Devotionals for the Heart: When God's Holy Spirit feels like a cool breeze

Holy Spirit: Our Cool of the Day
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”—Genesis 3:8 (ESV)

When in Hawaii, my husband and I leave the doors and windows open to take advantage of the ocean breezes.

Without the exposure to the weather, the space inside our home gets uncomfortably warm, making it difficult to sleep at night. Air conditioning is unusual in traditional tropical homes. Instead, high ceilings, louvered windows, and ceiling fans move the sea air throughout the house, taking the edge off the hot temperatures.

But when the trade winds weaken there is little that can subdue the heat. The humidity adds to the discomfort, making even the tile floors sticky under bare feet. Paradise isn’t so perfect without the quieting airflow.

The Bible introduces us to this breeze benefit in the coolest of ways in early Genesis (pun intended). The Holy Spirit of God is first mentioned as being active in creation prior to God’s voice calling light into action. We are introduced to the presence of God’s Spirit, in the likeness of a circulating trade wind in Genesis 1:2 (ESV) that says, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

Ruach is the Hebrew word for the Spirit of God and is also translated breath or wind. The Bible uses all these English words in its translation of Ruach. When humanity entered the scene, we get more intimate details of the interactions between God the Creator and man (Adam who was the first created human being). We see God using His breath to bring man to life (Genesis 2:7), and His word to instruct man on how to maintain life (Genesis 2:16).

Despite the beauty of paradise, the first humans ever created by God changed the climate with sin. Suddenly Adam and Eve (his wife) found themselves sweating in a sticky situation after choosing to circumvent God’s instruction on living well.

It’s at this moment that God comes in on a cool breeze. Let’s read about it in Genesis 3:8 (ESV): “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”

The phrase “cool of the day” in this verse is none other than Ruach! God’s Spirit, the One who hovered over a dark void, re-enters the scene as relief in a tense time.

We often read this scripture as the point when an angry God walks in to lay down the law on evil. But God identifies Himself as love, light, and through Ruach, a cool breeze. Instead of seeing our Savior as the volcano who needs to be appeased, He is the gentle wind who takes the heat off us.

From the foundation of the Earth and from our own first breath, God’s Spirit has been hovering and providing us an atmosphere of comfort. Jesus Christ reiterated this when promising the Holy Spirit to His followers in John 14:16 (ESV). He said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.”

How we view the love of our Heavenly Father (God) matters to the climate of our lives. There is always a cool breeze available if we keep the windows and doors of our hearts open to God’s Spirit.

Let’s Pray: Holy Father, we are so grateful for your saving grace, and the gift of your Holy Spirit living within us. Help us recognize the cooling of your Holy Spirit in the heat of each day. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Fresh Wind” by Hillsong Worship. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community. 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She was privileged to participate in leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees the great need for encouragement and connection. Within ministries served, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and building cross-cultural communities has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys nature, deep conversations, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children.

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, writing devotionals for other websites, and is working on a nonfiction book titled, The Whole-Of-Us: Putting Church Back Together.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Email: sharon@sharonmusgrove.com
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonkmusgrove/

Devotionals for the Heart: Life lessons learned from harvesting blueberries

The Mutual Blessings of Leaving a Generous Margin
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God!” ­­–Leviticus 23:22 NIV

The Lord’s wisdom in how to live peacefully in community has always been ways that bless all parties. But how could leaving some profit on the ground be a blessing for the person who owns the field? The answer is in believing that God’s blessings are bountiful! He wants to bless everyone with provision and plenty.

In 2017, my husband and I purchased a home with 18 well-established blueberry plants. As summer came around, we eagerly awaited a harvest of sweet treats. But we soon came to realize that our plants were putting out volumes of fruit daily—a crop we hadn’t prepared sufficient time to harvest. Picking daily, we’d return the next afternoon to a garden that looked as if we hadn’t touched it. We were overrun with produce! With such a haul, we began freezing gallons bags of blueberries, only to run out of freezer space. We were outmatched by the abundance of this garden!

The blueberries were a lesson in God’s love and bountiful provision. When trying to harvest every single berry ourselves, storing them up for some rainy day, we became taxed and resentful of the weight of our work. We no longer saw the crop as a gift. We saw it as a burden. But when we invited others to come and help themselves to the wealth on our land, something wonderful happened! Suddenly anxiety in our workload was exchanged for joy in relationship building. Reaping alongside others opened the door to sharing not just fruit, but friendship. The time spent together cultivated conversation, creating opportunity to get to know people.

Additionally, allowing others to do their own gleaning, instead of simply handing them a pre-picked portion, took away the stigma of indebtedness that can come with a gift. And being honest about our need for help meant they understood their efforts were valuable.

We often forget, as we strive to build up ourselves, the importance of brotherhood in that effort. Relationships are the economy in which love is exchanged; the field in which our hearts grow. We do well to remember that God said in Genesis 2:18 (NIV), “It is not good for the man to be alone.”

While not everyone has an abundance of berries, God gives all kinds of gifts to His children to grow and share. Sometimes we are blind to the provision of God, but His fruit comes in all shapes and sizes.

