Tag: Devotional

This Year’s Lesson

Today I’ll be sharing what God’s taught me this past year!

As my birthday approaches, I’ve been thinking about what God’s been teaching me over the past year. Just choosing one thing to write about is hard! I mean, there’s learning how to listen to Him, how to relinquish control, how to trust Him…

He’s shown me how to grow even in places I never expected to be in. He’s taught me the power of our words. He’s shown me that He’s the only one who can satisfy me.

But the most important thing I’ve learned is that God works in mysterious ways. So many times, things don’t go according to my plan. I wanted this or I wanted that, and when it didn’t happen, I assumed God stopped caring about me. I lost hope. I chose to not see the good in the situation.

If I’m going to be real with you, the past two birthdays, I longed to be in a romantic relationship. After a series of events, I thought that was God’s plan. Or maybe I just wanted it to be?

But this year, God’s shown me that’s not what I need right now. And it’s taken me a year to accept that, to be joyful about that. And I am content about that. Right now, He’s building my relationship with Him so that it’s a solid foundation before I move on to the next season of life.

Growth doesn’t always present itself in the traditional ways. For me, being able to write that past paragraph is a growth step. The biggest goal we can have for each year is that we’re in a better place now than where we were the following year. It doesn’t have to be a place super far away. Just enough to know that we’re still moving forward.

Through my previous example, along with riding a horse I wouldn’t have naturally chosen, being distanced from people I care about, and having school online, have all been things that I didn’t expect or even want. But God has worked through those things to show me that I can still have joy no matter what situation He puts me in. I’m going to have to constantly remind myself of this, but now I know the truth.

God also surprises us in wonderful ways too. He’s given me a new, better job. He’s shown me how to appreciate the people around me. He’s blessed me with an outrageously hilarious puppy. If you think hard enough, I bet you’ll think of some ways God has unexpectedly blessed you too.

You’re not a failure for not being in the place you wished you were in. You’re not a failure for your plans not working out. God’s plans are ultimately so much greater than anything we can imagine. So take heart, because Jesus has overcome the world.

This year, I look forward to growing alongside you. I already have many new posts planned! But I’m also ready to live in the moment and not worry about what’s next because it’s all in God’s hands.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

Hope Amidst the Chaos

Is it hard for you to find hope amidst all that’s going on in the world right now? Here’s some encouragement.

If I surveyed every person on Earth, I bet the general consensus would be our world is in a state of chaos. Numerous people are dying from COVID and other illnesses, there is so much division and animosity (even within the church), and people have turned away from the only true source of love and joy. But the truth is, God is no stranger to all that’s going on. Just check out the Bible, and you’ll read about things much stranger than what’s happening right now.

I’ve been trying to read the entire Bible, and I’m currently in Ezekiel. (For those of you who remember it, don’t worry, I’m not focusing on the *extra interesting* parts…if you know, you know). Anyway! There is a lot of drama happening in Ezekiel, for those of you who haven’t read it. Basically, God is using symbolism to tell Ezekiel about the coming punishment the Israelites will face due to their lack of loyalty and love for God. They had turned away from Him, allowing idols to fill their hearts instead.

Now doesn’t that sound familiar? Our world feels so dark these days, like everyone’s lost hope in God.

Something fascinating after each warning from God in Ezekiel is the phrase “Now they will know that I am the Lord”. God is using these terrible events to help His people turn back to Him and realize His power.

This actually brings me a lot of comfort. You might be wondering, “Hannah, how can knowing that God is judging us for our unfaithfulness bring you comfort?”

During a Bible study about our life’s purpose, I shared that the defining factor that makes a life successful is bringing others to Jesus. It doesn’t matter if you had no money in the bank, struggled to keep up in school, or were unpopular. As long as you reap eternal rewards, your life’s meaningful.

The best thing that can happen to our world is a spiritual revival. If these horrible things, such as oppression, illness, poverty, (the list could go on…) make people understand God, then isn’t it all worth it?

Yes, the suffering is terrible. I definitely don’t want to undermine it. We should be helping people suffer less. But maybe within the suffering, there’s a sign from God. A clear message painted across the sky, in fact.

God is the only one in control. He knows what He’s doing.

The best part of that is we don’t have to worry about a thing. The most important thing we can do right now is place our trust and hope in God. God hears us, and He answers, whether it be in a still, small whisper, or a loud roar.

