Hello! I’m back after a week away, and so is The Up Daily Devotional to your email inbox, social media feeds or podcast subscriptions five mornings a week! Let’s get to today’s devotional. A lady who was hard up for cash tried to sell her soul on eBay for $2000. Apparently eBay now has a … Continue reading Your soul has an appetite
contentment
Not what you have, but who
A lot of people are dis-content. They are always searching. They are never satisfied. They are never at peace. As a result, they try to fill their void with various things or experiences. Some people think that if they only gain the approval of others and get others to like them, then maybe, just maybe, … Continue reading Not what you have, but who
The poor emperor and rich beggar
Maybe it’s human nature to focus more on what we don’t have than on what we do. We turn on our TVs or go online and get bombarded about what we should have (but don’t) or what cool things other people are doing (but we aren’t). And then a pandemic comes—and stays!—and we don’t get … Continue reading The poor emperor and rich beggar
Through him who gives me strength
In a society that celebrates volume, vanity and rivalry, it is tempting to just think that it’s all up to us, and that when things go well in our lives, that it must be the result of our own strength and unparalleled intelligence. But Paul models a different attitude. In Philippians 4:13 he writes, “I … Continue reading Through him who gives me strength
For when you’re struggling with contentment
Psalm 62:1 is so honest: “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint…” It reveals total desperation, and a request for help from the only One who can truly give it. Sometimes you just don’t feel great. I get it. Maybe you also feel like you’re … Continue reading For when you’re struggling with contentment
What you’ve already been given
Bob Russel tells a story about a farmer who once grew discontent on his farm.* The lake needed to be stocked and managed and the farm itself was an incredible amount of work. It was hilly, the cows needed tending, and the fences needed mending. He decided he was unhappy and wanted to move somewhere … Continue reading What you’ve already been given
Being useful makes you more content
I think we’re spiritually constructed to want to be useful. When someone we know is going through something difficult, how many of us have thought or said something like, “If only there was something I could do to help” or “I just want to be useful”? In a broader sense, you probably feel a strong … Continue reading Being useful makes you more content
The power of being useful
A lot of people struggle with their purpose in life. It’s a complicated issue, but one of the reasons people struggle is because they’re not sure if God exists. Historian Carl L. Becker said that humans must be looked at as “little more than a chance deposit on the surface of the world, carelessly thrown … Continue reading The power of being useful
Feeding the envy beast
We’ve been thinking about invisible robbers who steal your contentment. Yesterday, I highlighted some studies about social media use and how it can bring down your mood. Unfortunately, by constantly seeing what people post, we can fall into a trap of perpetual comparison and envy. As a result, it can drag us down. Because of … Continue reading Feeding the envy beast
Social media torture = less contentment
We’ve been thinking about invisible robbers who steal your contentment. And more specifically, one who tries to convince you to put too much stock in (a) comparing yourself to others (in person or online), and (b) the judgments and criticisms of others. It’s definitely a big topic. Alain de Bottom wrote a book about “Status … Continue reading Social media torture = less contentment
The Up Devotional 