Faith – Page 30 – The Will to Wake Up

The True Definition of Success

Do you feel like you’re living a successful life? Whether you are or not, here’s some advice and encouragement.

In a creative non-fiction course I’m taking, we watched a video where a professor argued that children are being stripped of their imagination and creative confidence by being taught they must strive to never make a single mistake and they have to follow the same career path. He shared a story of a young woman had trouble sitting still and focusing in class. Thanks to an understanding doctor, she was encouraged to pursue dance and eventually became an incredibly successful choreographer. But if no one had understood her unique abilities and appreciated her differences, she wouldn’t have been able to share her gifts with the world.

So often our society belittles the idea of being different from everyone else. We want to hide our secret love of childhood books or our talent for cooking because we’re told we should really be focused on “more important things” that will make us successful. While this hinders our enjoyment of life, it also harms our witness for Christ.

When children are mocked or disciplined for not being like their peers, the idea that they must please others becomes ingrained in their minds. As they grow up, they believe they can’t share their true feelings or beliefs if they differ from others’. We allow these invisible barriers to come between us and others.

The woman at the well surely understood those barriers. Besides being a Samaritan, a person despised by the other people groups, her conversation with Jesus revealed her less than pure past. She even went to the well at a time when no one else was around, and to a well that was less frequented by her neighbors, in order to avoid displeasing others.

But after one simple encounter with Jesus, her life and her legacy changed forever. Instead of hiding from others and following the status quo, she ran throughout the city, telling everyone about Jesus. And you know what? Instead of being known as the “girl who gets around”, she became known as the one who introduced people to Jesus and helped save their lives.

Sure, it was probably humbling to do what she did, especially at first. Her reputation didn’t change automatically. But she didn’t let that stop her anymore. Instead, she lived for Jesus.

I’d consider her a very successful person, but I know others at the time wouldn’t have. After all, she didn’t have a great status, a good job, and I doubt she had much money. She didn’t even succeed at love. But she did bring others to Christ, and that’s what’s most important. If you save even one person, I’d count that a successful life.

Now, I know sharing your faith is easier said than done. I’m one to talk, since I get nervous even posting a Bible verse at Easter. But here’s the thing: people don’t want to be preached at. They don’t want verses recited to them or flyers shoved in their faces. I doubt they even want to watch that motivational video that mentions Christianity every five seconds.They want to see how your life has changed. Once they see something different about you, they’ll want that same thing too. Maybe you’re more patient and loving. Perhaps you don’t have as much fear as you used to. Whatever it is, if you share that light with others, even when it isn’t popular (especially when it isn’t!), then you will have a successful life.

The big key here is to not spend all your time worrying if you’re being successful or not. Rather, just be willing to stand out from the crowd, be told things you don’t appreciate, or be humbled. The more you rely on God’s strength, the less those things will bother you. And someday, those moments won’t even matter. All that will matter is your relationship with Jesus. In fact, that’s all that really matters now, huh?

Now many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of what the woman saidwhen she testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” ⁴⁰Therefore, when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them, and He stayed there two days. ⁴¹Many more believed because of what He said.⁴²And they told the woman, “We no longer believe because of what you said, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world.”
John 4:39-42

And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
1 Thessalonians 5:14

“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

The Secret to Living a Satisfied Life

Do you feel satisfied with your life? Here is the key to making your life better.

Be honest with me (or really, with yourself)– Are you satisfied with your life right now?

If you said yes, then good for you!

But if not, and I’m guessing most of you aren’t completely satisfied with your life, then you are in good company. According to the World Happiness Report, “the pandemic’s toll on negative emotions is clear”. Many people in the world are very unhappy these days. Perhaps it’s due to searching for employment, struggling to be in good health, or just a genuine feeling of discouragement. Whatever is causing this your discontentment, I hope to bring you some encouragement.