With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

Psalm 136:12

Trust in the LORD forever,

for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:4

Something a Little Different

Today’s Encouragement Thursday is a podcast episode! I hope you enjoy it!

Hey everyone! I have some *super exciting* news for you! I created a podcast a couple months ago, also called The Will to Wake Up. Today’s Encouragement Thursday post is a podcast episode called The Secret to Life. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!

Episode link: https://anchor.fm/hannah-chung4/episodes/The-Secret-to-Life-evfm07

Podcast link: https://anchor.fm/hannah-chung4

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful rest of your week!

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words

Romans 8:26

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 

2 Peter 3:18

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Does the past cling onto you? Do old memories resurface in your mind far too often? Here is some encouragement.

Are you ever going about your day, things are going alright, and then suddenly it hits you– a memory from the past. This memory, whether pleasant or embarrassing or painful, persistently pushes its way into your mind until you feel obligated to think about it. After a few minutes, you’ve stopped everything just to ruminate on the past. You start feeling discontent, uncomfortable, and perhaps even angry. Maybe something is haunting you or you miss the safety of the “known”.

Believe it or not, the Bible doesn’t kid around when it comes to warning us about getting “stuck in the past”. Take Lot’s wife. Her family was saved by God (with a little help from Abraham) from a terrible city just before its destruction. Yet she still looked back, and then poof, she became a pillar of salt!

I’ve often wondered why she was tempted to look back on such a horrible time in her life. Though don’t we often fixate on those moments we wish we could change? That one mistake that led us here. Or perhaps there’s a sense of safety, even in a painful past, that the unknown future doesn’t give us?

Yet I believe with my whole heart that looking back can destroy us. I don’t take this issue lightly, and it’s because I’ve been “destroyed” in this way. No, I haven’t become a pillar of salt, but I have missed out on enjoying the present by focusing on the past. I’ve also lost self-confidence, self-respect, and gratitude to God during these darker moments of my life.

Sometimes it seems harmless to allow those memories to fill our minds. But they tend to take over, an unwelcome guest, staying “rent free” in our heads. I’ll give you a recent example from my life, and perhaps you can think of your own.

A little less than a year ago, a relationship I had poured myself into began dwindling away. I deeply grieved this loss and spent much of the summer and fall wondering what I had done wrong. But over time, I was able to move past it and allow myself to let go. However, every so often, a memory will pop into my mind. Usually it’s an embarrassing one, and I start criticizing myself all over again.

Now, this isn’t constructive in the least bit. I’m just hurting myself all over again when there’s nothing more I can do to “make things right”. And I’ll bet these “mistakes” I made in conversations weren’t what caused our relationship to take a different turn than what I had hoped for. We like to blame the wrong things when life changes naturally, don’t we?

But you know what the saddest thing about this situation is? I’ve let these intrusive thoughts separate me from God. I’ve taken more time to relive a bad memory and secretly wish to be back there to reverse things than thank God for all He’s currently doing in my life. By going back to that unhealthy place, I’m not giving myself the respect that I deserve either. And you know what? It’s been proven that our memory changes with time. Who knows if what we remember is even the truth?

Just for the record, I’m not saying looking back on the past is a bad thing. And we shouldn’t sugarcoat the bad things that have happened in our lives just to please others or because we think we have to. But we also shouldn’t allow the past to control the present. In fact, it shouldn’t even be the biggest influencer in our present. God needs to be. Listening to the Holy Spirit needs to be. Noticing what makes you and those around you joyful needs to be.

There are so many things we can learn from the past. I mean, that’s why we have history class at school, right? But the bottom line is this: You will never miss out on what’s meant for you. When we focus on the past, we forget that vital truth. We stop trusting God and put our hopes and dreams into something that isn’t relevant anymore. And when we put our trust in God instead, we will begin to see the changes we were hoping for.

Next time you find yourself reminiscing, think about how God is using your past to help shape you for the future. Allow yourself to focus on what God is doing in the here and now. Remembering how God has proven Himself to you can encourage you. But so can paying attention to all the things God does on a daily basis! I hope and pray you are able to slowly let go and move onto the path God has laid out for you.

And that path, my friend, only leads forward.

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:18-19

(Normally I just end with Bible verses, but I found a few inspirational quotes that are encouraging too!)

Keep planting and sowing, living and knowing: beautiful things take time, and that is okay.

Morgan Harper Nichols

You are allowed to let go of all those that do not set you free anymore.

Dhiman

Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.

