Devotionals for the Heart: How to let God to lead you in service to Him

Serving as the Lord Leads
A devotional by Casey Wayne

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 

–1 Peter 4:10-12 (NIV)

I catch up with a friend over the phone as I pace my living room and simultaneously fold laundry while trying to focus on being an active listener in the midst of so many things swirling in my head. All the while, chores, Bible study homework, classroom parent duties and so much more bombard my brain. Have you ever been this busy?

The topic of discussion between my friend and I over the phone was busy schedules and the hope that it will calm down sometime before the holiday season. For my friend and I who are both married, we might discuss the intentional conversations we have with our husbands about keeping a good balance of family life and serving at church. In recent months, the topic of serving has been a theme. Through conversations with other followers of Jesus Christ who obediently serve and are beautiful examples of servant leaders, I have been reminded of the importance of serving as the Lord leads.

There are so many good deeds and ways to serve, such as joining your church’s Children’s Ministry, becoming a Small Group Leader, or donating to a local food pantry.

The beautiful thing about the Church is everyone has a story and gifts we are called to steward well for God’s glory (Matthew 5:16). As we work together, it becomes a beautiful array of love and support for all people. But how do we navigate the tension of knowing we are called to serve and seeing more need than we can fill?

You start serving in one area and then you notice a need for volunteers a different night of the week. Or maybe you start to wonder if you should go help out your friend who has been serving at the local food pantry because she mentions they need more volunteers. Next thing you know, you feel like your family is getting only the “stressed out, too busy version” of you. The thought of serving less breaks your heart because you cannot let go of the idea that there is a need. 

However, you are starting to discern that you are spread too thin. Maybe this is not what God had in mind for you.

If you have been following Christ for a while now I am guessing you can relate to that feeling. In obedience you want to serve and follow Christ’s example, but one thing leads to another, and before you know it you feel the Holy Spirit remind you that you are not meant to carry the weight of it all. Romans 12:1-2 (ESV) says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”. 

As we pursue a life for Christ, an important part of that is reminding ourselves that we are told to ask God what His will is for us. Serving in only the ways He instructs us to, in His timing. Otherwise, if we are not careful, we can find ourselves chasing a work-based faith focused on production, instead of devotion to what God has for us.

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) tells us, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”. 

Take time today to sit at the feet of Jesus, soak in His restoration for your soul and pray for the discernment to serve faithfully in whatever way He would have you to. Pray over every area of need you see and trust God with the details. Give God room to reveal the way He wants you to serve Him and the wisdom to walk away from those ministry opportunities that are not meant for you.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the opportunity to participate in what you are doing in people’s hearts. As I live out my daily life, use me to show others the amazing grace and hope we have in Jesus Christ. I pray for the wisdom and discernment for how you are calling me to serve. As I trust your faithful provision, give me the eyes and ears to know where You would have me go and what You would have me do for your glory alone.

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Make Room” feat. Elyssa Smith and Community Music. 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: Obedience

Worship in Obedience
A devotional by Kay Pflueger

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” – John 14:15-17 (NIV)

As parents, when we give instructions to our children, obedience is the expected response. But how often do we hear “Why” in reply? Children do not always find rules easy to follow and we, as adults, can find them hard at times as well.

Psalm 119:33-34 (TPT) says, “Give me revelation about the meaning of your ways so I can enjoy the reward of following them fully. Give me an understanding heart so that I can passionately know and obey your truth.” This verse encourages us to enjoy following God’s ways and to walk in obedience to His truth.

In the Bible book of Daniel, we find a perfect example of how obedience and worship go hand in hand. Daniel was a Jewish prophet in the Old Testament who was gifted with the ability to interpret dreams. He was living in exile in Babylon but was well-liked by the king due to his gift. The Babylonians did not worship God and at the urging of some of his trusted officials, the king outlawed worshiping any god other than the idols of their culture. Anyone caught doing such would be put to death in the lion’s den.

