Devotionals for the Heart: Lessons on making room for God in your life

Why We Need to Let God Be First
A devotional by Angela Anderson

“But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”–Luke 10:41-42 (NLT)

If you are anything like me, you are a busy person.

You might feel like there are not enough hours in a day to complete all of the tasks that are on your plate. If it’s not managing your own schedule, it’s keeping up with the activities and events for the kids, or maybe even working around the schedule of your spouse. Regardless, there always seems to be details that must be coordinated and then executed. Getting things done is very important, especially if there are people who are counting on you.

I would imagine that Martha felt overwhelmed when she found out that Jesus Christ would be passing through the neighborhood and stopping by her home. She was frantically trying to prepare a meal because she also knew that Jesus was not traveling alone. He usually had his disciples with Him, and let’s face it: feeding a group of hungry men was not the easiest task.

Martha’s sister Mary, on the other hand, was not at all concerned with preparing the meal. Those details did not seem to faze her at all. In fact, when Jesus arrived, she made herself comfortable at His feet, absorbing all of His teachings.

It’s no wonder Martha became visibly irritated with her sister. Martha was doing all of the work, getting things done, while her sister was sitting down comfortably, not even lifting a finger. Martha tried to plead her case to Jesus, hoping that He would instruct Mary to help out Martha with all of the work. Instead, Jesus did the opposite. He politely chastised Martha for being so anxious about the tasks at hand, and He applauded Mary for choosing the one thing that really mattered: sitting at His feet and spending time with her Savior.

When I think about this story in Luke 10, I tend to judge Martha for not sitting down to take a break. I mean, who wouldn’t want to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him? But then I put myself in her shoes for a moment, and I think about all of the work she had to do, especially with all of the people who were coming to her house. Then I start to judge Mary. How could anyone be so inconsiderate and just sit there while your sister is doing all of the work?

Martha is not at fault for wanting to care for the people coming to her home. Someone had to step up and do the preparation to feed everyone. Her hospitality is noteworthy. However, there is nothing more important, fulfilling, and life-changing than being in the presence of Jesus.

We need to be a Martha to accomplish our tasks, but in order to properly care for ourselves, we must be a Mary. If we want to grow closer to Him, we must willingly and intentionally draw closer to Him. We should make every effort to engross ourselves in His teachings and spend adequate time with Him. It is there that we experience His great love for us.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, Help us to realize that there is no better place to be than in Your presence. May we take ample time each day to spend it with You. Fill us with Your Spirit, Lord, and equip us with what we need to live a life that is pleasing to You. In Jesus’s Name we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Make Room” (song) by Jonathan McReynolds. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Angela Anderson was born in Brooklyn (New York) and raised in New Jersey. 

She started writing at an early age and realized in elementary school that it was both a strength and a passion. She continued writing through high school, college, and into adulthood.

Angela is the author of a devotional book titled Just When I Thought I Knew God, and she is currently working on another devotional book that will be introduced in 2023.

This is Angela's third year as a devotional writer for Alexis A. Goring’s “God is Love” blog. In 2021, Angela was a winner of a devotional writing contest where the entry is featured in a book published by Proverbs 31 Ministries. The book is titled, Hope When Your Heart is Heavy. The following year, another one of Angela’s devotionals was published in another publication from Proverbs 31 Ministries, called Living Unbroken.

Angela has a passion for inspiring and impacting others through her writing and speaking.

Angela is a Mom Life Coach. She empowers mothers who want to identify their God-given purpose and live it fully while taking care of their family. Angela develops mothers into mompreneurs by providing them with the necessary tools to be successful and fulfilled in life. These tools equip them to see their value, understand their importance, and reclaim their identity.

Angela has been married to the love of her life, Duane Anderson for 18 years. Together they have two sons: Thomas (age 10) and Ryan (age 5). Angela’s favorite pastime is journaling.

She treasures spending quality time with her family.