Elisabeth Elliot

Going Off-Course

Taking a lesson from Philip, we’ll be learning how to obey God when He calls us off-course.

As a society, we’ve made the mistake of putting people into categories based on a few personality traits. You’re either an introvert or an extrovert, a planner or a spontaneous person, chill or uptight. Now, obviously based off what my blog was originally created for (the Enneagram), I am not against personality quizzes. I love them! But something we have to keep in mind when categorizing people is making sure we aren’t making assumptions about them based on their “category”.

Now, we all probably can think of the assumptions that come with the most common “either/or” category: Extroverts v.s. Introverts. Technically, the only real difference between the two is that extroverts get their energy from being around people while introverts get it from being alone. But now we just assume extroverts are friendly while introverts are shy; extroverts enjoy late nights while introverts prefer to stay in…you get the idea.

Another common grouping is planners v.s. spontaneous people. Planners are known for being wise, thoughtful, observant. Spontaneous people are fun, flighty, and adventurous. You can’t be wise and spontaneous or fun and a planner, right?

Or can you?

And what should you be if you’re a follower of Christ? Well, the Bible says to be wise, so a planner, right?

Well, let me introduce you to a man named Philip, who may change your opinion on these stereotypes. We learn the most about him in Acts. His two defining characteristics are being wise and attentive to the Holy Spirit. (Getting planner vibes…)

Anyway, he’s on his way to work when the Holy Spirit leads him to go out of his way to approach a complete stranger and share his faith with him. There was probably some part of Philip that said, “Are you crazy? You’re going to be late! You don’t even know this man!” But you know what Philip did? He ran right up to the man and soon struck up a very meaningful conversation which resulted in the man getting baptized right there and then!

How often do your plans get interrupted? Do you react in a way that shows you’re attentive to what God’s trying to tell you? I’ll confess, when my life gets interrupted, I get frustrated. I don’t always immediately obey God. But I once heard that God isn’t interrupting our lives, He’s sending divine intervention.

I hate going into the “What If Zone” because there’s nothing we can do about the past now. But we’ll journey there for just a moment. Can you think of a time when God prompted you to do something that was out of your comfort zone or seemed strange? Did you do it? If not, do you think it would’ve made an impact had you done it?

Like I said, we can’t go back, and that’s okay. God uses wherever we are and whoever we are to make His plans happen. Just consider the amazing impact you could have on the world if you listen to God.

Anyway, back to the story. So, Philip has just baptized the man and suddenly he disappears. Now, why don’t we focus enough on that part of the story? Like, HELLO! Philip disappears?? Then he reappears right where God wanted him to be, back on track.

Obviously he didn’t do that vanishing act on his own. God honored Philip’s obedience and took care of his needs. Philip likely didn’t know that God would help him get there on time, but he trusted that whatever happened next would be okay.

Maybe your life will be okay if you don’t say yes to what God says. But will it be meaningful? Purposeful? Incredible? Probably not. You see, God has all these unfathomable blessings and surprises waiting for us, but we will never see them if we just carry on with our plan and are never open to going off-course for God.

There’s nothing wrong with planning or just letting life take its course. There’s a time for both approaches. Just don’t let either approach cause you to miss out on what God has in store for you.

Today, really listen to God and see what He might be calling you to do. Perhaps there’s been a gentle nudging all along and you’re finally taking the time to listen to it. Whatever your purpose is, I know with God, anything is possible.

Both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Acts 8:38-40

I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

Job 42:3

The plans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

Proverbs 16:1

Holy Week Series: When Jesus “Lets Us Down”

Beginning our Holy Week series, we will start off with asking the question, “How do we react when Jesus ‘lets us down’?”
Advice for your faith journey!

Last year, I posted several days leading up to Easter, and that really brought me closer to God, as well as it hopefully helped you all get prepared for our celebration of the biggest event in history! So I thought I’d do it again this year!

Starting off this year’s series, we’re going to talk about everyone’s least favorite person–Judas. Now, I know you might think you’ve got him figured out. He’s a greedy, scumbag sort of dude, right? That’s it, his story’s over, moving on to someone better…

But actually, he’s deeper than that and we owe it to ourselves to learn everything we can from the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

When I first read the Easter story in the Bible, I hated Judas. I think we all have some right to. After all, he did betray Jesus. He’s the one we all blame since he’s the one who saw all the miracles Jesus did, heard all the teachings, felt all the love…and yet still handed Him over to be brutally killed.

