Devotionals for the Heart: When you allow God to guide you through life

God’s Guiding Light
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“...And behold, the star that [the wisemen] had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him...”—Matthew 2:9-11 (ESV)

The Star of Bethlehem is renowned as God's guiding light.

It led the shepherds and the three wise men of the East to the Christ child, who was born in a stable and laid in a manger (Luke 2:16). This was the most significant event of their lives. It brought revelation, proclamation, and acceptance of the good news that a savior was born (Luke 2:10). So why did God use a star as His guiding symbol?

Today, if you look at the night sky in a relatively dark area, such as it would have been in Bethlehem, you will see thousands of stars. Most look alike, and we often take them for granted. Yet, a sudden bright star in the sky stood out to the shepherds who lived in the fields and knew the stars like the back of their hand. Also, the star appeared to the wise men who studied the constellations for wisdom and knowledge. It was a sign God knew they would not miss.

God also knew the lowly shepherds would take a little more convincing to follow the star, so he sent a host of angels to give them the message with clear directions (Luke 2:8-14). The wise men didn’t need angel guidance because their curiosity and thirst for knowledge were enough to entice them on an adventure to find the king of the Jews so they could worship him (Matthew 2:2). God guided the shepherds, his witnesses, and the wise men, his scholars, in similar but unique ways because each had a part to play in spreading the good news to all people.

In this Christmas season, let us consider how God uniquely guides us to His Son (Jesus Christ). Whether God reminds us with a star, an angel, or a simple gift, the message is the same: Jesus was born for us, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord! God directs us to what is good, brings joy, and offers salvation through His Son.

Whether we respond to the good news like the shepherds who needed a little convincing or boldly go forth like the wise men, the path God shines His light upon will lead us to perfect peace (Luke 1:79). That is His promise to us. The birth of Christ ushered in His gifts of love, joy, peace, and hope. Christ’s resurrection after His death on the cross ensured our place with Him in eternity, where these soul-soothing gifts have no end.

Finally, in this season of miracles, if you are struggling and need guidance from God, take a moment to look up at the starry night sky and remember that He is with you. Pray for His strength and love to transform your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. He was there for the lowest shepherd to the highest king during the greatest event in history. Trust that He is here for you right now!

Let’s Pray: Abba Father, I thank You for the gift of salvation through your Son, Jesus Christ. In this Christmas season, as we celebrate His birth, guide us on the bright path of righteousness and bring us into a closer walk with Christ. Help us boldly proclaim the good news of our Savior’s birth and life that brings hope and light to everyone in the world. In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Behold (O Holy Night)” by Travis Cottrell. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer currently residing in Northern Virginia. 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is a member of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program, ACFW, ACFW Virginia Chapter (Treasurer), The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

Mirachelle is passionate about awakening creativity and the gifts of God in everyone. Her first historical fiction novel is set during WWII, inspired by her time studying theatre education in London, England. She loves horses, cats, dogs, and all things peppermint!

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirachellecanada/
Email: mirachelle@mirachellecanada.com

Devotionals for the Heart: How to let God guide you and your children

On Godly love and stepping back
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

I love my kids. If I’m not careful, they have the danger of becoming idols in my life, distracting me from God, but still—I love them. God created me to love them. It’s part of my job as a mom and as a woman.

But I have a little bit of a problem. See, I come at this with the best of intentions, but as a driven, Type A kind of person, if I see an issue, I immediately want to fix it. So when my kids are struggling, my instinct is to swoop in and attack the so-called predator. While I refuse to do her work for her, if my daughter is having trouble with math homework, I don’t hesitate to sit down and help her find her way through. If my son is having a conflict with a peer and asks me for advice, we could talk an hour about the many ways to get past it. If my stepson loses his special bag somewhere in the mess of the playroom, we find it then and there.

On the one hand, yes—it’s good to be there for my kids. It’s a good thing to support them and guide them. They’re not yet adults, and that’s why God tasked us parents with being responsible figures in their lives to model, teach, and help them.

But here’s the thing: There’s a fine line between guiding them as a parent and swooping in as an enabler and saving them from their problems. Even if I’m not doing the actual work for them, by rescuing them from their problems, they’re not understanding what it means to have that valley experience, that wilderness, that critical low when they realize they’ve exhausted all options and their only hope is in the Lord.

By trying to help them, to love them, sometimes I’m actually hurting them. I’m stifling their emotional development and their spiritual development.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding,” says Proverbs 3:5 (NIV).

Lately, I’ve been working on stepping back and letting them figure out their own way through things. So if my daughter is stumbling over her math sheet but all she really needs is moral support, I sit back and tell her to work it out. I’m in the vicinity, but I don’t need to be there at the table with her step by step. If my son is venting about a classmate, instead of offering up the many solutions I can think of, I just listen. At the end I’ll ask him what he thinks he should do—or better yet, what Jesus would do in his situation.

I am not perfect at any of this. I am learning as I go. But I’m trying, and I think that’s half the battle.

The other day, my kids were talking about a problem and I was nearby. Instead of getting involved in their conversation, I pressed my lips together and listened. And then I heard my son ask my daughter, “Well, is that what Jesus would do in this situation?”

I did a silent mom-cheer.

A few nights ago, my daughter was really stressed out and had a stomachache, which is her go-to complaint whenever she gets anxiety. I kissed her on her for head and said I was so sorry for her. Then instead making a suggestion, I kept my mouth shut.

Then her own words came: “Mommy, I think we should ask God to help my stomach.” Yes!

This New Year, I pray I can love my kids in a way that helps them be better children of God. I pray I can rein in my own desire to “rescue” them, and instead help them figure out how to surrender to God on their own.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 ACFW Genesis Award for her as-yet-unpublished novel, The Memory Garden.

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism.

Learn more about her fiction and read her blog at http://jessicabrodie.com/shiningthelight.