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Connect with Angela:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelanderson1104/
Facebook (personal): https://m.facebook.com/angela.thomasanderson
Facebook (Author page): https://www.facebook.com/jwitikg/
Angela offers free consultations for mothers who want to pursue their dream while taking care of their family. Schedule here: www.ChatWithCoachAngela.com

Devotionals for the Heart: A Mission from God for all Christ-followers

How to Tell the World about Jesus Christ
A devotional by Karen Marstaller

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”—Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)

Throughout the Bible, God gives His people jobs He wants them to do.

He begins in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, when He assigns Adam the job of tending the garden God made (Genesis 2:15). From there, Noah is commissioned to build an ark (Genesis 6:9-22). Later, God sends Moses to Egypt to lead His captive people to freedom in the Promised Land (Exodus 3:10). God’s message to work continues throughout the rest of His Word (The Holy Bible).

In the New Testament, God records the many miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is important to note that when Jesus is resurrected after His death on the Cross, God’s work continues in the lives of the followers of Jesus.

One of those followers of Jesus was a man named Paul, a well-educated Pharisee who initially persecuted the young church. After Paul met the risen Lord Jesus, he became a missionary who brought the message of salvation to the nations outside of Israel—the Gentile people.

Mission work is all about preaching the good news of Jesus, discipling believers in Jesus, and then equipping the new believers to also become missionaries. It was hard work. Even today, with airplanes, buses, and cars replacing Paul’s foot travel, missionary work is costly and time-consuming.

Paul was a tradesman who made tents to supplement his missionary journeys (Acts 18:3). All through the letters of Paul, he refers to his labor (1 Corinthians 4:12 and 1 Thessalonians 2:9). Paul knew and understood the value of hard work.

In today’s world, many pastors and missionaries are bi-vocational, just like Paul. They work in a career to tell people about Jesus, and they supplement their living expenses with a job doing something different. The work of Christians may look a little different from the tent-making of Paul, but the commitment to be useful sharing the gospel of Jesus is the same.

So, what is the work that the Lord asks us to do? Telling others about Jesus is our highest calling. And to work with our own hands is part of that calling. It is vital to our opportunities of meeting new people and sharing the hope we have in Jesus.

Here in my city, one of the restaurants is run by people who love the Lord. Their food is fresh, handmade, and always tasty. One of the most impactful things about their establishment is the walls. As you walk in the door, Bible verses are the first things you see. In beautiful hand-lettered script, the words of the Lord testify to His goodness. What started out as a restaurant known for its excellent bread also serves the Bread of Life—God’s Word.

The modern world jobs are myriad, and new job descriptions are being written every day to meet the needs of a growing global economy. But the job of Christians everywhere is to share about Jesus. Whether we are a corporate executive, a computer technician, a teacher, a bread baker, or a tent maker, the job we’ve been given enables us to draw people to our Lord and Savior. It doesn’t matter if it’s stencils on a wall of the workplace, or starting a lunchtime Bible study at work, it’s what the Lord puts in front of us to do.

We can work heartily because our work is for the delight of our Heavenly Father. We work for the King of Glory!

Let’s Pray: Lord Jesus, help us to take joy in the work You’ve allowed us to do. Please bless the people who will hear about Jesus as we go to work. Please help us to share Your love and Your salvation everywhere we go. Thank You, Lord. It is in Your Name we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “The Mission” (song) by Steve Green. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Karen Marstaller is a retired high school teacher who spent most of her career challenging creative students to write. Her heart is for her readers.

She writes to encourage them, to make them laugh, to show them that life is a beautiful journey, and regardless of their past, to show them that there is joy ahead if they will just keep looking.

Karen and her husband live in central Texas in a sweet little home that they completely remodeled. They enjoy spending time with their family, which includes seven precious grandchildren.

Most of all, Karen writes in obedience to the command to love your neighbor, to offer a cup of water to those who are dying of thirst, and to comfort others with the comfort she has received.