I used to think Judas did these things for a few silver coins, all out of greed. But actually, there’s a deeper reason behind Judas’ actions. He strongly opposed the Roman government, which many Jews at that time did, since the Romans took away their freedom and taxed them heavily, among other things. Many Jews expected the king God was sending down to be the new ruler who would overthrow the Roman Empire. Of course, we all know Jesus didn’t do that and instead had a much bigger plan. But this is what upset Judas and many others who shouted “Crucify Him” just a week after praising Jesus in Jerusalem.

Essentially, Judas betrayed Jesus because Jesus let him down. Jesus didn’t have the same plan as Judas, and instead of waiting to see what Jesus would do instead, Judas decided to get as much as he could out of Jesus and be done with Him.

How many times have we treated Jesus as some vending machine? We ask, beg and plead, and once He doesn’t give us what we demand, we stop worshiping Him. I’ve heard so many stories of how people stopped believing in Jesus once something tragic happened in their lives. Maybe a loved one died, a job was lost, or a new leader came into power who goes against their beliefs. How could God let this happen?

I don’t want to minimize your feelings of pain, grief, and disappointment. Crying, needing space, having doubts…that’s all normal and natural and does not deny your faith. The issues come when you abandon your relationship with God after your plans are altered. I want you to step back for a moment and think about all you might be missing out on by being stuck in your disappointment towards God “not coming through for you” instead of focusing on the bigger plan God has in store. God is the only One who knows everything and when you place your life in His hands, you will never be disappointed because you know that even if things don’t go according to your plan, God’s plan is greater and better than what we can imagine.

Now, maybe you’re feeling convicted of a past sin or with the realization that you have abandoned Jesus. Maybe you think it’s too late.

Well, I have some important news for you.

It’s never too late.

Jesus is waiting with open arms. Even when Judas came to the garden with the soldiers to arrest Jesus, He still called Judas “friend”. He still loved Judas even when He knew the evil Judas was doing. But when Judas felt guilty, he didn’t turn to Jesus. Instead, he allowed his guilt and shame to take over and he refused Jesus’ gift of salvation and forgiveness.

But your story doesn’t have to end that way. No, your story is going to be something bigger, better, and more beautiful. Your story already is beautiful because God is writing your story.

Today, think about whether or not you have abandoned Jesus. Remember how much He loves you. Remember how He’s provided for you all along. And most of all, thank Him for His extraordinary gift of unconditional love.

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”

Matthew 26:47-50

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

Matthew 27:3-4

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

1 Timothy 1:15

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

For Such a Time as This

Queen Esther made the choice to trust God and fulfill her purpose, despite her fear. How have you struggled to be courageous?

I’ve often heard people make the excuse “I can’t do this because I’m not a brave person”, like bravery is a personality trait or something. No, it is not. I believe that anyone can be brave. Yes, including you.

Fear is the enemy’s favorite weapon against us. He uses it to trick us into not fulfilling our purposes. God knows that we need encouragement to be brave, which is why He reminds us over 300 times in the Bible to not be afraid. So, if you’re trying to figure out what God wants you to do every day, it’s to get rid of fear!

But the thing is, being brave doesn’t mean we aren’t afraid. We can only be brave when we overcome something we’re afraid of; when we take action despite our fear.

My very favorite female Bible character is Esther. What’s not to love? As a kid, we learned in Sunday school about how brave, devoted, and loyal she was. She’s the model for what a young woman should be, right?

Well, what actually makes me appreciate her even more is that she’s more human than we often make her out to be. Her initial response to her cousin Mordecai’s request for her to stand up for her people, to use her power and position in the best way possible, was not one of eagerness and bravery. She didn’t immediately say, “Yes, I absolutely will risk my life for you all!”

No, she actually told him that she couldn’t do what he requested because she would put her own life in danger. She allowed her fears to get the best of her.

But thankfully, Mordecai didn’t accept that response. He pushed her to step out of her comfort zone in order to fulfill God’s purpose for her, which is what we should do for our loved ones too. He reminded her that she was created for just a time as this.

Even with these words, Esther didn’t immediately take action. She needed guidance from God, more than usual, so she asked Mordecai to tell all their people to fast and pray for her. She agreed to go before the king, but that threat of dying was still in the back of her mind. That fear wasn’t gone, which was apparent in her next course of action.