Have you ever re-tried a food from your childhood and realized it didn’t taste anything like what you remembered? When I was a kid, I loved the white cheddar puff snack called Pirate’s Booty. (I still remember joking about the name with my friends). Years later, I tried the Trader Joe’s version of this snack, called more professionally “White Cheddar Puffs”. And let me tell you– there’s no going back. I tried Pirate’s Booty again and there wasn’t even a competition. While I could (confession time!) devour a bag of Trader Joe’s snack in a day or two, it took me weeks before the Pirate’s Booty was consumed. Once we know what’s better, there’s no going back, right? We only want the really good stuff.

A lot of times we tell ourselves that once we have ____, then we’ll be satisfied. Maybe you fill in the blank with being in a relationship, feeling represented, not falling into the same temptations, etc. Those things have deeper roots: love, justice, wisdom, joy. Love and justice are particularly longed for these days. And those are all good things, great things in fact. Things that are necessary for our lives.

But I stumbled upon this verse the other day that stopped me in my tracks.

But you must return to your God;
maintain love and justice,
and wait for your God always.
Hosea 12:6

Before we can have love and justice, and pretty much any other necessary aspect of life, we need God first. Until we seek God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will not feel content with our lives. We’ve been taught that it’s wrong to ache for something greater, but that’s just natural. Listen to that ache, and instead of turning to something temporary, turn to God. God is the only One who can fill that empty place in our lives.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. Once you get that job, relationship, or whatever it is you currently desire, you aren’t going to feel content. You will just move on to the next need. Nothing on Earth can truly satisfy us. But when you place your entire life into God’s hands, no matter what you are going through, you won’t lack anything. And the best part of it is that we can turn to God at any time! We don’t have to wait for someone to approve of us or for the world to reform. God is ready and willing to love you right now. He already does. All He’s waiting for is you to accept His call.

And when you place God at the center of your life instead of worldly goals, there’s no going back. You won’t even want to go back, because you will finally feel that contentment and peace your heart’s been longing for. You know, the really good stuff.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Matthew 22:37

The Empty Tomb

Happy Easter! He is risen!

Easter is the biggest holiday in the church calendar for many reasons. Our best reason to celebrate is that we are saved through Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus rising from the dead proved that He is holy and our Savior. Easter is a time for joyous delight.

But what if Easter doesn’t feel joyful this year? What if being stuck at home, living in a world of uncertainty, causes you to feel anything but celebratory today? Does that make you any less of a believer?

Absolutely not.

If you think about it, the women walking up to Jesus’ tomb likely weren’t joyful. They expected to find Jesus’ body in the tomb and be faced with the undeniable truth that their loved one was gone forever. They were full of grief, loneliness, and disappointment. They felt empty inside. They weren’t ashamed to bring their emptiness to Jesus as they approached His tomb.

But imagine their surprise when they were greeted with an empty tomb and an angel telling them unbelievable news! Jesus left an empty tomb behind so that He can fill the emptiness in our hearts. They traded all the feelings that come with emptiness–the grief, sadness, and uncertainty–and were filled with joy that only Jesus can bring.

You may not have all your questions answered today. But you can be filled with the joy that Jesus brings. Trade in your emptiness for Jesus’ love. Joy looks different in every season, but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful or hopeful. Joy is allowing Jesus to make you feel peaceful and hopeful despite all you are going through.

Allow yourself to proclaim “He is risen!” with full confidence that by God’s grace, you have been saved.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. ⁵And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but has risen.
Luke 24:1-6

Holy Week Series: When God Feels Far Away

Do you feel like God is silent? Are you struggling to believe in His promises for you? Here is some encouragement.

I once heard a pastor refer to Holy Saturday as the day when “everything was quiet”. The only events that are in the Bible that take place on Holy Saturday are the placement of the guards outside Jesus’ tomb, though I’d guess that the disciples are in hiding at this point and there is still a darkness and emptiness throughout the city. To those who loved Jesus, Holy Saturday probably felt like a terrifying, lonely time of confusion. Where was Jesus? How could He have possibly died this way? What does the future hold?