You can reach Karen by emailing her at this address: klmarstaller@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Humility

The Road to Humility
A devotional by Cherie Mendez

“Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than to pretend to be somebody and have no food.”—Proverbs 12:9 (NIV)

I love how King Solomon glorified the virtue of humility as stated in the verse above. His contrast here is both humorous and profound. He is saying it’s better to be humble if your humility is part of your success as opposed to trying to “appear successful.”

Every week I sit down to create content for Instagram. However, when life gets tough I want to hide. If I have nothing “impressive” to post then I’d rather not post at all. In today’s image-obsessed society, cultivating a humble heart can be very challenging. The world puts great emphasis on “the pride of life” which is thinking you are special because of what you have, what you know, and what you look like. It glorifies the rich and famous while the poor are often forgotten.

The pride of life also tempts us to focus on ourselves as opposed to focusing on God and serving others. It can create stress and anxiety because when we seek to be the best and don’t succeed, our desire to excel can turn against us. If we fail, it is very normal to become disappointed. But the pride of life can turn our disappointment into a sense of hopeless depression.

The road to humility doesn’t have to be a hard one. If we humble ourselves before God and admit that we need His guidance, He is faithful. Psalm 25:9 (RSV), says “He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way.”

When we stand before God, we will not be judged by our worldly accomplishments. All that will matter is what we did with the gifts and talents He gave us. It’s great to be successful, but if our success becomes our identity, then it’s an idol.

The temptation to be proud is very subtle. We see it in the Garden of Eden. Eve’s mistake was to setting her sights on what God had commanded not to do rather than on what God had blessed her with such as all the other trees filled with life-giving fruit that He had allowed her to eat.

Here are three questions we can ask ourselves to help keep our hearts in check:

Question #1: Am I truly thankful for all God has given me?

Question #2: Have I acknowledged Him as the Source of all the blessings in my life?

Question #3: Am I careful to seek God daily on how to live a life that is pleasing to Him?

It’s amazing how being humble frees you from the need to impress people. There’s no need to be perfect or compare yourself to anyone. This brings me back to my constant challenge with Instagram. With every post I’m learning to ask myself, “What can I share today that will minister to someone?”

Most of the time it’s the trials and the things I don’t like to talk about that resonate most with people. It’s about taking my captions from a “me” post to a “we” post, showing gratitude to the Lord and the people in my life. It’s about my choosing to encourage others when it’s tempting to brag.

I believe that Micah 6:8 (RSV) says it best: “…and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” 

What will you choose today?

Song of Reflection: “King of Humility” by Justin Tweito. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Cherie Mendez is a New York-based actress and model. Network appearances include Blue Bloods and Bull (CBS), Power (STARZ), and Hunters (Amazon). 

She got her start in modeling at the age of 18 when she was offered a contract to work with an agency in Paris. Over time, she worked for clients such as Mary Kay Cosmetics, Clarins Skincare, Garnier, Lancôme, and Wella.

In recent years, Cherie has been sharing about her faith in God on Instagram where she has an audience of over 30k followers. She is compelled by love to encourage women to understand their identity in Jesus Christ.

It is her goal to bring to light what God’s Word says about our self-worth. She does this by sharing encouraging stories on how she overcame the many struggles that models and actresses typically face.

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 and her husband Jimmy live in Upstate New York. They are thankful to have been married for 30 years.

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

Devotionals for the Heart: This is how you can fully experience God's Word

It Takes Three
A devotional by Aubrey Taylor

“And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.” 

–Romans 7:10 (NKJV)

If you are like me, even a good thing like inductive Bible study can trigger your weaknesses.

You begin questioning everything you do, every motive you have, and every mistake you make. You agonize over every decision, wondering if it’s the right one. You fear the consequences of bad decisions and accidental sins.

