Devotionals for the Heart: Why being kind to everyone is powerful

The Power of Kindness
A devotional by Cherie Mendez

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”—1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

Kindness is a timeless virtue. It can brighten someone’s day, mend a fence, even change someone’s outlook on life. God has gifted us to be tender, benevolent, and useful to others.

My mother-in-law has Alzheimer’s disease. She was widowed a few years ago and couldn’t live alone. My husband and I got involved with her caregiving and there were many sacrifices that came with our decision. The biggest lesson I learned in this experience is that the smallest act of kindness can go a very long way.

Sometimes it’s as simple as saying hello, or giving a smile. You never know what someone is going through. We all have something to give—maybe it’s our time, a kind word, or a listening ear.

We live in a world that seems so polarized. As Christians, we need to make an effort to reach out to others as Jesus Christ reached out to us. We need to extend grace to people with whom we may not share anything in common.

Here are three ways we can show kindness:

Way #1: Be merciful. As Christians, we are called to extend grace to those who can be difficult and underserving. Romans 12:20 (NIV) says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.”

Way #2: Serve the hurting. Matthew 25:40 (NLT) says in the words of Jesus Christ, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!”

Way #3: Forgive freely. Ephesians 4:32 (NLT) says, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

People are hurting. One small act of kindness can greatly affect others. It’s not the size of the gift that matters, only the gift. Sometimes kindness calls us to step out of our comfort zone and reach out to those who are different from us. God wants us to embrace agape love—to serve, forgive, and uplift others even when they are being difficult.

At one point in my career, I had a boss who was extremely demanding. I was often the one asked to stay late, take on difficult assignments, or handle the work no one else wanted to do. There were moments when I felt overlooked, frustrated, and honestly resentful. What challenged me most wasn’t the workload; it was my attitude. I realized I was keeping score internally: who was appreciated, who got treated more gently, who got away with doing less. And I felt hurt.

But during that season, I began learning what “agape love” really means. Not just kindness when things are easy, but choosing patience, excellence, and grace even when it isn’t reciprocated the way you want. I started seeing my boss less as ‘the difficult person in my life’ and more as a human being carrying pressures I couldn’t fully see.

That didn’t mean becoming a doormat or pretending everything felt good. It meant deciding that bitterness would not define me. I learned to serve with integrity, speak respectfully, and keep my spirit clean even when I was tired or stretched.

Looking back, that experience taught me that agape love is not based on how someone treats you; it’s based on choosing to allow Jesus to make me into the person He wants me to be.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You that your kindness that leads us to repentance. Thank You for teaching us to love others even when we don’t feel like it. Thank You for your grace and your word that guides us in these challenging times. We love You, Lord.

In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Amen.

~*~
Song of Reflection: “Show Me How to Love” by Babbie Mason. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Cherie Mendez is a professional actress and photographer. 

Her passion is to help women understand their true worth and walk in their God-given purpose. After many years working as a Christian in the entertainment industry, she is thankful to be able to share all her learning experiences in her blog posts and on Instagram.

Some of the topics Cherie loves to write about are:

· Coping with rejection

· Finding your purpose and using your talent for God’s glory

· How God always looks at the heart and the meaning of inner beauty

· Understanding that we are all a work in progress and God is not done with us yet

Cherie’s TV credits include “The Equalizer”, “Bull”, and “Blue Bloods” (CBS). She also appeared in the PureFlix film “Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider”.

Cherie and her husband Jimmy live in New York. They are thankful to have been married for 30 years. In their free time, they enjoy traveling, photography, and movie night.

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

Devotionals for the Heart: How God wants us to respond when we're tested

When Your Patience is Tested
A devotional by Erica J. Hill

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

—Galatians 5:22–23 (NIV)

Some days I must remind myself that I need the fruit of the Spirit before I even walk into work, especially when I know my patience may be tested by coworkers who try every bit of it.

The old me would have quickly told them where to go. But once I began seriously following God, I realized something had to change. Many days I find myself praying Lord, help me display the fruit of Your Spirit today. Because it is often in the smallest daily frustrations that our spiritual fruit is truly revealed.

The world has a way of testing us repeatedly, tempting us to respond in ways that contradict the fruit God is growing within us. In Galatians, the Apostle Paul describes the fruit of the Holy Spirit. These nine virtues together form the evidence of the Holy Spirit working within a believer. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are all part of the same spiritual fruit that should be evident in the life of a believer.

Years ago, if someone spoke to me the wrong way, I had plenty of sharp words ready to say. Now I pray that God will hold my tongue and allow His Spirit to guide my words. Without His help, I might still have something unkind to say.

If I am honest, forbearance is the fruit of the Spirit I struggle with the most. I once believed that if someone mistreated me, I should instantly clapback. But Scripture teaches that forbearance means patiently and lovingly enduring the faults of others without retaliation. My words could be cutting, and in trying to bring someone else down, I only ended up lowering myself. God had to teach me that winning an argument is not the same as reflecting the character of Jesus Christ.