She came before the king, and instead of bringing up the issue right away, she asked him and Hamaan (the one trying to kill all the Jews) to come to a feast she prepared. Perhaps this was all a part of her plan, or perhaps she was too nervous to tell him what she really wanted right away. Likely it was a little of both. I’m sure we’ve all had that moment where we’ve created a plan of action when trying to do something we’re afraid of doing in order to feel more in control. Making a plan is totally fine as long as we seek God’s wisdom while making it.

It took two feasts before Esther got up the courage to ask the king to spare her people. She did it afraid. She did it after not wanting to earlier. She second-guessed herself and had to create a plan of action before doing what God wanted her to do.

But she still did it and saved her people. She still fulfilled her purpose. She wasn’t any less brave for doing it afraid. Because essentially, she did it.

What’s something God’s calling you to do today? Is fear holding you back from fulfilling your purpose? Remember, nothing is impossible for you when God is your strength. You are put in this situation for just a time as this and you have the same God-given power and abilities Esther received to do what you need to do.

Now’s the time to do it.

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?

Esther 4:14

But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

Luke 18:27

What if I Ruined God’s Plan?

Do you ever struggle with fearing that you’re going to mess up God’s plan for you?

If you’ve ever struggled with the fear of missing out, the fear of messing up God’s plans for you, or you’re bogged down by regrets, I’m going to say something that will lift your burdens.

You do not have the power to mess up or change God’s plans for you.

I’m the sort of person who always needs to know where I’m headed. I want things planned out, and more importantly, for things to go according to that plan. As I’ve debated what to study in college, I’ve been trying to listen to God’s voice. I have worried about picking the wrong career that doesn’t go along with what God wants for me.

But then I heard that quote on a podcast last night, and suddenly a burden lifted. We give ourselves too much credit sometimes. We think we know what’s best for us and that one mistake can mess up everything.

But the truth is, what if the things we consider mistakes are actually a part of God’s plan for us?

I’m not saying you should go out and try to do things that will harm you or others. But instead of looking back on the past with regret or fearing making more mistakes in the future, realize that everything that happens is in accordance to God’s plan. He would never let something happen without a reason.

That can be hard to grasp, especially if something painful has happened to you recently. When the pastor at my church passed away, I struggled to figure out how that was a part of God’s plan. I couldn’t comprehend why God would allow his family to go through so much. To be honest, we may never know the reasons behind painful situations until we get to Heaven. But until we set our minds on things above rather than on just what we know right now, our minds won’t be open to the possibility that God is doing things greater than what we can imagine.

What about you? What’s something from the past that you can’t let go of? Are you angry at God for taking someone away or for not giving you an opportunity you believe you deserve?

It’s okay to be upset. It’s okay to need time and space. But we shouldn’t blame God for our pain. Jesus is the one who came down to take away our pain. He absorbed every single person’s pain, the result of our sin-filled world, so that we won’t be separated from God.

Don’t ignore that gift. Don’t take that gift for granted. God is here with you now and He wants to hear from you. He wants to guide you and show you His plan. But until you remove the barriers between you and God, you won’t be able to fully embrace God’s plan for your life.

So today, if you’re struggling to make a decision, listen to wise counsel and ask God what He wants you to do. Then, instead of waiting around, just go for it. Don’t look back, just keep moving forward. You are living out God’s plan right now, at this very moment. Isn’t that amazing? And nothing you can ever do will change that because God’s love never changes.

I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

Job 42:2

The mind of a man plans his way,

But the Lord directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

Isaiah 55:8

But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory.

1 Corinthians 2:7

In a New Light

Have you ever felt so burdened by the weight of this world that you forgot to look for the Light?

Do any of you have that one part of town that you think you know super well? You could almost drive blindfolded you know the streets so well. And sometimes that means you take unnecessary risks because you don’t have your guard up.

Well, I’d have to say that I’m pretty confident driving in neighborhoods. I’m not a confident driver in the least, but maybe it’s the 25 mph that does it for me. Anyway, I was driving home tonight and, being 8:14 pm, it was very dark. As I drove down a street that I’ve been on hundreds of times, I suddenly decided that tonight would be the night to find a new short cut.

So I turn onto this smaller road and come to a crossroads. A part of my brain says to turn back, no longer recognizing the area, but I decide to turn left and see where that takes me. I’m almost certain I’ll be on the main road again in no time!

But as I turn down that road, I feel very…lost. And wondering if my shortcut is really saving any time.

