Surrender

October 15th – Galatians 5:16

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Galatians 5:16

What does it really mean to walk by the Spirit? It means allowing God to guide the way we live, the choices we make, and the way we respond when life doesn’t go as we’d hoped. It’s easy to react out of frustration, speak out of anger, hold on to hurt, or let our feelings lead the way.

We all have those moments when our first reaction isn’t the one that honors God. But walking by the Spirit means learning to pause, turn to Him, and ask for His help instead of doing what our flesh wants to do.

It means choosing forgiveness when we’d rather hold a grudge. Or showing kindness when someone is difficult to love. All the while, trusting God when worry tries to take over. Walking by the Spirit doesn’t mean we’ll never struggle or make mistakes. Instead, it means we don’t have to let our old ways control us.

If we let Him, the Holy Spirit will work in our hearts. He will gently correct, strengthen,  and help us become more like Jesus. And the more we learn to listen to His leading and follow His Word, the more our lives begin to reflect His character of our Savior.

Walking by the Spirit isn’t about getting everything right. But about surrendering our hearts to God and letting Him lead us one step at a time. Today, let’s ask Him to guide us so that the people around us can see a little more of Jesus through us.

October 15th – Galatians 5:16 Read More »

October 13th – Philippians 1:6

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Philippians 1:6

Do you ever feel like it’s one step forward and two steps back? You try to be more patient, more loving, more trusting, and more like Jesus, but then something happens and you find yourself reacting in a way you wish you hadn’t.

The truth is, even as Christians, we all stumble. We have moments when our old habits creep back in. Times when our emotions get the best of us, or we fall short of the person we want to be. But here’s the beautiful thing. God never gives up on us!

He knows we’re still growing, and He isn’t finished with us yet. When we surrender our hearts to Him, His Holy Spirit works within us, changing us from the inside out. Little by little, He softens our hearts, renews our minds, and teaches us to respond with more of the love, grace, and patience of Jesus.

Growth doesn’t always happen as quickly as we’d like, and sometimes we may not even notice how far we’ve come until we look back. But every stumble doesn’t mean we’ve failed, and every difficult day doesn’t erase the work God is doing in us.

The same God who began a good work in you is still working on you today. So give yourself grace, keep turning to Him, and don’t give up just because you’re not where you want to be yet. God is still shaping you, teaching, and still making you more like Jesus, one day at a time.

October 13th – Philippians 1:6 Read More »

September 28th – James 1:5

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James 1:5

Sometimes the hardest thing to let go of is our own way of thinking. We want to make sense of everything, figure things out on our own, and trust our own judgment. But true wisdom begins when we realize that we don’t have all the answers. So instead of leaning on our own understanding, we’re invited to seek God’s wisdom and trust His direction.

Theologian Albert Barnes once wrote, “There is nothing more foolish than an act of wickedness; there is no wisdom equal to that of obeying God.”

What a powerful reminder that true wisdom isn’t simply knowing what is right. It’s choosing to follow God’s truth. Even when it goes against what we want or what the world tells us.

That may mean surrendering a decision, releasing a desire, or walking away from something we know isn’t pleasing to God. It means trusting that His wisdom is greater than ours and that His ways lead us toward what is good. We don’t have to figure everything out on our own. We simply need to ask God for wisdom, listen to His Word, and have the courage to obey.

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September 23rd – John 15:5

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John 15:5

Sometimes we think growing means trying harder, doing more, and being strong enough to handle everything on our own. But Jesus gives us a very different picture. A branch doesn’t struggle to produce fruit by itself. It simply stays connected to the vine.

We have to let go of the need to control everything, fix everything, and depend only on ourselves. And to stop trying to grow through our own strength and learn to remain connected to Jesus. Because when we’re connected to Him, He changes us from the inside out. He grows patience where there was frustration, peace where there was anxiety, faith where there was doubt, forgiveness where there was hurt, and strength where we once felt weak.

Sometimes the very thing God is asking us to let go of is what has been keeping us from growing. That’s why we need to stay close to Jesus, trust Him, and allow Him to do the growing in us. So today, let go of self-reliance. Let go of control. And let go of trying to do it all on your own. Stay connected to Jesus, and let Him grow something beautiful in you.

September 23rd – John 15:5 Read More »

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 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 »

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.

September 4th – Psalm 37:5 Read More »

September 1st – Hebrews 12:1

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Hebrews 12:1

You’d never see someone who’s trying to win a foot race purposely strap on heavy ankle weights. Because they know those weights will slow them down and make the race harder than it needs to be. Yet sometimes as Christians, that’s exactly what we do.

When running our race we strap on the weight of fear, worry, bitterness, unforgiveness, guilt, past hurts, and even relationships or habits. Things that slow us down and keep us from becoming who God has called us to be.

Our faith journey isn’t a 50-yard dash. It’s a life long marathon. And God wants us to go the distance, finishing strong. But we can’t run freely if we’re determined to carry everything along with us. Some things have to be laid down. Other things have to be surrendered. And still others have to be released into God’s hands.

We don’t have to run someone else’s race, and we don’t have to finish it perfectly. We simply need to keep our eyes on Jesus, keep moving forward, and refuse to give up. So today ask yourself, “What am I carrying that God is asking me to lay down?” Maybe it’s time to take off the weights and run freely toward Him.

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August 26th – James 4:8

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James 4:8

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” What an incredible invitation, and an incredible privilege. Think about it. The One who spoke the heavens into existence, invites us to come near to Him. We don’t have to try earn His attention or somehow become worthy enough to approach Him. Through Jesus, we can have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father and come into His presence with open hearts.

But what does it mean to draw near to God? It means intentionally making room for Him in our lives. We draw near when we open His Word and allow His truth to shape our hearts. We draw near through talking with Him, listening, and sharing the deepest places of our hearts. And we draw near when we worship Him, surrender our worries, confess our sins, and choose obedience even when it’s difficult. Because drawing near to God isn’t about checking off a religious list. It’s about wanting to know Him more deeply.

And here’s the beautiful part. When we take even one step toward God, He meets us there. The Ruler and Creator of all things draws near to us. So slow down today. Put away the distractions. Open your Bible. Whisper a prayer. Sit quietly in His presence. Seek Him with your whole heart. Because there is nowhere else we can go where we will find a love so faithful, and a Father so eager to draw near to His children.

August 26th – James 4:8 Read More »