We want His peace, but we don’t want to surrender control. We can’t live divided.

Friendship with God requires us to let go of the things that pull our hearts away from Him. It means recognizing that just because something is accepted by the world doesn’t mean it is pleasing to God.

So let’s ask ourselves, “Am I becoming more like the world, or more like Jesus?” Because the closer we draw to God, the less comfortable we should become with anything that pulls us away from Him. And there’s no friendship this world can offer that is worth trading for friendship with our Creator.

September 15th – James 4:4 Read More »

September 14th – Psalm 139:14

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Psalm 139:14

We live in a world obsessed with physical appearance. Social media constantly shows us beautiful faces, perfect bodies, flawless skin, and lives that seem to have it all together. And with filters, AI, and photo-editing apps, almost anyone can create a version of themselves that looks perfect. No wonder so many people struggle with feeling like they don’t measure up. But here’s the thing. That’s not reality.

Every one of us has flaws. And things we might be tempted to hide. But those imperfections don’t make us less beautiful. They make us uniquely us. Psalm 139 reminds us that we weren’t created by accident. We were formed by the Creator Himself. Before anyone else ever saw our faces, God knew us. Every feature, detail, and little imperfection was part of the person He intentionally created.

Think about that for a moment. The God who created sunsets, oceans, mountains, and stars also created you. That means you don’t have to compete with someone else’s beauty. Nor do you have to erase every flaw to be worthy of love or admiration. Because your worth was never determined by a filter, a photograph, a number on a scale, or someone’s opinion. You are fearfully and wonderfully made by a Father who loves you exactly as He designed you to be!

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September 12th – Philippians 4:12

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Philippians 4:12

Paul said he’d learned the secret of being content in all things at all times. Because he understood contentment isn’t something our circumstances can give us. If we believe we’ll finally be happy when we have more money, a better house, fewer problems, or everything going the way we want, we’ll always be waiting for “enough.”

The truth is, we can have plenty and still feel empty, or have very little and still have peace. Paul’s life certainly wasn’t easy. He experienced hunger, hardship, rejection, imprisonment, and suffering, yet he learned to be content because his joy wasn’t rooted in what he had, it was rooted in who he had. And he had Jesus.

Like Paul, we can be grateful whether we have much or little. When life is going according to plan, we can praise God. And when nothing seems to make sense, we can continue to trust Him.

Contentment doesn’t mean we stop praying for change or stop hoping for better days. It means we can say, “Lord, whatever You have given me today, You are enough.” Circumstances will change. Seasons will come and go. What we have today may not be what we have tomorrow. But Jesus remains the same.

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September 10th – Colossians 3:13

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Colossians 3:13

Forgiveness isn’t always easy, especially when someone has hurt us deeply. But as followers of Jesus, we are called to practice patience, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Not because people deserve it, but because we have received these very things from Jesus.

Patience means giving others room to grow instead of expecting perfection. Grace means giving kindness when someone hasn’t earned it. Mercy means choosing compassion instead of giving someone what we think they deserve. And forgiveness means releasing the debt of the offense into God’s hands rather than continuing to carry it ourselves.

None of this means pretending the hurt didn’t happen or allowing someone to keep hurting us. Forgiveness doesn’t erase boundaries or make wrong things right. It simply means we refuse to let someone else’s actions fill our hearts with bitterness.

Think about how patient God has been with us. How many times has He forgiven us? How often have we fallen short and yet found His mercy waiting for us? We may not be able to change what someone did, but through Christ, we can choose what we do with the hurt. Let’s be quick to forgive, slow to anger, generous with grace, rich in mercy, and willing to give others the same patience God continually gives us.

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September 9th – Ephesians 4:31

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Ephesians 4:31

We are fallen people living in a fallen world, and no matter how hard we try, we all fall short. We hurt one another, say things we wish we could take back, and sometimes allow our emotions to lead us where they shouldn’t.

That’s why Paul tells us to get rid of bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander, and every form of malice. This world is already filled with enough hatred and hurt without us adding to it.

When we allow bitterness to take root, anger to grow, or resentment to settle into our hearts, we may think we’re holding onto what someone did to us, but we’re really allowing it to hold onto us. And it’s hard to be free when our hearts are filled with things God is asking us to release.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to be better and to do better. Not because we’re perfect, but because we’ve been shown a better way. Jesus didn’t respond to hatred with hatred. He answered cruelty with love, rejection with grace, and sin with forgiveness.

We may not be able to change the wickedness around us, but we can choose what we add to it. Let’s lay down the bitterness, anger, and malice and let the character of Christ shine through us. In a world desperately searching for something better, may they see the better way in the way we live.

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September 8th – 2 Corinthians 5:15

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2 Corinthians 5:15

Jesus didn’t give His life for us so that we could continue living for ourselves. He gave everything so that our lives could become His. Letting go and letting God means surrendering the need to always have things our way. It means releasing our plans, desires, control, and the parts of ourselves we would rather hold onto. And as we let go, we make room for God to live through us.

We don’t want Jesus to simply be a part of our lives. We want Him to be the center of our lives. We want His love to be seen in the way we treat people, His compassion to be felt through us, His truth to shape our words, and His goodness to be reflected in the way we live.

Every day we wake up is another opportunity to say, “Lord, this day belongs to You. Use me.” Help me do what You have called me to do. Help me obey when it’s difficult, love when it’s inconvenient, forgive when it hurts, serve when no one notices, and stand firm when the world tells me to compromise.

We don’t know how many days God has given us, but we know what we want to do with the days we have left. We want to live for Jesus. We want to grow in Him, become more like Him, and to keep saying yes to Him until the day He calls us home.

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September 6th – John 14:15

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John 14:15

We often talk about loving Jesus, and we absolutely should, but Jesus reminds us that genuine love for Him will show itself in the way we live. Sometimes we want to grow closer to God while still holding tightly to the things He is asking us to release. We want His peace, but we don’t want to let go of control. We want His freedom, but we don’t want to let go of the habits that keep us bound. And we want to become more like Christ, but we don’t always want to surrender our own way.

But we can’t fully grow while constantly choosing our own path. Letting go is part of growing. When we let go of our need to control every outcome. When we let go of the sins we’ve become comfortable with. And when we let go of bitterness, pride, fear, and selfishness, we make room for God to grow something new in us.

But obedience isn’t always easy. Sometimes God’s way will ask us to forgive when we’d rather hold onto the hurt. To remain silent when we’d rather have the last word. To trust when we want answers. And to say no to ourselves so we can say yes to Him. And every time  we give up our way and choose God’s, something happens inside of us. We grow.

Surrender isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s an act of love. And sometimes the very thing we’re afraid to release is the very thing keeping us from becoming who God is calling us to be. So if we truly love Jesus, let that love be more than words. Let it change our choices, shape our hearts, and lead us into obedience.

September 6th – John 14:15 Read More »