I’ve often wondered why Jesus rose on the third day. I’m sure someone with a Theology degree could explain all the reasons why the number 3 is important in the Bible, but it still puzzles me. Technically, Jesus could’ve been put in the tomb and suddenly sprung back to life on that same day. The Good Friday really would’ve been “good”, right? No waiting around, no anxious thoughts, no loss of hope.

But you know, I think the reason why Jesus waited three days was to test the faith of His followers. Did they believe that He would rise up again like He promised? Would they be waiting for His return? Or would they be disappointed, frustrated, and scared?

For us, knowing that Jesus did rise up again in a matter of mere days gives us hope. We didn’t have to live through those dark days of waiting. We already know that God had something better planned.

But still, we go through our own dark days where it feels like all hope is lost and God is silent. We cry out to God and wonder where He went. We feel abandoned, disappointed, and fearful. We forget about God’s promises.

The last time I felt this way was a few weeks ago. I felt stuck in my life and concerned about the future. I felt like I couldn’t hear God the way I used to. I lost perspective.

I once was given the wise advice that everything God is doing in the present moment is preparing us for the future. When we remember that God has a bigger plan, we don’t lose our hope when we feel alone. During those moments when we can’t hear God, it’s a test. God is testing us to see if we really do believe His promises. God promises to never leave us. God promises that He will make all things new. Do you believe that?

I’ve come to realize that after every dark season in my life, a wonderful, joyful season comes right after it. It’s like God was preparing me to enjoy and make the most of the season ahead by helping me persevere through the tough times.

Waiting feels like a long time for us because we don’t know when it will end. For us, three days is 72 hours. For the disciples, three days felt like eternity. But when we keep perspective during our times of waiting, we won’t lose our hope and faith. Nothing except eternal life with Jesus will last forever. This dark season will end, I promise. God has something wonderful planned for you. You are needed here.

I can’t tell you when the pain will stop or when you will finally be able to fully experience God’s love and grace. I don’t know what exactly will happen that will give you hope. But you can have that hope now by remembering that God always makes good on His promises. You don’t ever have to worry about God’s plan not working out. Trust me, or rather, trust God’s own words. He will always be victorious in the end. And when we are on His side, we will also win every battle against all the forms the enemy takes against us.

May you be filled with God’s strength and patience through every trial you are experiencing. Amen.

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7

31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
Deuteronomy 4:31

Holy Week Series: The Pain of Humiliation

How can we learn from Jesus’ example when experiencing humiliating situations?

Today is Good Friday, when Jesus was mocked, flogged, and ultimately killed, events that we should all agree are anything but “good”. There are so many points I could share in this post about Good Friday, but what I’ll focus on today will be the utter humiliation Jesus had to experience before being crucified.

In a study by Psychology Today, they found that when you’re humiliated, “the degree to which your brain is activated is more pronounced than with other emotion-inducing conditions”. I often wonder how much physical pain we’d be willing to endure in order to avoid humiliation. Often during studies of Good Friday, there’s a lot of focus on the physical torturing Jesus experienced. And He went through so many things that no one should experience, not to mention the Son of God! He was flogged, had a crown of thorns put on His head, was struck on the head with a wooden staff, forced to carry a cross that was estimated to have weighed over 300 pounds, hung on a cross with nails pierced into His flesh, and later stabbed in the side with a sword. Even experiencing one of those things would be traumatizing and incredibly painful, yet Jesus endured them all.

But you know what might have hurt even more? Being the most powerful Being in the entire universe, being the Creator of us all, and being spit on, mocked at, striped of clothes, and ultimately feeling the weight of people’s unbelief in who He really is. He died because He is our King, our Messiah. It was out of the “self-interest” or “envy” of His betrayers that He was killed (Matt. 27:18).

And if you think about it, that’s why humiliation exists, huh? If we are envious of someone, we are tempted to put them down in order to feel better about ourselves. Sometimes when we hurt others by humiliating them, it’s because we are putting our needs above theirs. We’d rather get things done quickly, so we don’t phrase things the right way and it stings. We’d rather not deal with the messiness of Christ-centered relationships, so we just dump people. We’d rather think we know everything than admit that someone else is right.