“I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.” That is how the New International Version (NIV) of The Holy Bible translates Romans 7:10. In the same translation, 2 Corinthians 3:6 adds this: “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

Every time I begin to fear consequences or punishment, that’s the letter speaking. The Galatian Christians struggled with this, so it should be no surprise that we do. Paul had to remind them that this was the very thing Jesus Christ died to set them free from.

It is necessary to learn God’s principles and live by them, but we cannot nullify or set aside His grace (Galatians 2:20). Sometimes, we have to actively grab hold of it with both hands and not let go. For me, that means tuning out the other voices for a while and drawing closer to Him.

It is important that we sit under the teaching of God’s Word (The Holy Bible) by someone who He has gifted to perform the ministry of a pastor/teacher. Yet when those voices start to drown out God’s Voice, I personally begin to feel condemnation. Suddenly, it seems that every word they speak is directed specifically at me, even if it actually has nothing to do with me. It’s usually not their helpful, encouraging words either. It’s the tough ones.

I felt this way for years, and Satan was happy to add to the weight, because he knew it would drive an immovable wedge between me and my Savior. Matthew 23:4 (KJV) says it this way: “For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders.”

Most of our teachers are well-meaning, but too much reliance on the words of other people without coming before God on our own can have the same effect. Their words and interpretation become a filter through which we read scripture, rather than filtering their words through the Word of God. Even with the best of Biblical teachers, we should continue to seek God in His Word as the Bereans did.

When this Biblical event took place, most people did not have a copy of the scriptures in their home. They had to go to the synagogue to access the Word of God. They were seeking the Lord together, but what did each individual meditate on as he made his way to and from the place the Word of God was kept? What did he pray about as he lay quietly in bed at night?

As I envision the Berean community gathered in the synagogue, actively communicating with each other, asking questions and challenging one another, I am reminded of accountability.

Galatians 6:6 (KJV) says, “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” Communicate is an accurate translation of the Greek word "koinoneo". Thayer’s Greek Lexicon provides this definition of koinoneo: “to come into communion or fellowship with, to become a sharer, or be made a partner”. Individual study does come back to the community as we share what we have learned. Then, we wrestle through to the truth together, and become stronger for doing so.

If God’s children want to experience the full benefit of His Word, it takes three things: sitting under the teaching of the Word, time alone with Him, and fellowshipping over the Word with our brothers and sisters in Christ. May we take advantage of each of these opportunities regularly!

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the godly leaders You have put in place to instruct me in Your Word. Thank you for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide and teach me. Finally, thank You for the community of believers around me. I pray that You will allow us greater fellowship together as we pore over Your Word. In Your Name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Were It Not for Grace” by Larnelle Harris. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

The only child of a single parent, Aubrey Taylor filled her younger years by creating characters and writing stories. This ended around age sixteen when music, friends and part-time jobs began to fill her time. After that came college, work, marriage, and children. 

It wasn’t until the world was beginning to come out of the COVID pandemic that God led her back to her love for writing, coupled with a passion she’d always had for history. It was time to start a new adventure! Her current long-term project is Gott Mit Uns, a German-perspective 20th century historical fiction series.

Aubrey lives in Upstate New York with her husband and three children. She’s busy keeping the home, caring for her family, doing research for and writing her books.

Aubrey enjoys music and is involved with the worship ministry at her church as well as a German choral group. She also plays gigs occasionally with friends as a singer and acoustic guitarist. After all that, she finds time to sketch, craft, and hike.

She is a lover of Jesus Christ, The Holy Bible, history, German culture, tea, and cats.

Aubrey has a special heart for those who struggle with severe anxiety, depression and PTSD.

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Connect with Aubrey:
Website: https://www.aubreytaylorbooks.com
Blog: https://www.aubreytaylorbooks.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aubreytaylorbooks/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aubtaybooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubreytaylorbooks/

Devotionals for the Heart: Learning how to live for God every day

Learning How to Live for God 
A devotional by Chaplain Paul Anderson

O Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity; Take words with you, and return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.” 