A good friend who retired from a career in nursing continues to harvest in caring for others as a foster parent for teens. And a widow with a heart for the arts opens her home to music students, appreciating the beauty of their work. These are modern day examples of God’s old school rule of leaving margin in your life for others. Both women see the extra space in their homes as “edges of their fields” that can feed the needs of those currently without. But in addition to the space they provide, these two engage with those who glean in their gardens, cultivating friendships and growing love.

Where in your life has God provided extra? Are you harvesting right up to the edge, leaving no margin for others? The nature of God is to fill you with the fullness of His love, which includes blessing you with companions that will help you continue to be fruitful. Do not be afraid to be generous, rather look for the harvest your hands are too full to hold and invite others in for the excess. In this way, the hands and hearts of a community will be filled.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, You know our every need and You supply for those needs. Open our eyes to the abundance of Your provision, that we might feel liberated to live generously. And show us the value we gain in relationships when we share ourselves as well. Help us sow and harvest crops of love. In the Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Generosity” by Jerome Collins. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community. 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She was privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees the great need for encouragement and connection. Within ministries served, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and building cross-cultural communities has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys nature, deep conversations, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children.

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, writing devotionals for other websites, and is working on a nonfiction book titled, The Whole-Of-Us: Putting Church Back Together.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Email: sharon@sharonmusgrove.com
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonkmusgrove/

Devotionals for the Heart: How difficulties help us grow stronger

Don’t Deviate from the Difficult
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.”

—James 1:2-4 (TLB)

When my son, John, was around eight months old, he was making strong headway toward being independently mobile by pulling himself up from sitting to standing. Not really crawling yet, still he was making progress. And then Zachary arrived.

Cousin Zachary was six months older than John and he was walking. In those weeks while Zachary stayed with us, John quit trying to crawl, devoting all his energy to becoming ambulatory. John was no longer content with his unhurried pace of development, suddenly a fire was lit to be upright.

But it turns out that crawling is beneficial to both muscular and psychological maturity. Skipping this stage is thought to inhibit full brain development. When we, like my young son, see someone succeeding at something we want for ourselves, we can be tempted to take the shortcut. However, bypassing the difficult route requires of us a couple things: deviation and double-down.

Deviation might look like shifting priorities, shirking responsibility, quitting current tasks, and avoiding accountability. It might mean breaking promises, or not being completely honest. Maybe deception...even if just self-deception.

Double-down is the extra energy required to get somewhere faster than normal. Symptoms could be longer work hours, skipping breaks, feeling driven, irritability, or feeling put-upon.

Achievements arrived by shortcut methods are typically short-lived because they lack the muscle of steadfastness to maintain the level of success attained. The shortcut is also short-sighted. Our maturity requires that we go through the challenges that build strength of character. While it’s human nature to choose the least painful routes or be tempted to skip ahead, the very process of falling down and getting back up develops the stability we need to withstand the next level of growth.

In his letter to fellow followers of Jesus Christ, James suggests that we can consider the hard way through life as the best way due to the amount of spiritual muscle we achieve along the way. Difficulties produce patience. And patience helps us endure through every future challenge. It’s a strength we take with us on the rest of our journey.

My little son John took many tumbles in his efforts to walk. At some point, though, he found himself on his hands and knees and realized he could crawl after all. He didn’t stay on all fours for long, but it was there that he got what he needed to advance toward his next adventure.

When we find ourselves knocked down, it’s best we be honest with ourselves about where we are and why. We are not completed yet. And there’s no shame in continuing to be a work-in-progress. Rather we can be happy about the opportunity to practice a while longer! Before we know it, a greater level of challenge will come and we will be glad God was developing such strength in us.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, You know what is best for us and You direct us to walk in the way we should go. Help us to remember that Your ways are higher (wiser) than our ways and that we do well to trust You...always. Thank You for walking along side us in our challenges. Thank You for not abandoning us...especially in our foolishness. Continue to guide our steps and to bless our spiritual muscles as we follow You. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Walk With You” by Michael Bethany. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community. 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She was privileged to participate in leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees the great need for encouragement and connection. Within ministries served, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and building cross-cultural communities has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys nature, deep conversations, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children.

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, writing devotionals for other websites, and is working on a nonfiction book titled The Whole-Of-Us: Putting Church Back Together.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Email: sharon@sharonmusgrove.com
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonkmusgrove/

Devotionals for the Heart: Why change requires us to be devoted

Change Requires Devotion
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers.”—Acts 2:42 (CEB)

“What are you reading these days?” A good friend asked me during a recent phone call.

I looked at the pile of books on my coffee table, feeling ashamed that I had started so many personal development texts and was struggling to complete even one.

“I’m reading five books right now,” I replied honestly, choosing to be real to both me and my sister-in-Christ, “but I am having difficulty finishing them.”

I explained how impressed I was with the content of the books, but when it came to applying the suggested behavioral changes, I fell short. Trying to make big modifications on my own, and keeping consistent, seemed impossible.

