Daily Devotional - March 11, 2021
❤ Worship: If you'd like to play a song before you begin or while you read, may we recommend "Into the Sea (It's Gonna Be Ok)" by Tasha Layton. Why not try asking alexa, siri, or google to play it for you?!
💙 Daily Verse: God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
☆ Psalms 46:1-2 NLT
💜 Let's Talk About It: "Always ready to help in times of trouble." What a beautiful promise!
I didn't always understand this. Actually, I did exactly what the song says and when I came to my first test as a new believer when I was saved over 15 years ago, I failed MISERABLY!
When my son was 18 months old, I came home to find him bleeding and bruised and his father on the floor drunk, picking up what looked to be a plate of food that was thrown across the room.
That was the moment I turned my back on God. I was a baby in the faith. I didn't know that the enemy would be barreling towards me at lightning speed. So, when thrown into the fire, rather than dance in the fire with Lord like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, I ran from the furnace.
It took nearly a decade to heal from the trauma of that moment, but that's probably because I tried to do it without God.
The thing was, I wasn't truly healed until I surrendered my life to Him again (2017).
Maybe you're like me, and in your lack of understanding of who God is, you blame Him for situations. Listen friend, God would never hurt you, not intentionally; just like a parent disciplining a child is not hell bent on abuse but in teaching lessons. This is how our Father is with us.
Not only that, but we live in a sin-stricken world where people have free will to sin as much as they want, and many of them do. You can't blame yourself, or God for what other people do.
God is for you, not against you. And Jesus prays for each of us so that when Satan comes to sift, we will not fall victim to his treachery and lies.
There is an enemy of our souls and he is willing to go to any length to separate us from God. Make a commitment with me today, sweet friend, that we will work harder at empowering our relationship with Christ. That way, as the Psalm says, we will not fear. And, we won't run away from or blame God either.
💛 Prayer: Oh Father, who is like you?! You are good, kind, and more generous than any other. Your love is infectious and powerful, healing all wounds and filling all empty places in our souls. Thank you Jesus for interceding for us, your faithful followers. Lord, thank you for healing my heart and for helping learn that you are always for me, and never against me, that you love me more than I can fathom, and that your Holy Spirit is working at making me into the image of Christ. LORD, thank you for rescuing me and for running after me, even after I ran away. Help me to be a beacon of your hope and light to others. May your will be done, God. I love you Jesus and in your name I pray, amen.