Then all of a sudden the light clicks on. Literally, I came to a bigger intersection and there were several lampposts. And I realize that I’m not lost, I’ve just driven the long way around on a bunch of roads I’ve seen a million times. I just didn’t recognize where I was in my journey while driving in the dark. If it had been light out, I would’ve known where I was going.

So many times in the Bible, Jesus is referred to the Light of the world. We are called to be the light among darkness too. But how can being “the light” help us?

First of all, since we know that Jesus is the ultimate Light, by following in Jesus’ footsteps, we will know what the next right decision should be in our lives. We will become like the One we serve and people will wonder what’s so special about us. And when we tell them, they can experience God’s love too.

Second, when we have Jesus, through the Bible and in other ways, lighting our path, we will have a better sense of where we are going. It can be so easy to get bogged down by the darkness in our world, whether through social media, a discouraging piece of news, or a heartbreaking diagnosis. But God always has a plan for us. We can’t listen to the messages that we aren’t good enough or that we have to be perfect in order to be worth anything. Because the truth is, when we see things the way God sees it, we have a better understanding of where we are in our journey.

For some of us, we may be reaching the end. For others, it’s just the beginning. But God will use you through everything that happens to you.

So today, take a step back from whatever you’re struggling with. Realize that this isn’t going to be forever. This is just one small part of a bigger picture. You are going to do great things no matter what. Keep holding onto your faith and hope by looking for the Light in the darkness.

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:5

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

Matthew 17:5

Leaving the Past Behind Us

Do you have trouble letting go? Here is some encouragement.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve gotten so much out of the “Luke Challenge” this year. If you haven’t heard of it, basically the goal is to read one chapter of Luke every day starting from December 1st until Christmas Eve, since there are 24 chapters in Luke. The point is to celebrate Jesus and learn more about His time on Earth. Jesus has a different message for each of us this year, and it’s important to spend time reflecting on His legacy and on what He’s taught us in 2020.

Anyway, I have felt very convicted multiple times during this challenge, and I’m only through chapter 9! But last night’s in particular stuck out to me. I’ll share the passage below. It’s titled in some translations “The Cost of Following Jesus”.

As they were traveling across the road someone said to Him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow me.”

“Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.”

But he told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.”

Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say goodbye to those at my house.”

But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:57-62

Ok, first of all, let’s just take a pause for a moment and really let those words soak in.

Wow.

I will be the first to admit that I am horrible at letting go. Letting go of what, you might ask? Literally everything. People, possessions, dreams– even when I know something else is better for me. There are so many points made in this chapter, but I’m going to focus on the point Jesus makes about being willing to let go in order to follow Him.

When I first read this passage, I thought, “Wow, Jesus, you’re sure being harsh on them for not even letting them say goodbye to their families or even bury their loved ones.” But the more I thought about it, I think the point Jesus is trying to make is different than just our surface level assumptions.

Jesus is not necessarily (I’m not going to speak on His behalf of course) saying that you have to suddenly ditch everyone and be irresponsible. In fact, God is described as being faithful several times in the Bible, and we should be faithful as well. He is also not trying to tell us to not love others enough to even say goodbye or to not honor the dead.

Personally, I believe that Jesus is trying to emphasize that while we should love others and be loyal, nothing can come between Him and us. When we agree to follow Jesus, we change completely. We are a whole new person with a whole new life. And when we get so focused on our past lifestyle, then we can’t truly move forward with doing what Jesus commands us to do. We can’t have it both ways; we have to pick either our old way of living or follow Jesus and love Him with our entire heart.

I know how challenging it can be to let go of something, especially if we thought at one point that it was meant for us. But we can’t let our dreams, possessions, or even others come in between us and God. We simply cannot truly live for God with one foot in our old life and one foot in the new. It just doesn’t work like that, no matter how much we want it to.

Today, I challenge you to take a step back and reflect on the areas of your life where you may be living as your old self instead of your new self. Stop dwelling on the past, whether it’s mistakes you made long ago or dreams that didn’t come true for you. You are a whole new person now, and those chains do not have to hold you down any longer. Is there anything in your life coming between you and Jesus? A relationship? A job? A habit you simply can’t break?

This is one of the hardest things we can do– letting go. Not only that, but admitting we’ve done wrong in the first place can be difficult too. But it’s so important. Neglecting our need for growth is one of the biggest things that separates us from God.

I’ll be taking this challenge with you and checking in later to see where we’re at. For now, I pray that you can grow closer to God through this season.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24