As we talked, I remembered reading a Bible passage where thousands of people turned their lives around, changing their customary behaviors. The Apostle Luke recorded this event, known as the birth of the Church, in the New Testament book of Acts.

Acts 2 tells the story of the Apostle Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, preaching the truth of Jesus Christ to the people in Jerusalem. A few weeks prior, the same crowd had the Messiah crucified on the cross. Now, hearing the accurate account, they were feeling deep conviction of having done God wrong, and sought change.

“When the crowd heard this, they were deeply troubled. They said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’” –Acts 2:37 (CEB)

Peter immediately gave them instruction. According to Acts 2:38 (CEB), he replied, “Change your hearts and lives. Each of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:41 tells us that about three thousand people accepted Peter’s message that day and were baptized! And they didn’t stop their transformation there. Our feature scripture reveals the action steps these early Christians took to radically change their lives. According to Acts 2:42 (CEB), “The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers.”

They devoted themselves. The turn about from bad behavior to good habits requires a level of commitment that is all in.We see that the believers were all in with submission to the Apostles’ teachings, meeting daily in the Temple (Acts 2:46). They were all in being accountable to the community, sharing everything they owned, food and belongings, with one another (Acts 2:42 and Acts 2:44). And they were all in praying to God (Acts 2:42).

What did not happen was an attempt to go it alone. The early Church did not practice once a week and then retreat home to the same-same routine. Changing their lives required daily work and accountability to others. The result of this devotion to change was a community that came together for good rather than for bad. And God blessed them with growth—personal growth and church growth.

Are there changes in your life that you know need to happen, yet you struggle to implement them? Has a daily discipline of reading your Bible or praising God been difficult to maintain?

Let’s let the early believers teach us how to proceed from deep conviction to blessed by God by following their example of devotion: Devotion to God. Devotion to others. And devotion to practicing daily disciplines of Bible learning, generosity with one another, and prayer.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, we love You and want to please You. But we struggle to change from old habits. Fill us Your Holy Spirit to help us with Your desire for our lives. Thank You for the example we find in the Acts 2 church. Help us to be all in for Your Kingdom and Your people. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Change Me Now” by Babbie Mason. Listen here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community. 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She was privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees the great need for encouragement and connection. Within ministries served, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and building cross-cultural communities has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys nature, deep conversations, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children.

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, writing devotionals for other websites, and is working on a nonfiction book titled The Whole-Of-Us: Putting Church Back Together.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Email: sharon@sharonmusgrove.com
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonkmusgrove/

Devotionals for the Heart: Finding Contentment Amidst Commercialism

Where To Find Contentment
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”–Philippians 4:11-13 (MSG)

Contentedness is illusive in our culture. Everywhere we turn we are confronted with advertising that tells us that we need something more to make us happy in our lives. Even when we think we’re good, commercialism tells us we are not.

When the Apostle Paul wrote the above words to the Christians in Philippi, he was in prison for being an evangelist. It was a time of physical discomfort and great need for himself and his friend Timothy. Yet when Paul received a care package from the church, he responded by saying he is content.

My friend Josy is an amazing person who models for me the contented life. Born in rural Kenya, she knew poverty. Her family lived without running water or power in a home with dirt floors. Food was scarce while hunger was prevalent. To better her life for herself and her family, Josy married. But her husband was abusive. Going from bad to worse, she gave birth to a son with a serious heart defect. People believed her to be cursed and suggested she leave her baby in the wilderness to die.

But Josy believed in Jesus Christ and thought the advice given to her was wrong, as did an American medical missionary who connected them with a heart surgeon in the United States. Through a series of kindhearted gifts, Josy’s son received the necessary surgery to correct the defect and set the boy up to thrive.

The love and compassion that Josy received inspired her. She decided to leave the abusive marriage and move to the United States where she could become a person who gives in return. Josy’s American Dream looks much different than those of us born here. Rather than amassing stuff for herself, she gives to others. She and her son live in a small apartment and have often struggled to make ends meet. Despite the everyday difficulties, Josy has paid for a home for her mother in Kenya and began a nonprofit for Maasai children with disabilities.

Josy’s story illustrates Paul’s sentiments through her pursuit of showing love to others. Her desire mirrors God’s desire to see hurting people loved and cared for. This testimony reminds me of what the Bible says in Philippians 4:13 (MSG): “Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”

Each of us is influenced one way or another—by the ads telling us what will make us happy or by the One (God) who gives us the recipe for lifelong contentedness. We get to choose.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving us so deeply and caring for our needs so well. Your holy scriptures help us to understand just how You have designed us to love and live for others and not just pursuing our own wants. You show us the contentedness in living aligned this way. We thank You for the examples in the lives of others and ask for Your help in centering our lives on what You desire. In Jesus’s Name we pray. Amen.

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

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community. 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She was privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees the great need for encouragement and connection. Within ministries served, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and building cross-cultural communities has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys nature, deep conversations, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children.

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, writing devotionals for other websites, and is working on a nonfiction book titled The Whole-Of-Us: Putting Church Back Together.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Email: sharon@sharonmusgrove.com
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonkmusgrove/

Devotionals for the Heart: Life Lessons about Waiting on God to Show Up

Waiting On God
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

The Lord said, “Go out and stand at the mountain before the Lord. The Lord is passing by.” A very strong wind tore through the mountains and broke apart the stones before the Lord. But the Lord wasn’t in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake. But the Lord wasn’t in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire. But the Lord wasn’t in the fire. After the fire, there was a sound. Thin. Quiet. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his coat. He went out and stood at the cave’s entrance. A voice came to him and said, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 

–1 Kings 19:11-13 (CEB)

How do we respond when God does not show up when we expect Him to?

Do we question Him along the lines of: Is He real? Does He care?

Maybe we question ourselves thinking, Did I misunderstand? Am I a fool for waiting on Him? Questions like these can be detrimental to our faith, tearing us down from the inside. But rather than wondering what went wrong between us and God, these are times that build us up in relationship with Him.

Elijah’s experience, written in 1 Kings 19:11-13, of waiting on God has helped me stay steadfast in faith and quiet the internal relationship interrogation. Elijah was told that God was coming and to wait for Him. Elijah waited through all sorts of calamities that any of us would hope to find God in. Yet God did not present as expected.

This passage reveals that though we go through difficult times, God will show up in His time, not ours. And when He shows up, we will be filled with awe. I had this experience years ago when our family took a week’s vacation to Hawaii. Upon landing, I had this sense that God wanted to say something to me. So, I began each morning reading my Bible and opening my ears to what He wanted to disclose.

Day one of listening for God to speak went by and yet I heard nothing. Day two...nothing. Days three, four, and five...still no word from God. I began to question both God and me. Looking heavenward I prayed: Hello, up there. God, did You say to listen or am I just making it up?

By day six I was weary of the waiting. I felt like I had wasted a vacation waiting on God’s arrival. But in that moment, I felt an urgency to take my journal down to the seashore. Yet it was raining outside, so I prayed: Father, I have trusted You all week. I am confused and disappointed that I am not hearing what You have to say to me. Yet as Elijah, I will take my journal to the ocean as soon as the weather clears.

The weather cleared the day we were departing. Remembering my promise to God, I gathered my book and pen and walked over to a rocky inlet near our accommodations then sat in silence.

In that cove there was a sea turtle eating greens growing on the volcanic crag. Waves rolled in and out, tossing that creature wildly to and fro. To my eyes it seemed a dangerous place for an animal to be, the Pacific’s strength working against her.

In that moment, God visited me. He spoke to my heart about His design on my life, using the unique sea turtle design, the hard shell, sharp beak, and the flipper-like feet, as metaphors for His equipping me to live in rough “surf”. Immediately I was filled with awe and humbled to the core for the personal word spoken over me. The doubts I’d had throughout the week dissipated and my faith grew in our relationship.

Are you struggling in your relationship with God because of hard times? Have your expectations of Him gone unmet? Friend, God is not absent nor unaware of your problems. He will arrive to meet you in your moment at the perfect time, one that grows your faith in Him.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, we thank You for sharing Elijah’s story to help us know You. We ask to be built up in our relationship with You that we might be faithful people to You and an encouragement to others. May we always look on You with awe. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Wait on the Lord” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “In the Waiting” by Vicki Yohe. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior.

She has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children.

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is studying Christian fiction writing.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060

Devotionals for the Heart: Harmony

How To Live In Harmony
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”—1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT

The Apostle Paul wrote the above words to a church that is mirrored in our western churches today. Paul was instrumental in the formation of the Corinthian congregation, spending over a year bringing together people who were used to living self-serving, indulgent, and sinful lives. In his absence, they reverted into disunity. Like them, today’s church needs Paul’s preaching on living in harmony, as we too unravel in disagreement.

Paul begins by telling the Corinthian church how grateful he is for them and how in Jesus Christ they’ve been gifted “eloquent words” and all knowledge (1 Corinthians 1:5 NLT). But then he points out that they are using their gifts against one another by quarreling (verse11) and arguing over who is following the better leader (verse 12). Somewhere along the line the members regressed from a “we mentality” to a “me mentality.”

Does the world know we are Christians by our love for one another? Or are we better known for being argumentative? Are we using scripture and our spiritual gifts against one another in a “me first” mindset? Have we stunted the growth of the church by our divisions? Christ implores us to live in harmony.

What does it mean to live “of one mind, united in thought and purpose”? Paul’s letter to the Corinthians informs us today in this “one mind” way. Chapter by chapter the Apostle lays out truths that are applicable now.

Let’s read some of those truths found in God’s Word (The Holy Bible):

• Jesus is the foundation of our collective, everything we bring to the church must be supported and aligned with Him (1 Corinthians 3).
• There’s no human hierarchy. Leaders are no better than followers. We’re all following Christ’s lead (1 Corinthians 4).
• Behaviors that do not build up others, but promote self over others, destroy the community. Normalizing these behaviors creates a cancer with the Body (1 Corinthians 5).
• The physical body is sacred and is to be treated with respect and mutuality in relationships. (1 Corinthians 6-7).
• We are each in various stages of maturity and need to be both mindful and respectful of the maturation process of others, giving them the same freedom to grow as God gives us (1 Corinthians 8-9).
• When we want more than what God deems good for us, we create idols that destroy. Everything we do is to seek not our own advantage, but God’s glory (1 Corinthians 9-10).
• Neither men nor women are made independent of one another (1 Corinthians 11).
• God has imparted spiritual gifts on His followers, unique to the individual, but for the purpose of common good (1 Corinthians 12).
• Love is the core of everything, revealing itself in patience and kindness, lacking in envy, pride, arrogance, or rudeness. Love does not demand its own way, nor is it irritable or resentful. It is not happy with injustice, but thrills with truth. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance (1 Corinthians 13).
• Pursue with eagerness putting your spiritual gifts to use for the edification of the community, to increase it. And in doing so, be considerate of others in an orderly and appropriate way (1 Corinthians 14).

When Paul heard of the discord within the church, he quickly addressed them with the loving heart of a Godly overseer. He told them how valuable they were, how much they meant to him, and then redirected them with instructions in these basics of harmonious living. We need to follow suit with one another, because without unity we fail to live out Christ’s calling.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, we submit to You. We ask your forgiveness for our self-serving, indulgent, and sinful lives. Create in us a desire to live in Christian unity and to prioritize others as Christ modeled. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “If We Are The Body” by Casting Crowns. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior.

She has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children.

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is studying Christian fiction writing.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060

Devotionals for the Heart: The most important law to live by in this world

Loving Others As You Love Yourself
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. ... Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” –Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)

If you had the opportunity to ask a judge which law is the most important one to uphold, how do you think they’d respond? Don’t murder? Don’t steal? 

Due to all the crazy antics they are required to adjudicate, I suspect any seasoned justice of the peace would give an answer that is broader than the specifics of any single law. They might just give the same answer Jesus Christ did: Love.

It doesn’t take watching more than watching a couple episodes of the TV show “Judge Judy” to understand people can be very self-serving and believe that loving others is contradictory to loving themselves. But this is deceived thinking. Have they never experienced the joy of seeing a family member smile when they gave a gift? Have they forgotten the healing that comes from the mutual squeeze of a hug?

What we often misunderstand when it comes to love is when we give it, we receive it. Unlike money, which only stays with the one who holds it, love is a commodity that grows exponentially when planted within another person.

Have you ever tried the smile game? Go out into public and collect smiles by offering smiles. See who responds to this little show of love. You’ll notice time and again that people soften when they receive social niceties. You get a smile when you give a smile. Just playing the game will improve your day!

Loving others is not mutually exclusive to loving yourself but is meant to happen simultaneously. Each time the command is given in the old or new testaments of The Holy Bible it is stated we are to love your neighbor as yourself. This two-letter word “as” is a conjunction in the English language, meaning one event is happening while the other is also in progress.

This is not to say that every person you show kindness to is going to behave similarly. Not all people will smile back. But when you give, you know within yourself that you are doing a good thing. You know the behavior pleases God. And that connection to our Creator is far more important than looking to please people. Loving God comes first.

To please God, whom we are to love first, we’ve been asked to love people. This is a command that heals us as we put it into practice. Love is mutually beneficial because by doing what God asks of us is to love Him. It’s like when your parent asks you to be kind to your sibling. That show of love creates a peace within the home that rewards everyone.

God is described in 1 John 4:16 as being love. So, if God wants us be loving, it is going to be good for us. Love is simply the fuel that His kingdom runs on. We need to quit thinking that giving is losing. Instead, we need to believe that love is prolific and abundant, multiplying itself when put into action! We are filled with love as...or while...or at the same time as...or in conjunction with loving others.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, we bow to Your will in love. We ask for open eyes that we might see how living out love is producing more love, that we might be more motivated to fall in line with Your ways. In asking for Your kingdom come, we humbly note our blockade of fear in the way. Remove our fear of insufficiency and renew our hope in the abundance of Your love. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Love God Love People” by Danny Gokey. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior. 

She has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children.

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is studying Christian fiction writing.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonmusgrove_untethered/

Devotionals for the Heart: Life lessons on the true meaning of "home"

Make Yourself at Home
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.” –John 15:9-10 (MSG)

Home is my happy place.

I’ve always been a homebody, preferring to stay in, comfortable and reading a good book, rather than going out and having what others call a good time. I’ve loved decorating the houses I’ve lived in, remodeling outdated rooms, and finding my design style over time. When I was pregnant, the nursery was my ultimate nesting focus.

I’ve been a homemaker for many years. Yet, all the energy I’ve spent in setting tables and fluffing throw pillows does not accurately reflect the “home” Jesus Christ speaks of in John 15. Here Christ says, “Make yourselves at home in my love.” This is not a material location with floors and walls, but a spiritual place of relationship. This shift in meaning from physical place to heart space intrigued me to look deeper at the essence of what it means to make a home.

This scripture begins with the attribute of love. Jesus says, “I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me” (John 15:9). The center of God’s Kingdom is loving others. In fact, the very next verse in John 15 states this way of living as mandatory. It reads, “This is my command: Love one another the way that I loved you” (John 15:12 MSG; emphasis mine). Jesus lived out a sacrificial love, his priority being forgiveness of offense and unity in relationship.

Families don’t always prioritize this kind of love within the home. More commonly, being right is more important than being together. Hierarchal structures of head of household, and powerplay instead of teamwork, can create an atmosphere of jealousy, distrust, and sometimes violence. This does not reflect the heart of God. Nor is it following His example of how to love.

Christ reiterates that He kept His Father’s command. His habit of love was his habitat. And that’s the kind of homemaking he instructs us with—living a lifestyle of love for people. This mirrors our true home in Heaven.

Any house rule set by Jesus has a purpose that is meant for good. Jesus reveals to us in John 15:11 that his intent in making love mandatory is in spreading and growing joy. Let’s remember what Jesus says in John 15:11 (MSG): “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.”

The worst years of my life were those when my family was not unified. There was no joy. Accusations flew and hateful statements were hastily made. Lines were drawn and barriers thickened. Home in those days was not a safe place. And no number of scented candles could mask the stink of our brokenness. It wasn’t until we could sacrifice pride and humbly share the hurts on our hearts, exchanging both apologies and forgiveness, that our house returned to being a home.

When my adult children return home these days, they kick off their shoes, dig through the refrigerator, and lay on the couch. Together we cuddle, tell stories, and enjoy each other’s company. This level of comfort and trust came through applying the love rule and is how we can now abide in a joy wholly mature.

It is only when we can say to others, “I’ve loved you the way my Heavenly Father has loved me", that we are making ourselves at home in Christ's love. In following his command, we build a home that is like God’s Home in Heaven.

This is the art of homemaking—joyfully living out love.

Let’s Pray:
Holy Father, Thank You for Your love. Thank You for the example and the sacrifice Jesus lived out for us to follow on earth. We thank You for inviting us into Your Kingdom. May we follow Your command to love others, that we might be at home in You. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Always Be My Home” (song) by Rachael Lampa. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior.

She has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children.

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is studying Christian fiction writing.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonmusgrove_untethered/

Devotionals for the Heart: How to discover the gifts God gave to you

Finding Your Sacred Trust
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust.” –1 Corinthians 9:16-17 NLT

The last three years have brought great personal change in my life (retirement, children moving away, purchasing vacation property, parents dying, and loss of church community).

I’ve found myself feeling purposeless and unfocused. It reminded me of my early college years when I was expected to know what I was moving toward, but no job title motivated. This time I spent long hours “discovering myself” as a means of determining what special gift God might want to develop in me. I’ve been asking, “Lord, what do you want of me now?”

Have you wondered what specific role God envisioned when He mixed your DNA?

Two years ago, I was studying the spiritual gifts in Ephesians 4:11 (NLT): “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.” I defined these five titles and tried to pinpoint which one my 40 years of Christian experience qualified me for. Over the next twenty-four months I took personality tests. I participated in Zoom trainings on finding my unique design. I scoured the Bible, prayed, journaled, read books, and counseled with trusted friends and a therapist. All those insights were helpful in inching toward what was more “me”, but none of it was feet on the ground action.

I wanted to get there already!

And then, I began yet another Bible study. As I worked my way through the early chapters of 1 Corinthians, my peripheral vision picked up on the upcoming chapter on spiritual gifts. Was I wandering around the same mountain?

But here the Apostle Paul’s words about preaching in 1 Corinthians 9:16 stuck out to me as if in a bold font. The text reads, “I am compelled by God to do it.” A new question hit me: What is the thing I have been doing all my life that I must still do?

Suddenly, it was clear that I had already been in the habit of serving in my designated duty! It was so simple, going unnoticed, because I so easily answer “yes” when the requests come around. In fact, I seek out opportunities to do it.

God has given me the sacred trust of hosting people in need in my home.

Looking back over three decades of marriage, my husband and I have housed some 16 households (from singles to families) for lengthy periods of time. In 2020, we purchased a vacation home with the intent of gifting it to weary Christians who need replenishment. This year we added a third location.

How had I missed hospitality as being my special gift?

Honestly, my propensity for black and white thinking gets in the way too often. Without an official “Shepherd” placard for the wall, I couldn’t see the connection. And church culture can sometimes suggest that volunteer roles are the only way a Christian behaves. Shuttling newcomers through entry level services, like greeting or serving coffee, can keep them from developing into their full potential. But only within the walls of the church building. God, however, will never leave an eager believer stunted in spiritual growth. He will produce fruit in the lives of His children even when we don’t count it as such.

If you are as confused as I had been, let Paul’s passion help you think outside the box of Christian service. Do not think for one moment that God has passed you by on a special sacred trust! He has a compelling gift for others that comes through you!

God uses your heart and talents to serve Him by serving other people.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for creating each one of us perfectly and for a special purpose in Your Kingdom! We know that You have implanted desires in the hearts of every individual and that we can follow this sacred trust. Reveal this unique service to each person who asks. 

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior.

She has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is studying Christian fiction writing.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Website/Blog: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonmusgrove_untethered/

Devotionals for the Heart: When you learn to trust God's promises

Trusting God’s Promises
A backup devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“And blessed [spiritually fortunate and favored by God] is she who believed and confidently trusted that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her [by the angel sent] from the Lord.” –Luke 1:45 (AMP)

In our western culture, we are bombarded with promises that come from seemingly trustworthy sources yet fall flat on delivery.

A roommate says he will take out the trash, yet there it accumulates. A boss swears your input is valuable but does nothing to implement those ideas. A spouse betrays with infidelity. Some of these disappointments are easy to overlook, but others are deeply heartbreaking. When people fall short of their word how can we remain steadfast?

The Bible’s Gospel of Luke tells the stories of two individuals who have contrasting responses promises. The first account is that of an aging priest called Zechariah who was described as being a devout keeper of God’s commands. Both Zechariah and his wife were considered blameless, upstanding members of the Jewish community (Luke 1:6). Scripture says that this couple prayed for children but remained barren into old age.

It’s reasonable to think that Zechariah and Elizabeth had lived a lifetime disappointed without children, and maybe they believed that God had passed them by. Zechariah especially, a man committed to a career of intercession between man and God, might have felt resentful. Perhaps he was angry that his decades of prayer had gone unanswered.

I know those feelings, maybe they are familiar to you too. I’ve prayed for more than a decade for physical healing over chronic pain. Amid those pleas, I have seen countless others receive healing, wondering if somehow God had deliberately left me behind. Those negative thoughts about God dimmed my faith.

Zechariah responded to God’s messenger with disgruntled disbelief when, after all, the old man’s prayers were being answered. Let’s read what he said to God in Luke 1:18 (AMP): “How will I be certain of this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in age.”

Had this priest lost his trust in God’s promises? Where was his faith in God?

As it turns out, Zechariah’s desires for a son were aligned with God’s plan for the world. They just were not on the same timeline. What if the same is true for you and me? What if we are casting judgement solely on mismatched timing?

The second story, in contrast to this first, is that of a young girl who also finds herself in dialogue with God’s messenger over a miraculous conception. I guarantee this virgin, probably still somewhat a child herself, had not been praying for the directive she was being given! The news of pregnancy was something an unmarried maiden would rather not hear!

But Mary’s heart had not been scarred in the same way Zechariah’s had. She was anticipating her impending marriage and probably excited about what was ahead. This girl’s prayers were likely more directed by her future than by her past. Mary’s response, unlike Zechariah’s, is full of belief and trust. Let’s read what Mary said in Luke 1:34 (AMP): “How will this be, since I am a virgin and have no intimacy with any man?”

She wanted to know, not if it were true, but how it was true.

God has proven He is faithful to His word. He comes through on His promises. Zechariah’s heart was weary with years of waiting on prayer, yet God responded to him with favor. Mary’s heart was still malleable, thus she responded wholeheartedly to the Lord’s call on her future. One needed a reminder of God’s goodness while the other was anticipating it.

We too will be blessed when we hold to the word of God as true. Sometimes we just need a reminder that God’s timeline is better than our own. We can remain steadfast in faith despite the disappointments of the world because our story is still being written. The fulfillment is coming!

Let’s Pray: Father God, we bow before your perfection, humble to your wisdom. We don’t see like You see, therefore aim to stay reliant on You. Thank you for Your steadfast love and infinite grace. Help us to remain confident in Your promises. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior.

She has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is studying Christian fiction writing.

~*~
Connect with Sharon:
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonmusgrove_untethered/

Devotionals for the Heart: Love Scale

The Love Scale
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

—1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)

Belief in Jesus Christ offers forgiveness, and the clean slate He gives is the opportunity to turn from bad behavior and start new. Like a baby learning to walk, new habits are hard to create! We fall down time and again. How do we know if progress is being made toward living this new life when we keep messing up? Perhaps we could use a tool of measurement – a Love Scale.

A mentor introduced me to a Christ-based relapse prevention curriculum, years ago when I was volunteering in a residential recovery program for women. This “Genesis Process” walked its students through identifying why they were addicted to substances or self-harming actions and what it would take to walk away, free from that lifestyle. It was possible but it required intentional daily work.

Lives were changed through that process and hearts were healed. Every person who put effort into learning about God, and their relationship to Him, was blessed by improvement in their problems. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” These women entered the program hardened and angry, but they graduated hoping in their bright future and rejoicing in a fresh start in Christ.

One of the tools of the curriculum was a list of relapse warning signs. It was a scale used to identify current thoughts and feelings that would escalate toward degeneration of recovery, if not caught and corrected. This tool was invaluable.

Harmful behavior is not limited to the addict. No one lives perfectly as “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 ESV). I struggle with my behaviors despite church attendance, daily Bible study and volunteering in a Christian organization. As much as anyone, I need tools to help me stay on track. I doubted the average person would be comfortable, as I was, using instruments of recovery. So, I prayed, asking for a revelation that would be received by people not in treatment.

Love was the answer to my prayer. Specifically, a scripture that describes the characteristics of love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is a well-known passage that lists the aspects of living like Christ. I can run my daily concerns through this passage and know immediately where I am stumbling.

My daily concerns include thoughts like these:

Love is patient ... Am I patient with my kids?

Love is kind ... Oh dear, I snapped at my mother!

Love does not envy ... Yesterday I yearned for a life like Amy’s.

This passage becomes a Love Scale, weighing the purity of heart and the progress of walking with Christ. Any heavy burden can be measured by this tool to see where love is lacking, where the holes in trust and faith lie. You have to be willing, however, to hear where you are in the wrong.

The simplicity of belief in Jesus is that treatment for slipping into old patterns is surrender, not trying harder. Unlike the game of Chutes and Ladders, where you slide to the bottom and start back at the beginning, a repentant heart puts you right back at Jesus Christ’s side. We fall and He offers a hand to lift us right back to our feet.

This Love Scale keeps me in check time after time. It’s now on my wall, in a place where I tend to retreat when I’m hurting. I pray for clarity, put my burdens on the scale, and look at the answer.

Where, in your walk with Christ, do you keep tripping up? What situations trigger you? How do you respond? Friend, I encourage you to keep the Love Scale handy. Used with humility, this scripture will guide you in new habits, helping you discover where you are still weak. Jesus is right beside you, encouraging with His words and assisting you as you grow stronger in His way.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior. 

She has a diverse background in business, fitness and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both recovery programs served women primarily from the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She's been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Easily identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she's served, Sharon now sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, make their home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is writing her first Christian historical fiction novel utilizing her study, experience, and understanding of self-destructive behaviors.

Devotionals for the Heart: Significance

Are You Willing To Be Common?
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.” 

– Acts 2:44-46 (ESV)

For years I searched for answers to questions coming from a broken and doubting heart. I’ve wrestled with questions such as these:

“Am I special?”

“What is my value?”

“Is there meaning in my life?”

There just didn’t seem to be anything significant about my life. I felt lonely and sad. If only I could find the traits that would make me more lovable!

Ultimately, the answers to my doubts have come from God, through His Holy Bible. His words to me have been loving, gentle and affirming, as a good Father is. In building me up, I became strong enough to receive a new message from Him, one that requires bold faith and trust: Are you willing to be common?

While accepting God’s opinion about my value, I had continued to seek my place in the world, searching for a unique talent, profitable business or popular ministry. Didn’t God’s favor mean abundant blessings of fame and fortune? Treating our internal illness of unbelief with the world’s physical therapy will only keep us incessantly treating symptoms. It’s when we address our Creator Himself that the healing will come. 

The Bible says:

Truth will set us free. (John 8:32)

The Spirit of Truth guides us into all the truth. (John 16:13)

God’s Truth helps to sanctify us. (John 17:17)

Emboldened and inspired by these promises, I became a student of the Truth. I read scriptures, delving deep into Living Water by researching the original texts in the Hebrew and Greek. My life began to look different, less desperate and more confident. I had less tendency to compare myself with others. False beliefs became easier to spot and address. I saw all life—mine included—as premium. I felt special!

In the book of Acts, there is mention of others who, like me, had a lifestyle turn around when they heard the truth revealed by Christ. These early Christians are commonly referred to as “the Acts 2 Church.” Reading about their behaviors and selfless love for one another, a specific verse jumped out at me in Acts 2:44 (ESV), which reads, “And all who believed were together and had all things in common.”

I would certainly not say that I had all things in common with my fellow church-goers. Far from it! We are as different as opposing political parties. So what did this all things in common mean?

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon lent insight into the word common. The Greek word koinós is typically used in the context of the “ordinary”, but more profoundly, also the “defiled or unclean.”

With this surprising definition, I saw that these early Christians came together knowing they were equal in their sin. Despite labels of rich or poor, male or female, Jew or Gentile, spiritually they all suffered from the same common illness: sin.

So what did they do? They responded in opposition to the world’s answer ... they gave. Rather than striving to gain worth, they understood their value with God and surrendered all else. By selling all their excess, and dispensing it, they no longer had need.

Wow! No more need! I thought back to how desperate I was to have value so I could be lovable. My need was great.

Rather than striving for the attention of people, God was asking if I could accept His love as sufficient, and follow His direction in a life of service. Could I, day in and day out, tie an apron on my ordinary, sinful self, not to gain value, but knowing I already had it? Would I believe in His way?

Friends, God’s heart is summoning us to the work of coming together as a unified family. His call is to care for one another.

Perhaps, this is the message God is speaking from His Heart to yours:

Dearly Beloved, please accept my invitation to work for the Kingdom of Heaven. In this position you will be serving the needs of others. The hours will be long, the duties taxing, but the compensation is generous. Will you come and be common? Love, Your Heavenly Father.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior. 

She has a diverse background in business, fitness and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both recovery programs served women primarily from the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She's been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Easily identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she's served, Sharon now sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, make their home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is writing her first Christian historical fiction novel utilizing her study, experience, and understanding of self-destructive behaviors.