–Hosea 14:1-2 (NKJV)

When I was young, my parents would gather the family for evening worship.

We would sing songs of our choosing. My father would read a portion of scripture or an inspirational story from Guidepost. We would recite the memory verses from our children’s devotional books. After prayer, my mother would lead us in singing “An Evening Prayer”. The lyrics imply an internal review of a person’s day and asks God’s forgiveness if during the day they had wounded, misled someone or willfully sinned.

As I matured and read the Bible with a bit more maturity, I understood Hosea 14:1-2 with new vision. I also understood my mother’s favorite song a bit better. The prophet Hosea was exhorting the people of his era to recognize their spiritual waywardness, to confess their sins to God and to offer sincere sacrifices.

Hosea gave a formula for reconciliation that is still effective today. In our spiritual relationship with God and in our interpersonal relationships, this three-part formula still works.

Step one is to reorient ourselves from a position of opposition to a posture of humble recognition where our decisions and actions have created a misalignment. Consequently, we have missed the bullseye of our relational target, otherwise known as righteousness. We have drifted from the secure moorings of rectitude and want to return to a spiritually safe harbor.

When the prodigal son, referenced in Luke 15:11-31, comes to his senses, he composed what he would say when he saw his father. As he made his way home, he rehearsed the phrase “…Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.”

Step two is a rehearsed and sincere confession. That is what Hosea meant when he said, “take words with you”, in the verse I shared above. Confessions should be sincere, heartfelt, well-reasoned and well stated. But words are not enough. True confession must be followed by some token of lasting reconciliation.

Step three is to follow through. When Hosea uses the phrase “we will offer the sacrifices of our lips”, he is forcefully implying that confessions require sacrifices. In his culture and era, animal sacrifices were still common as object lessons of the price of sinfulness. Sin offerings inscribed upon the heart and mind of the offender how enormous were the effect and consequences of their actions. Saying “I am sorry and I will never do it again” was followed by an offering to God commensurate to the wealth of the offender. Sometimes, an offering to the person most affected was also required.

Now that Jesus Christ has died for our sins, been resurrected, and has ascended to the right hand of the Father in Heaven, animal sacrifices are no longer required. What is required is that we offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God by using the gifts, talents, opportunities, and influence that we have in His service.

As God has forgiven us, may we pay the vows of our lips with sincere service to God by being the generous and miraculous answers to the prayers that someone else is praying.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, at the end of our day when evening comes, help us to see our highpoints as well as the mistakes, missteps and misalignments with others and forgive us. When we rest, restore our spiritual balance and prepare us to be useful representatives of Your grace in the new day that will dawn. In the name of Jesus, I ask this prayer. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “The Lord’s Prayer” (song) by Tamela Mann. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Chaplain Paul Anderson served for 20 years as a U.S. Navy Chaplain. Over 26 years of active duty, he was promoted through the ranks from Seaman Apprentice (E2) to his final rank as Commander (O5) in the Chaplain’s Corps.

Prior to his Naval career, Chaplain Anderson pastored in the Allegheny East and Potomac Conferences of Seventh-day Adventists. His undergraduate preparation for ministry was completed at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md.

He has subsequently earned four graduate degrees: a Master of Divinity from Andrews University in Michigan, a Master of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland and a Masters of Sacred Theology in Religion and Culture from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry degree was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Chaplain Anderson also completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He also holds certifications in Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Civil Mediation, Alternative Workplace Dispute Resolution, Temperament Analysis, Marriage Enrichment, Workforce Diversity, and is a certified Life Coach.

You may connect with Chaplain Anderson via email at this address, psanderson75@gmail.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: How to have freedom in Jesus Christ

Freedom in the Lord
A devotional by Casey Wayne

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

—2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV)

As I have become a wife, mother and a more mature adult, God has revealed areas in which I need to grow. God, in His loving kindness, revealed to me that if I would release my weaknesses to Him, He would give me freedom from the stress and fear they were giving me.