In direct disobedience to the king’s decree, but in obedience to God, Daniel knelt and worshipped the Lord three times a day. He knew the ultimate consequence could be death but his love for the Lord ruled his life. He did not veer from his principles. Due to those actions, Daniel was condemned to death by the king.

We can learn four life lessons from Daniel’s obedience:

Lesson #1: Daniel was in the habit of prayer. Daniel 6:10 (NIV) says, “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” Daily prayer was a pattern in Daniel’s life and not just in times of crisis. God knew the sound of his voice.

Lesson #2: Daniel trusted in the sovereignty of God. He bent down on his knees to pray—reminding himself of the authority of God as he bowed before him.

Lesson #3: Daniel gave himself entirely to God. He knew he did not have the strength on his own to walk this path, so he prayed for God to give him strength.

Lesson #4: Daniel asked for God’s intervention. He may have asked for the edict to be overturned or possibly for God to be glorified in his death. God did not deliver help in the way Daniel expected but rather He sealed the mouths of the lions and Daniel was spared.

In Colossians 3:17 (NIV) we read, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” When this is how we live our lives, we give honor to the Lord, and we acknowledge that He alone is worthy of our worship and praise.

The One who calls us to obedience gives us everything we need to obey Him (2 Peter 1:3).

Theoretically, we know this to be true but do the Lord’s commands bring you joy? Do you accept that they are for your good? If we are honest with ourselves, we often balk at following His commands despite having all we need to live a life of obedience. Obedience begets worship. It is the outward result of a heart that is unimpressed and uninterested in anything but God.

Let’s Pray: Lord Jesus, despite what you were facing at Calvary, you humbled yourself and became obedient to the Father’s will. We do not face death each day, but we ask that you bestow on us that same spirit of humbleness and obedience so that you are glorified in our actions and in our words. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

*Note from Alexis: Kay’s devotional today reminds me of the song “Pray On” by Babbie Mason. Listen to it here. 

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Author Bio:

Learning to read as a young child opened a world of adventure for Kay Pflueger. She came to realize that words can have a unique power and beauty. 

Choosing to share those words in her devotional writings has become a joyful and rewarding experience for her. As a widow, she feels a special affinity towards those who are grieving or experiencing loss.

When she is not spending time with her married son and three grandchildren, she is either reading, cooking, writing, or working on pursuing her Copyediting Certification.

Kay is an avid baseball fan who looks forward every summer to following her favorite team, the Chicago Cubs. 

She is an active member of Victory Lutheran Church in her hometown of San Diego, California. 

Kay enjoys writing devotions to be shared on her church’s website and personal social media.

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Connect with Kay:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kay.m.pflueger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irishsweetpea/

Devotionals for the Heart: Faithfulness

Faithfulness in the Wilderness
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
~Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)

Have you ever had to search for something you desperately needed or wanted? In the book of Exodus, after the Israelites were rescued from Egypt they searched for the Promised Land for forty years because they failed to obey God. Forty years of searching for what they wanted, what God had promised them. Forty years spent wandering in the wilderness. That’s practically my whole life.

I’m so thankful I haven’t been wandering in the wilderness my whole life. I’ve experienced wilderness moments though, so I can kind of relate to the Israelites, who I imagine had a tough time while wandering, waiting, and questioning. Jesus also had a wilderness moment for forty days, a lot longer than anyone living now would prefer, and he was alone.

God never promised we wouldn’t have wilderness moments. He did promise to show us a way through them guided by His love and compassion. In my late twenties, I became jobless. Left to wander, wait, and question what God was doing. Like the Israelites, I was looking for the Promised Land – a place to live, work, thrive, and provide. After waiting several months for God to lead me, I got frustrated in the process. I questioned why God wasn’t lighting my path and how I was going to cover my mounting expenses.

Like the Israelites, I needed a distraction in my waiting period, so I journeyed with my church’s singles group to the Outer Banks for some quality fellowship time at the beach. After a few days, I couldn’t fully embrace the gift of social time because I was so consumed by my own worries in the wilderness. While surfing internet job sites, I felt the need to stop searching and take a walk on the beach. I figured a walk would also allow me some time alone to pray (i.e., ask God what was going on for the millionth time).

As I meandered through the tide swept sand with the cool breeze tingling my face, I asked God to show me something, anything, to give me a sense of what I was supposed to do next. 

"Dig." The immediate response prompted me to kneel right where I was and dig up the moist grains with both hands. After a few minutes, I had a large pile of sand next to me and a hole before me that yielded nothing. “What’s the deal, God?” I whined like a punished child.

I felt God respond, “I just wanted to see if you would dig.”

Want to know the difference between God’s relationship with us and the Israelites? 

Obedience. It’s a choice we get to make every day, even in the wilderness. Because of God’s great love, He has promised the trials of life: the loss of a job, a home, land, or loved-one, will not consume us. His love can’t fail us.

God’s mercies are new every day because He is faithful to complete what He has begun in us. He meets us in the process, not only to guide us on the crooked path to all He has promised but to teach us that when we listen and obey, the journey of forty years or forty days could be but a day in love with Him.

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Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia. She teaches television production at C.D. Hylton Senior High School.

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

Mirachelle is passionate about awakening creativity and the gifts of God in everyone. She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII, inspired by her time studying theatre education in London, England.

In her spare time, she also writes and directs Christmas and Easter passion plays at Christ Chapel Assembly of God in Woodbridge, VA.

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mirachelle77/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan

Devotionals for the Heart: Love

Is your work a labor of love for the Lord?
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” –Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

She had two-inch burgundy nails, glitter on her eyes, and the biggest smile I’d ever seen—and she made my day. Ringing up my purchases at the local megastore, this cashier chatted joyfully as she slid items across the scanner and into the bags. She smiled like she meant it. I’d never met her before, but her attitude lifted my heart and made me want to know her. She represented the store well, and I’d be willing to bet she also represented her faith well. For she clearly was a Christian, and the words “Jesus” or “church” didn’t even need to come out of her mouth for me to know that.

But, of course, she’s an anomaly. Most times I’m at that store, I get a cashier who rarely makes eye contact, let alone mutters a “have a nice day.”

I get it. Years of working day in and day out can take a toll on a person. We become lost in the work, lost in the shuffle of busy-ness. We forget about the big picture—why we are working—and sucked into whatever it is we are working on. Our perspective about life starts to change with this.

Defeated by the prospect of endless working, some people just seem to give up. They show up at their job, do just enough to get by so they don’t get fired, collect their paycheck, and go home.

As Christians, that’s not the kind of workers we are called to be. The apostle Paul had some important words about the work we do on earth. He wrote several times about the importance of working hard and giving our all. After all, the way we live our lives reflects our Lord. If we claim to be Christians but spend our time being lazy, mean-spirited, or selfish, we aren’t reflecting our Lord in a good and proper manner.

In his letter to the early Christians in Colossae, Paul urged obedience and an upright, faithful life. He urged husbands and wives to respect each other, and the same for children and parents. And when it comes to work, he urged, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV).

Work is a given. We spend our lives at work, and while the pay varies, everyone has a job. Some work as parents, some as teachers, some as business owners, some as employees.

Our challenge as Christians is to do that work as though we are doing it for Christ—for in reality, that’s exactly who we are doing it for. Everything about us—the way we live, the way we love, the way we speak, the way we think—comes back to the Lord. We are to serve Him in all we do, at every moment.

It’s not just so we can represent our faith well, though that certainly is a bonus. But our work, all we do on earth, is tied up in our souls. When we greet a customer, we’re greeting someone in the Lord. When we use our God-given gifts, whether that’s working on a car or preaching the Gospel, it’s all in the Lord.

Nothing we do is too small or insignificant to matter. All we do is seen and noticed. And everything can point to Christ if we let it.

This Labor Day, think about how you can allow the work you do to glorify God and point the way to eternity. Is there anything you could be doing better to make that happen?

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Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is a Christian author, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach. 

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

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