On the flip side, when we are being humiliated, it’s easy for us to get upset at God or others. We don’t believe we deserve the humiliation (and we don’t when others intentionally humiliate us). But still, we can find strength to endure the times when we are humbled through seeing how Jesus responded to being humiliated. And let’s be honest, I highly doubt (and I certainly hope) that any of us will go through what Jesus went through.

Yet, through it all, Jesus was:

Self-controlled

Like He told His disciples, He could’ve sent a legion of angels there to defend Him. He had the power to destroy everyone in a single second. He could’ve revealed the deepest, darkest secrets of the people mocking Him. We might be tempted to take revenge against those who humiliate us, but instead we should follow His example and use self-control.

Silent

Now, I’m not telling you to suffer in silence if someone is hurting you. Please speak up if you are in a bad situation so that you can be helped.

However, if you are in a humbling situation, instead of getting all upset and egging on the people who are humiliating you, try Jesus’ approach of being quiet. Allow yourself to be filled with God’s love and peace instead of anger and discouragement.

Living out “Thy will be done”

Right before Jesus was arrested, He told His Father that while He would rather not suffer through all these painful things, He wanted God’s will to be done. We often pray that same prayer, yet how often do we actually believe it? Aren’t we easily swayed by our own timetables and frustrated when things don’t happen when or how we want them to?

Instead of being fixated on your plan, turn your eyes and heart to God’s plan for your life. Allow your prayer to be sincere and be open to what God wants you to do with your life.

A fact that may encourage you is that while being humiliated causes us to experience many difficult emotions, “the way you feel is a direct function of the way you think” (Psychology Today). Jesus was able to endure all those terrible things because He knew who He was (and is!). He’s Jesus, the One who will rise up again in three days, the One who will defeat the Enemy. When we remember who we are, when we find our worth in who God says we are rather than who the world defines us as, the affects of humiliation will be learning from our mistakes and solidifying who we are in Christ rather than pain, grief, or discouragement.

Today, thank Jesus for all the hardships He endured to save you. He loves you so much. When you are in humiliating situations, remember Jesus’ love for you and don’t take those harsh words of others to heart.

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:7

9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10

Holy Week Series: A Renewed Spirit

How does it feel to know that Jesus sacrificed everything to save you?

Today in the church calendar is Maundy Thursday. During a normal year, you may have experienced a Passover seder meal and a foot washing to replicate what Jesus and His disciples did the last evening before Good Friday, when Jesus was crucified.

Now, you may not have thought too much about the foot washing element other than it’s a little awkward. If you’re the one getting your feet washed, you take off your shoes for the first time in church, pray your feet don’t stink, and feel uncomfortable as someone else from your church washes your feet. If you’re the one doing the washing, you may be wishing for the evening to be over soon since it’s gross touching everyone else’s feet. Or perhaps you have a tiny part of you that resents being the one who has to do the dirty work.

Of course, that’s just what I’d assume. Maybe you absolutely love this part of the Maundy Thursday service, and if so, then that’s wonderful! But I want us all to step into the shoes of a disciple for a moment and think about what it would’ve been like to have Jesus wash your feet.

Your feet are so dirty that you can no longer see your skin. Your sandals stick to your feet, glued on by sweat, as Jesus pries them off your feet. Sniffing the air, your face crinkles up as a pungent odor of dead fish mixed with donkey doo fills your nostrils. And yet Jesus takes a cold, wet cloth and gently drapes it over your feet, rubbing them tenderly until the repulsive smell and caked on dirt have vanished.

In a sense, that would feel incredible, right? Your physical body is getting a refreshing revival. But it comes at the cost of Jesus, your Lord and Savior, sacrificing His dignity and perhaps even His sense of smell before you can feel clean again. You might even feel a little guilty watching Him humbly serve you. I know I would!

Just as Jesus came to be a humble servant to others by refreshing their souls and cleaning their feet, His main goal, of course, was to sacrifice everything to give us a spiritual revival, everlasting life. And thinking about Jesus dying for us might make us feel more than a little guilty, huh? I mean, it’s one thing to think about Him cleaning our feet, but it’s entirely another to picture His agonizing, humiliating death. All because of our sin.