Chasing perfection has, and continues, to be an area I have to lift up to the Lord. Maybe you can relate. I love to make plans and have control. The peace and satisfaction I receive when a plan goes as I envisioned can easily become an idol in my life. I start becoming anxious and afraid of what will happen if things do not go the way I expect them to. My peace of mind becomes completely entwined with the results of everything I plan.

I am so thankful for the peace and freedom we have in Jesus Christ. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) tells us, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Trusting our Heavenly Father and making room for His Holy Spirit to work through our weaknesses allows God to give us that peace. I won’t say this is always easy. It requires that we bring it to the feet of Jesus and trust in God’s faithfulness. Sometimes that means you bring it to Him over and over and over. But as we faithfully pursue Him and spiritual growth, He is faithful to sanctify us. 

Romans 6:22 (ESV) says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” As we learn to do this, God can turn our lives into a testimony for His glory. 

The beauty of the salvation we have in Christ, is that it does not stop there.

Salvation then draws us to obediently seek sanctification. God loves us, saves us and then gives us an opportunity to partner with Him, helping others by sharing our stories of redemption with those who still need to experience the freedom found in Jesus Christ.

Maybe, like me, you need peace and freedom from chasing perfection.

Perhaps you need freedom from shame, fear, or an identity centered on something other than Christ. Whatever sin is weighing heavy on your soul, bring it to God in prayer. Release it into the hands of a faithful Father who wants to replace it with peace and purpose for His glory.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your redeeming grace through Christ. You faithfully give us hope and peace as we seek You. I bring my heavy heart to you and everything that is weighing me down. Reveal to me anything in my life that does not bring you glory so that I may build a life centered on you. Give me the strength to partner with you as I share my story of freedom in the name of Jesus Christ.

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Freedom Reigns” by Jason Upton. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Casey Wayne is a wife and mother of two children.

She enjoys time with her family doing simple things like movie nights and cooking together.

As a devotional writer, Casey strives to share her story with relatable honesty, showing how God is faithful throughout the big and small moments of life.

She has a heart for encouraging the faith walk of other moms, praying they gain a deeper connection with our Heavenly Father.

Her family lives in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.

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Connect with Casey:
Website: https://www.caseywayne.org/
Blog: https://peaceoffaith.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseylwayne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Peace.of.FaithCaseyWayne

Devotionals for the Heart: How would Jesus Christ handle conflict?

Handling Conflict like Jesus Christ Would
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

Have you ever been in the middle of a tug-of-war?

Lately I’m having to handle a lot of conflict between my kids, two of whom have very different emotional styles. One likes to keep his emotions under wraps, preferring to repress or ignore unsettled feelings whenever possible and go with the proverbial flow. The other can often be on an emotional roller coaster, catapulting from jubilant to wounded to frustrated and angry, sometimes all within a few hours.

They’re teens, so usually I encourage them to navigate the conflict themselves, but there are times I need to step in. When I do, usually my go-to technique involves listening objectively and then advising the best thing to do (for me, this usually involves asking the question, “What would Jesus do in this situation?”)

It’s a good question, and sometimes the answer isn’t easy. But usually it’s pretty clear.

But it also begs another question, one about the mediation itself. If Jesus were in my shoes, how would he handle this disagreement? How did he resolve disputes?

How can I handle conflict like Jesus would?

1. Point to God as your Heavenly Father

Jesus was bold about his identity: He served God foremost. He always pointed to the Father and let people know that his priority was to serve the Lord. While at first he was not vocal about being the son of God, by the end of his earthly ministry, he was very clear about this. But he was always crystal clear about one critical thing, more critical than anything else: He always pointed to our heavenly father, God Almighty. Everything Jesus did was about his father, God. Every story he told, every question he asked, everything pointed to God.

So at the start of any sort of conflict resolution or mediation, that should be our primary goal: understanding that we, too, belong to the Lord and that this conflict impacts Him.

