Devotionals for the Heart: Mercy

Ready for the Mercy
A devotional by Gail Kittleson

“But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit...staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!” — Jude 1:20-21 (MSG)

At one time, I sought in vain for literature that incorporated Scripture and the Twelve Steps. Now, I see it everywhere and often note twelve-step principles in Scripture itself. This teaching focuses on us—we can change only our own lives, not others’!

What a principle to live by, and Jesus taught it so clearly. How could I not have noticed this in my early faith days? 

Here’s one example: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” — Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV)

Obviously, this passage has been there all these years, and I may have even memorized it. How is it that it took so long to understand the connection? Ah, well, no use regretting the past—I see it now. But how to keep this focus? Jude gives us a very specific guideline: Build ourselves up, pray, keep open and ready to embrace the gifts sent our way. In so doing, we turn from old self-defeating thought channels that declare us unworthy, unlovable, incompetent, and doomed to fail.

This inner turning requires practice and effort, but it’s do-able. We form the habit of catching ourselves when our thoughts go astray. In place of negative, self-doubting thoughts, we pour in positive, self-affirming ones. We become the authority in our lives, claiming our personal power to decide the direction of our thoughts and attitudes, regardless of our emotions.

One day, we look ourselves in the mirror and say, “God loved you enough to exchange Jesus, His only Son, for you. And I love you, too.” Then we address ourselves again the next day in the same way, until this attitude grows stronger inside us.

And then we maintain this steady focus one day at a time. Each morning, we start afresh.

My Prayer: Just for today, dear Lord, help me to build myself up in faith, rejecting the inner thoughts that would tear me down and pull me away from your constant love. Keep me right at the center of that unchanging love, my arms open and outstretched, ready for Your mercy.

~*~
Author Bio:

When Gail Kittleson's not steeped in World War II research, drafting scenes, or deep in an edit of her 1940’s novels, she does a limited amount of editing for other authors. 

She also facilitates writing and creativity workshops, both in Iowa and Arizona, where she and her husband like to spend part of the winter in the amazing Ponderosa pine forest under the Mogollon Rim.

Favorites: spending time with grandchildren, walking, reading, meeting new people, and hearing from readers who fall in love with her characters.

Devotionals for the Heart: Balance

Balance 

A devotional by Gail Kittleson

The author of Ecclesiastes instructs us:

Seize life! Eat bread with gusto,

Drink wine with a robust heart.

Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure!

Dress festively every morning.

Don’t skimp on colors and scarves.

Relish life with the spouse you love

Each and every day of your precarious life.

Each day is God’s gift. It’s all you get in exchange

For the hard work of staying alive.

~Ecclesiastes 9:7-10, The Message (MSG)

How do we seize life? The key seems to be viewing each new day as a gift, even while acknowledging our struggles. We awaken with honest hearts, willing to live in the present—focusing on this twenty-four hours we’ve been given. On certain days of our lives, this seems almost impossible. We’ve all been there. 

I admit that it’s easy to look with doubt upon folks who “dress festively” and express constant good cheer. Don’t you wonder when they’ll finally admit life is tough, or if they’ll ever break down and show their tears? After all, no one ever instructed believers not to be human.

Once, I worked with someone who always smiled. No matter what you shared with her, she managed a cheery comeback. I began to observe her, certain that her façade would eventually crack and she’d admit to having a bad day. But that never happened. Maybe we didn’t work together long enough—I still believe that deep down, she was just like the rest of us.

But what good does the opposite attitude do? Going around with a long face can be so depressing, both for us and the people around us. Why not look for the good in others and in circumstances beyond our control? After all, we all know spiritual growth seems to accelerate during the rough times. 

The author of this scripture points to balancing our gusto with an honest recognition of this old world’s suffering. Not an easy task, but it’s essential to maintain our equilibrium.

Perhaps that’s the key—balance. Isn’t much of life a study in maintaining balance? I’ve pondered this after a bad bout with dizziness. With my equilibrium disturbed, my most frequent prayer became, “Help!”

Without a sense of balance, poise and steadiness become pipe dreams. Accomplishing much of anything goes by the wayside. But with balance restored, we walk securely and find the energy to embrace what each day brings and enjoy our lives.

My Prayer: Dear Lord, please teach me to maintain balance in this world of ups and downs, for Your glory and for my own happiness.

~*~
Author Bio:

When Gail’s not steeped in World War II research, drafting scenes, or deep in an edit of her 1940’s novels, she does a limited amount of editing for other authors. 

She also facilitates writing and creativity workshops, both in Iowa and Arizona, where she and her husband like to spend part of the winter in the amazing Ponderosa pine forest under the Mogollon Rim.

Favorites: spending time with grandchildren, walking, reading, meeting new people, and hearing from readers who fall in love with her characters.

Heartache Meets Hope