I used to think that the only way to fully appreciate Jesus’ gift of salvation was to feel guilty. But I’ve come to realize that Jesus came to save us from everything, including our feelings of worthlessness and shame. He didn’t come here to make us feel bad that He had to die. Rather, He came out of love for us.

Think about someone you love. If they did something that hurt your feelings or caused you grief, you might get upset in the moment, but your love for them never changes. And ultimately, you’d rather have them know your love rather than your anger. Because when we love someone, we put our relationship with them before anything else.

Of course it hurts Jesus when we sin. Of course we need to repent. Of course we should avoiding sinning as much as possible.

But even when we do make mistakes, Jesus will still love us. We don’t have to be forever burdened by our sin. Jesus came to restore, to renew, to give us life. He didn’t come to take it away.

And when we finally realize how great Jesus’ love for us is, we can extend that to others by being willing to sacrifice our reputation, ego, or even temporarily our sense of smell, so that they can witness Jesus’ love too.

This Easter season, don’t focus on how guilty you may feel for Jesus dying for you. Rather, let Jesus’ love sink into your heart and let that love pour into everything you do.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
1 John 4:16

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. …
John 15:9-17

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1 John 3:1

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. ⁴⁸Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.⁵⁰Jesus 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

When to Speak Truth

Do you struggle to know when to tell people a tough truth you’ve noticed about them?

I was talking to one of my friends today, and we both agreed that the thing that seems the most “taboo” these days is offending someone. We do everything we can to avoid it, even lying about important things.

Now, I am certainly not saying you should go out and say hurtful things to others. But I do think we should be more aware of when we compromise our values in favor of flattering someone rather than being honest. We must speak the truth in love, not in a way that is intentionally sharp or demeaning. When we are seeking to be more honest, we must ask ourselves these questions:

1. Why is saying this important?

Words are like weapons. They can protect, or they can destroy. We must use our words to build people up and to help them grow. If this piece of honest advice will help the person you care about, then tell them. If it will help them grow closer to God, then tell them. If this will change an unpleasant situation, tell them.

Really evaluate why you believe you should say this. That may motivate you to speak this truth if you were unsure. This may help you better word what you have to say. Or maybe if you’re saying it for the wrong reason, you can reevaluate what you need to do. But before making any decision, knowing why you are considering doing it is wise.

2. Am I saying this because I want to be honest and helpful or because I want to feel better about myself?

Now, the one place I have seen people blunt and loose-lipped is on social media. People have no issue yelling at each other and criticizing everyone who does one little thing wrong. The reason why this is hurtful and unproductive is because these words, while they may have a grain of truth to them, come from a place of self-righteousness, anger, and hate. Just like the old saying about bullies at school, hurt people hurt people.

So during that evaluation process of why you want to honestly tell someone something, think about if it’s coming from a place of love or a place of pride. Do you feel like you are better than this person? If you do, then what you have to say will likely not help them. But if you believe that you also have things you struggle with, but you’re just farther along on the faith journey, or you happen to have noticed something that could help someone, then you are doing this for the right reason.

3. Is this person already aware of this issue?

Now, I’ll admit I don’t like being corrected. During this time where God’s been teaching me a lot about humility, I’ve come to learn how to discern between constructive and destructive criticism. Then I’ve learned how to accept and grow from the constructive criticism.

But the thing I get so annoyed by is when I’m currently working on a weakness and someone comes up and informs me of that weakness. It’s like, yeah, couldn’t you tell I was working on it? And then I just feel even more discouraged.

Now, if you don’t realize that someone is working on that weakness, that’s one thing. But if you can tell that they are actively trying to improve as a person, then encourage them!

I hope these tips helped you. I know it can be so hard to speak the truth in love, but nothing good comes easy, right? Today, think about how you can better accept truth from people who care about you and want to help you. Also ask God if there’s anything you need to tell someone in your life to help them grow in their faith too.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15

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