Do you ever feel like God may have had a plan for your life at some point in the past, but since you keep messing up he’s probably moved on to someone else to help him accomplish his purposes? If that’s you, think bigger. You should broaden your understanding of God’s… Providence. In short, providence … Continue reading Confidence in providence
The Up Devo
I think I can, I think I can…
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). A famous and much-beloved children’s book is called The Little Engine that Could.* You know the one. A big, long train needs to be pulled over the mountain. It needs another train to do it. A large, strong engine refuses. Then another … Continue reading I think I can, I think I can…
Well-grounded people
Do you need wisdom to ground you? To make you more stable? Me too. Fortunately, Jesus’ half-brother James (a prominent leader in the early church), tells us what to do: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. … Continue reading Well-grounded people
They refine you
In James 1:2-3 we read: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Wow, that’s heavy. But what is a “trial,” anyway? A trial is a difficulty we face on the path of life which, in how … Continue reading They refine you
Dirty windows
Someone shared a newspaper clipping with me.* It told about a young couple who had moved into a new home. Every so often the wife would look out the window and see her neighbour hanging her laundry out to dry. “That laundry is not very clean; she doesn’t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she … Continue reading Dirty windows
Collateral goodness
Collateral damage is damage that is considered to be secondary or incidental. For example, if civilians are killed by a bomb that was meant to hit a military target that is sometimes called “collateral damage.” A less severe example might be getting hit with a foul ball at a baseball game. Someone might also call … Continue reading Collateral goodness
Blurry thinking
The prophet Elijah was scared. Queen Jezebel had threatened his life. As a result, he fled about 600 kilometres to a cave at Mount Horeb. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” God asked. “He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and … Continue reading Blurry thinking
The God of pursuit
God said to Jonah, “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me” (Jonah 1:2). Jonah didn’t go to Nineveh—at least not at first. He ran away and went to Tarshish (verse 3). But God didn’t throw his hands up and move on to someone else. … Continue reading The God of pursuit
Not disqualified
When we’ve made mistakes or experienced failure in the past, we can mistakenly think that we are defined by those experiences on an ongoing basis and that God has no further use for us. But as I said yesterday, God is not limited by your limitations. To think that your previous failures handcuff God’s power … Continue reading Not disqualified
Failure is never final
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). Have you ever felt like a failure? We can feel like we’ve failed when our lives are not what we had wanted them to be, or when we haven’t handled a certain relationship well, … Continue reading Failure is never final
