As a person of faith, you should be aware of (and honest about) your own sin. At the same time, you should be confident that God’s power is not handcuffed by your sin or weakness. Handcuffs are meant to stop someone from doing something. Do you really think your flaws and foibles can bind the … Continue reading God’s work through you despite you
failure
The usefulness of weakness
It’s eye-opening and useful to thank God in our weaknesses. I’m not saying that we should thank God FOR our weaknesses. After all, there are many weaknesses which lead to very bad things. Thanking God IN your weakness is something else. It is a humble reminder that we are not able to make it on … Continue reading The usefulness of weakness
One set of footprints—for when you fail
There’s a famous poem called Footprints in the Sand.* Someone has a dream and is walking along the beach with the Lord. Scenes from their life flash across the sky. The person looks back at their footprints and notices that during sadness there are only one set of footprints. The dreamer concludes that the Lord … Continue reading One set of footprints—for when you fail
There is hope for you too
After looking in the tomb where Jesus’ body had been (and not finding it), Luke 24:12 tells us that Peter “went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” The word for “wondering” could also be translated as “marveling.” He was marveling at the events. At this point in the story I get the sense that … Continue reading There is hope for you too
This is for those who fail
Unfortunately, failure is frequent. We don’t like to admit it, but it’s true. I’m not saying this to make you feel bad. I’m saying it to draw your attention to something good. God can use even the failures of his people for his good purposes. As we read through the Bible, we find a cacophony of … Continue reading This is for those who fail
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
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
The battle of the mind
The battle many people are fighting right now is the battle of the mind. Franticness. Failure. Fear. Loneliness. Loss. Lethargy. Distress. Disappointment. Doubt. So how do you win the battle of the mind? In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul writes: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and … Continue reading The battle of the mind
Love boldly. But when you miss the mark…
James 2:8 says, “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.” With that in mind, let me tell you a story. In 1993 a well-known theologian from Croatia named Miroslav Volf was doing a talk on loving your neighbour. Afterward someone asked him, “But … Continue reading Love boldly. But when you miss the mark…
The Up Devotional 