Dear Ones, Hope you have a wonderful day! Every day I see changes out my window as buds are coming out on the trees, flowers planted along the service road, and everything is coming alive! I plan to study and do some writing today, and maybe try a new recipe.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
I suspect we all tell lies to ourselves without even realizing it. Sometimes our remarks to others sound rather humble, but bottom line: it could be a lack of faith. I read an article from author Steve Backlund that is rather convicting. Maybe God is calling us into a ministry, and we respond by saying that we are just being realistic and looking at the facts, for we don’t feel qualified. But think in scripture of all the men like Moses or Gideon who didn’t feel qualified, and yet God used them mightily. We are all called to walk by faith, not by sight. (II Cor. 5:7) Backlund writes that “Faith doesn’t deny reality, it simply refuses to let it have the final word.” If it is God’s will, then He will put within us what we need.

Maybe we hang on to the lie that we tried something before and it didn’t seem to work, so we refuse to enter into what God has for us now. Underneath we are afraid we will be disappointed again, so we are not willing to try; but how much better to listen to what God is saying to us and experience the new thing He has for us.

Some of us may guard our hearts and say we ought not to get ahead of ourselves. In other words, let’s lower our expectations so we won’t be disappointed. But God can do far more abundantly than we can ask or think. (Eph. 3:20) Let us live in hope, rather than regret that we shrunk back to avoid pain.

We probably all have used the excuse, “Someone else could do it better.” Though it sounds humble, we are not to think less of ourselves but agree with the Lord. Certainly, if He calls us to do something, He will equip us and give us what we need to carry it out. We bring honor to the Lord when we trust in Him to use us as we depend on His grace.

Let us not believe the lies of the enemy, but go forward boldly in what the Lord is entrusting to us.

Challenge for today: Don’t shrink back from all that God has called you to do, but believe and trust in Him.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy