Devotionals for the Heart: The kind of life Jesus Christ wants us to live

How to live a fruitful life
A devotional by Cherie Mendez

“But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”— Mark 4:19 (NIV)

We live in a world where distractions are everywhere.

Our attention is pulled in many different directions every day. As believers, we are called to be light in the darkness. The worries, cares, and distractions we encounter can not only slow us down; they threaten to derail us altogether.

When I got the opportunity to move to New York, I was so excited to go full speed ahead with my acting career. Everything was falling into place, and I was so thankful to the Lord for opening doors.

After my first few months living in the city, I was thrilled to be booking work and building all the right relationships to succeed in the business. Several years later when the COVID pandemic hit, the entertainment industry shut down, and I lost almost everything.

One of the greatest lessons I learned in this experience was that distractions can cause us to neglect relationships and things that matter most, especially our time with God. As Christians, when we are too preoccupied with success or our own concerns, we might fail to notice the people around us who need prayer or encouragement.

Shortly after the pandemic started in late 2019, I was asked to share my testimony on social media. I am so thankful for that opportunity because it really showed me where my heart was and that experience got me back on track.

Here are four ways to live a fruitful life:

1. Start each day with reading God’s Word (The Holy Bible). Psalm 119:105 (NLT) says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” If we don’t start each day with the word of God, it leaves our spiritual tank empty, making us less equipped to handle life’s challenges.

2. Pray to God every day. Psalm 145:18 (ESV), “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” In our fast-paced world full of distractions, one of the hardest things to do is to sit quietly before the Lord.

3. Put your faith into action. James 2:17 (NIV) “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Every day God has something for us to do. Keeping our eyes on Him can keep us aligned with His purpose.

4. Fellowship with people who believe in God and are following Jesus Christ. Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” It is so important to surround ourselves with a community of believers who encourage us to keep moving forward in our faith walk.

There is nothing greater than living a life that is aligned with God’s purpose in our fast-paced, hyper-connected world. All the endless scrolling on social media can leave us empty, but keeping in step with the Holy Spirit brings life and peace.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank You for giving us your Word and for guiding us through all of the challenges we face every day. We thank You for all the opportunities You give us to serve You and to live an abundant life. Please enable us to be fruitful in this life on Earth and not be choked by the cares and distractions of this world.

In Jesus’s name I pray.

Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: "Be the One" by Al Denson. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: "Make Room" by Jonathan McReynolds. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: "Go Light Your World" by Kathy Troccoli. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Cherie Mendez is a professional actress and photographer. 

Her passion is to help women understand their true worth and walk in their God-given purpose. After many years working as a Christian in the entertainment industry, she is thankful to be able to share all her learning experiences in her blog posts and on Instagram.

Some of the topics Cherie loves to write about are:

· Coping with rejection

· Finding your purpose and using your talent for God’s glory

· How God always looks at the heart and the meaning of inner beauty

· Understanding that we are all a work in progress and God is not done with us yet

Cherie’s TV credits include The Equalizer, Bull, and Blue Bloods (CBS). She also appeared in the PureFlix film Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider.

Cherie and her husband Jimmy live in Texas. They are thankful to have been married for 30 years. In their free time, they enjoy traveling, photography, and movie night.

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Connect with Cherie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheriemendez/