Devotionals for the Heart: Why we should always count our blessings

Counting My Blessings
A devotional by Hannah Benson

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”—Philippians 4:11 (ESV)

These words were penned by the Apostle Paul as a letter to the other apostles in Philippi, during his imprisonment for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Physically, Paul was likely very much in need, yet he wrote, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

It might be hard to imagine anyone content in prison. But Paul, by the grace of God, found reason to rejoice! Such as when, during a different imprisonment as chronicled in the book of Acts, Paul and his friend Silas shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the jailer. How many of us would think of singing hymns and sharing the Gospel while in jail like they did during that time?

Maybe you are not in a physical prison, but is there an area of your life where you might find yourself experiencing discontentment. Maybe you compare your financial status to your co-worker or your relationship status to those younger than you.

I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve found myself wrestling with discontentment. But discontentment only steals my joy. When I’m so focused on what I don’t have rather than what I do, I’m not grateful for the gifts that God has given me.

If you read my devotionals that I wrote last year, you may remember that my Mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer earlier in 2023. Even during such a frightening time, we had so much to be grateful for: the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, brothers and sisters in Christ who rallied around us, the right doctors whom God provided to perform various surgeries at the right time. Yes, all of us—including our Mom—were thankful for the painful ovarian cyst even though it had left her immobile for months. Why?

Because it preceded the discovery of cancer. Without the pain it caused, we wouldn’t have known she had cancer until it was too late. After walking through cancer as a family, I truly believe there is there nothing we could go through where we cannot find God (Psalm 139:8). Romans 8:38-39 (ESV) says, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That alone is reason enough to rejoice and be grateful!

If Paul could be content within the walls of a prison and have a heart filled with gratitude knowing nothing can separate him from the love of Christ, then perhaps we too can learn to be content no matter what we’re facing.

Let’s Pray:
Dear Father God, I know that the boundary lines for me have fallen in pleasant places (Psalm 16:6). Please help me to be content and trust You. Please help me keep counting my blessings and finding reason to be thankful no matter what circumstances I may find myself in. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Counting My Blessings” by Seph Schleuter. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Hannah Benson is a Jesus-follower who’s passionate about sharing the love of Christ with others. 

From the time she could hold a pen, she was writing. But it wasn’t until she was sixteen that she began to follow God’s calling to pursue writing seriously. Hannah is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In addition to fiction, she also writes devotionals and has been published on other websites. Her prayer is that her readers leave deeply encouraged and more in love with Jesus.

When not writing, Hannah also enjoys being involved with local theater companies, with a primary focus on Biblical theater. She wants to show the love of Jesus through the creative arts.

You can read more of Hannah’s writings on her blog or on her Instagram where she strives to write content that leaves others feeling encouraged.

~*~
Connect with Hannah:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Hannah-Lynn-Writer/100073790792576/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahlbensonwrites/

Devotionals for the Heart: Miracles

A Change of Heart
A devotional by Tessa Huckstep

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” –Acts 16:25 (KJV)

I think each of us has gone to God and asked him to change a big situation in our lives.

Perhaps you have personally asked Him to heal a sick family member. Maybe you have asked Him to get you out of debt. Or perhaps you have asked Him to show you His will for your life.

We pray in earnest, expecting God to answer our prayers as He answered Moses and Elijah. But then, He does not answer our prayers. Not as soon as we would like, anyway. Unfortunately, when we feel God does not care enough to change our circumstances, we turn to ourselves and our own strengths to fix our problems.

Why can we not get God’s attention as the prophets of the Old Testament or as the Apostles of the New Testament had done? We may be led to believe that God does not listen to His people as He did in the Bible. Or maybe we start believing that God is not as great as He was in Bible times. These thoughts could be the most destructive lies we could possibly believe. Maybe the issue does not lie with God, but with our expectations.

God does wonderful things in our lives. He still performs miracles and is still as wonderful as He was in the beginning. But what if God miraculously changed your situation today? Wouldn’t you be back the next day to ask for something more? The miracles are not enough, dear reader. Only the Miracle Worker is enough.

The Miracle Worker is not as interested in your outward circumstances as He is with your internal heart. God desires your heart, and your heart is the focus of His daily miraculous works—the appointed location of divine miracle activity. In fact, God prizes your heart above all else.

God is far more interested in working in your heart, rather than working in your situation. This radical miracle—a miracle of the heart—requires a certain level of submission. We must lay down our own agendas and desires. We must be willing to sacrifice our comfort for His glory. We must be willing to submit to His will and make it ready for His miracle working power.

Consider Paul and Silas in the prison after they had nearly been beaten to death for their faith. They sat in a dark and filthy prison, their hands and feet chained, but their outward circumstances did not affect their internal joy. Those men prayed and sang praises to God while in pain and imprisoned. Later in the story, God would perform an outward miracle and rescue Paul and Silas from the prison, but God had already performed the greater miracle of changing their hearts and turning them toward Himself.

So many times, when I ask for big outward change, I expect an immediate difference.

Thankfully, God is far more patient than me. God first gives me peace. Often, this peace only comes when I still my thoughts and focus on Him. I have to let go of the outward chaos and noise and focus on what is really important. I have to focus on Him. Oddly enough, it is when I am trusting fully in who He is that He begins to orchestrate my situations and works through me.

My circumstances may not change, but troubles and fears seem so small when brought to the light of Jesus. Releasing your worry and unease at His feet is the most freeing thing you will ever do. As a child of God, you no longer have to be controlled by your circumstances. You no longer have to carry your heavy burdens and worries. Give them to Jesus. His hands are always open.

What is the situation in your life that completely overwhelms you? What would it look like for God to perform a miracle in your heart? Perhaps your answers do not lie in working harder or in your own prayer ability. Maybe He is calling you to stillness.

God can give you a change of heart. Simply be still, acknowledge who He is, and ask Him to perform a miracle in the deepest parts of your being. Believe me, dear reader, God delights in entering a humble and broken heart. Let Him enter your heart today and perform the deepest of miracles. When God changes your heart, your outward circumstances will be transformed as you learn to see them through God’s perspective.

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord, thank you for always being patient, even when we do not understand. Our world is plagued with injustice and worries, but we pray that You first perform miracles in us that you may work your miracles through us. Please make our hearts always open to You. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Note from Alexis: Tessa’s devotional message today reminds me of this song by Cody Carnes “Too Good To Not Believe”. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Tessa Huckstep grew up in rural Illinois to Christian parents and has known Jesus personally since the age of five. 

She is currently attending community college and majoring in elementary education. In the future, she plans to teach in the public school, hoping to bring the love of God with her. 

God’s dream of Tessa becoming a writer was revealed to her at the age of sixteen and she hasn’t been able to stop since. Though she has not yet been published, Tessa enjoys writing historical romance novels and speculative fiction.

Tessa believes God loves stories, and through her writing, she wants to reveal the happily ever after God dreams of for each of his daughters—one where Jesus is the knight in shining armor.

Tessa loves all things Georgian/Regency, needlework, and dainty teacups of every size. When she isn’t writing or studying for exams, Tessa can be found in the kitchen with more flour in her hair and on the floor than in the mixing bowl, though the mess is always half the fun!

~*~
Connect with Tessa:
Blog: https://beautifulbeloved937002841.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beloved.bookworm/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/101227159