2. Questions provide clarity

Jesus also asked people questions: Who do you say I am? Do you love me? Do you want to be made well? What do you want me to do for you? Now, as the son of God, I am certain Jesus knew the answers to those questions. He asked them questions not for himself, but for them—the people he was talking with. Often they were questions designed to get them to vocalize what they were feeling, or thinking, for them to consider their own position.

When Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” (John 21 NIV), certainly Jesus knew the answer—of course Peter loved him. But in asking, and getting Peter to say “yes!” three times in the conversation, not only was he giving Peter the opportunity to repent for denying him three times, but he was also helping Peter to claim that love and understand Jesus’s next point: that loving Jesus meant loving others in his name.

Having the ability to answer these questions gave Peter ownership over and enthusiasm about his next steps.

3. Show mercy

Jesus knew Judas was going to betray him—Judas, part of his inner circle! And yet he dined with Judas beforehand, and warned all present someone was going to betray him, and gave Judas every opportunity to repent and change his plans. Judas did not. Yet even as Jesus was jeered at and spit on as he was nailed to the cross, he didn’t express wrath or anger.

Rather, he begged, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34 NIV).

All of this is what I try to do today. Whether it’s a conflict in my family or anywhere else, I start by acknowledging in my own mind who I am—and who I’m not. I’m not the savior of the world. But I do belong to God and I strive to do God’s will. And that’s what I set out to do in mediation of conflict.

Then I ask questions. What is going on? What did you say? And then what did you say? And why did you say this? And why were you feeling this way?

All of these questions are designed to get people to say what is so often left unsaid in most conversations. Because when you get right down to it, arguments are often not about communication at all. They’re about unleashing emotions and expressing dissatisfaction. But when the communication happens, that’s when things start to get strong. That’s when growth happens. That’s one relationships evolve.

See, it’s not the feelings that matter. Feelings fluctuate. Feelings are like shifting sand. But it’s the facts that matter.

Jesus pointed to the facts. He pointed to the Father and shined light into the situation. Then he showed mercy even when the evil path was taken.

The next time you find yourself in conflict with someone or (like me!) called to resolve conflict between other people, I hope you’ll consider how Jesus handled it—and do the same.

I pray I will, too.

Let’s Pray: Lord, help my feelings not get in the way of the facts when it comes to a conflict. Help me look to You and strive to do the right thing by You always. And when I don’t choose well, help guide me back on the right path with You. Thank You for loving me. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning journalist, author, blogger, editor, writing coach, and devotional writer with thousands of articles to her name.

Since 2010, she has served as the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 123 journalism awards during her tenure. She is the author of Feed My Sheep: A 40-Day Devotional to Develop a Heart for Hunger Ministry (2019) and More Like Jesus: A Devotional Journey (2018) and the editor of a number of other books from her newspaper’s Advocate Press, which she helped found in 2017.

She has won more than 100 writing awards and is a seasoned speaker and frequent contributor to Crosswalk.com, Christianity.com, and BibleStudyTools.com, among many others. She has a weekly faith blog at JessicaBrodie.com and is part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries, with her work included in many of their devotionals and Bible studies.

Brodie holds a Master of Arts in English, and she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in communications/print journalism from Florida International University. Born and raised in Miami, Brodie now lives in Lexington, South Carolina, just outside Columbia. She has also lived in Ohio and in the mountains of western North Carolina. She and her husband, Matt Brodie, have a blended family of four teenage children and stepchildren.

Brodie has written several novels and is actively seeking publication through her agent Bob Hostetler of The Steve Laube Agency. Her novel The Memory Garden won the 2018 Genesis contest for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian Fiction Writers, and her novel Tangled Roots won a third place Foundation Award in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2019. She is finishing the third in the series, Hidden Seeds, now.

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Connect with Jessica:
Website: https://www.jessicabrodie.com/
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