Love

September 21st – 1 John 1:9

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1 John 1:9

God’s forgiveness isn’t like ours. Sometimes we say we forgive someone, but deep down we’re still holding onto the hurt. We remember what they did, bring it back up when we’re angry, or keep a little piece of the offense tucked away in our hearts. Sometimes we even refuse to forgive at all. But God doesn’t forgive us that way.

When we come to Him honestly, confess what we’ve done, and ask Him to forgive us, He does. There is no catch. No hidden grudge. No keeping our mistakes over our heads. No wondering if He’s secretly holding our failures against us. He forgives. Completely.

And maybe that’s hard for some of us to understand because human forgiveness can be so different. We may worry that we’ve messed up too badly or that God must be disappointed in us. But His love doesn’t disappear when we fail. Our mistakes don’t make Him love us less.

That’s the beautiful thing about grace. We don’t have to hide from God when we’ve messed up. We can run to Him. So if there’s something you’ve been carrying today, don’t let shame keep you away from Him. Confess it. Give it to Him. Receive His grace. Because when God says He forgives, He means it.

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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.

September 17th – James 1:19 Read More »

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 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 4th – Psalm 37:5

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Psalm 37:5

What does it really mean to commit our way to the Lord? It means more than just asking God to bless us in all that we do. It means placing our plans, dreams, decisions, relationships, and even our future into His hands and saying, “Lord, I trust You with all of it.”

Sometimes we want God to show us exactly where we’re going before we’re willing to take the next step. But commitment means trusting Him even when we can’t see the whole road ahead. It means surrendering our desire to control the outcome and believing that His wisdom is greater than ours.

Why should we commit our way to Him? Because God sees what we can’t. He knows where every road leads, knows what is best for us, and is never surprised by what lies ahead. When we place our lives in His hands, we don’t have to carry the burden of figuring everything out on our own.

And committing ourselves to God doesn’t mean life will always go the way we want. It means that whatever comes, we don’t face it alone. We have entrusted our lives to the One who is faithful, loving, and completely trustworthy.

So today, let’s stop trying to hold everything together ourselves. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust Him completely. Then watch what He can do with a life fully surrendered to Him.

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August 31st – Jude 25

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Jude 25

Every day God keeps us, loves us, forgives us, and gives us grace, even though we fall short of Him in so many ways. We don’t earn His love by being perfect, and we certainly don’t deserve the mercy He continually pours over our lives. Yet He loves us anyway.

There are days when we say the wrong thing, think the wrong thought, make the wrong choice, or simply fail to be the person we know God has called us to be. And still, He doesn’t abandon us. He patiently picks us up, forgives us, and continues the work He began in us. That alone should humble our hearts.

We can give God thanks not because we have everything figured out, but because He is faithful even when we are not. His grace meets us in our weakness, His mercy covers our failures, and His love refuses to let go of us.

So today, let’s take our eyes off ourselves and put them back on Him. For the Lord is the One who keeps us, strengthens us, restores us, and carries us when we cannot carry ourselves.

All glory belongs to Him. For every answered prayer, every unseen protection, every second chance, every moment of mercy, and every day He gives us, thank You, Lord. May our lives continually point back to the One who loves us far more than we could ever deserve.

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August 29th – Lamentations 3:31

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Lamentations 3:31

There are seasons in our lives when suffering can feel like it won’t never end. And when the pain continues day after day, it can be difficult to imagine life ever feeling happy again. But Lamentations 3:31 reminds us, “For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.” What a comforting promise for a weary heart.

Our circumstances may change, and difficult times may last longer than we would ever choose, but they aren’t forever. God’s love and mercy endure even in the darkest places. And when we can’t understand why He has allowed us to walk through something painful, we can still trust that He hasn’t abandoned us.

Sometimes God allows us to remain in a difficult season for reasons we can’t yet see. But He knows exactly how long it will last, and He will never lose sight of us while we are in it. Our suffering isn’t evidence that God has stopped loving us. His presence doesn’t disappear simply because we don’t feel it.

So if you’re hurting today, take heart. This season is not your forever. The God who sees every tear is still holding you, still working, and still pouring out His mercy. You may not know when the suffering will end, but you can trust that God does.

Hold on to Him through the waiting. And trust there’ll come a day when you look back and realize that even in the valley, you were never walking alone. His love sustained you, His mercy carried you, and His faithfulness brought you through.

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August 28th – Philippians 1:6

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Philippians 1:6

Faith is a journey, not a destination. When we receive Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us and begins the beautiful, sometimes difficult, work of transforming us into the likeness of Christ. But it doesn’t happen overnight. It can be a lifelong process of growing, learning, surrendering, and being changed from the inside out.

There will be days when we get it right, and there will be days when we stumble and fall. Times when we wonder why we haven’t grown more, why we still struggle with the same things, or why we aren’t  who we want to be yet. But God knows we are works in progress. And He isn’t finished with us.

Little by little, He continues to mold, refine, teach, and draw us closer to Jesus. Even when we don’t see the progress, He’s still working. Even when we fall short, His grace is still there. And even when we become discouraged with ourselves, He never gives up on us.

I’m so thankful that God refuses to leave me where He found me. He saw me in all my brokenness, weaknesses, mistakes, and imperfections, and He loved me anyway. The Lord didn’t just save me and walk away, He stayed. And He continues to work in me every single day, patiently shaping me into who He created me to be.

So if you’re frustrated with where you are in your faith journey, take heart. You may not be where you want to be, but you aren’t where you once were. Keep walking. Keep surrendering. And keep trusting. The God who started the work in you will never abandon it.

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August 25th – 1 Corinthians 9:22

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1 Corinthians 9:22

Everyone is somewhere different on their faith journey. Some have a strong, mature faith. Others are barely holding onto what little faith they have. Some are searching for answers, and some don’t believe in God at all. Paul understood this. That’s why he didn’t expect everyone to meet him where he was. Instead, He was willing to meet them where they were.

That doesn’t mean Paul changed the Gospel or compromised God’s truth. It meant he humbled himself enough to understand the people he was trying to reach. He listened, related, and showed compassion. He found common ground so he could point people toward Jesus.

And isn’t that what Jesus calls us to do? We aren’t called to look down on those who don’t yet believe. Or shame people into faith. We’re called to love them, meet them where they are, and introduce them to the One who can change their lives.

Jesus commanded His followers to go into the world and make disciples. That means stepping outside our comfort zone and being willing to reach people who may think differently, live differently, or even reject what we believe. Some may reject our message. Some may not be ready. But that doesn’t mean we stop reaching.

We don’t have to have all the answers. We simply need to be willing to share what Jesus has done for us. To plant the seed, love faithfully, and leave the saving work to God. All because we were once lost too, and someone was willing to reach us.

August 25th – 1 Corinthians 9:22 Read More »