But what about the people we must see every day, the ones who drain our time and energy or seem determined to disrupt our peace? Those moments are when the fruit of the Spirit matters most.

Over time, God began to teach me to see people differently. Sometimes the person who talks constantly is not trying to be irritating; they may simply be lonely. The one who complains often may still be learning how to practice gratitude.

Displaying the fruit of the Spirit can look as simple as giving someone five extra minutes to talk when you are ready to rush out the door. It is not about preaching to others or quoting Scripture at them. It is about allowing the Spirit to shape our responses. When we remain steady in Christlike character, others will begin to see that fruit in our lives.

This does not mean allowing people to ignore your boundaries. Healthy boundaries are important. Sometimes displaying the fruit means respectfully saying, “I’m not comfortable discussing that.” Other times it means calmly addressing an offense or examining our own hearts to understand why certain behaviors trigger us so deeply. I have also noticed that the fruit of the Spirit becomes hardest to display when I am tired or overwhelmed. When I take on too much, lose sleep, or try to control everything according to my own plans, my patience grows thin.

That is when I must remind myself to slow down and lean on God instead of my own strength. When the Spirit is at work in us, love replaces irritation and patience replaces frustration. What begins in our hearts becomes visible in our lives, the very fruit Paul describes in Galatians 5:22-23. The fruit of the Spirit is not something we produce on our own; it grows as we remain connected to God and allow His Spirit to shape our hearts day by day. And when the Spirit leads our responses, others don’t just hear our words—they see Christ in the way we live.

Food for thought:
Which part of the fruit of the Spirit do you find most difficult to display in your daily life?

Let's Pray:
Lord, help me to reflect the fruit of Your Spirit in every situation. When I feel impatient, remind me to slow down and respond with love and gentleness. Guard my words, guide my actions, and teach me to see others with compassion. Shape my character so that my life reflects You. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Songs of Reflection #1: “I Need You to Survive” by Hezekiah Walker. Listen to it here.

Songs of Reflection #2: “Refiner” by Maverick City Music. Listen to it here.

Songs of Reflection #3: “Spirit Lead Me” by Influence Music & Michael Ketterer. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Erica J. Hill is a wife, mother, and proud grandmother living in Georgia. 

With a career spanning both elementary education and higher education, she has served as an elementary and middle grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher and now works as an administrative assistant in higher education. Currently pursuing her master’s degree in Instructional Technology and Media Center Specialist, Erica’s love for learning and teaching runs deep.

Raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, she has faithfully served as a Sunday School teacher and now as one of the youth directors at her church. A lifelong writer at heart, Erica once set her passion aside to pursue other career goals—but recently felt God’s undeniable tug to pick up her pen again, this time to write for His Kingdom.

She is currently working on her first book, Worthy. Whole. Woman. It is a devotional that she hopes will be an encouraging resource created to uplift and empower women—especially women of color—to walk confidently in their God-given identity.

Through her words, Erica blends faith in God, personal reflection, and practical wisdom to inspire women to heal, grow, and embrace the fullness of who God created them to be.

Originally from Atlanta, Erica now calls Macon County home, where she lives with her husband and children. In her free time, you’ll usually find Erica curled up with a good book, working on DIY projects, or planning her next travel adventure.

~*~
Connect with Erica:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leahsgrace2931/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahsgrace2931/

Devotionals for the Heart: Joy and peace that can only come from God

Overflowing Joy
A devotional by Chaplain Paul Anderson

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13 (NIV)

The biblical book of Romans was written by the Apostle Paul, a Jewish man of Greek culture and Roman citizenship. He was smart and erudite. He claims to have been educated in the school of Gamaliel, which was an academic prep school of Jewish law for Pharisees.

We know that he was ardent, passionate and persuasive with more than a dash of sociopathy. We know this because of his pursuit and persecution of early Christians. But then he met the risen Jesus Christ on Damascus road. Over the course of time, he gained the confidence of the burgeoning group of Christians and became the most prolific of the Christian evangelists.

As he matured in his experience with his new friend Jesus Christ, he became less legalistic and more filled with grace, peace, joy and hope. This became his legacy for the church. As I have matured, I too have moved away from legalism and the accusatory, holier than thou, mindset that it incites. Thank you, God!

Now, I understand the intent of true spirituality and how we grow in grace. This verse actually articulates a method or pathway to spiritual effectiveness and power. Clearly, the first step is the acceptance of the implicit foundation of faith that there is a God who is personally concerned with your life and how you impact the world around you.

Because all behavior is based on foundational beliefs, we act upon our belief in God, hoping that the faith is not in vain. As we exercise our hope, we develop confidence. Because we have accumulated positive experiences, we become assured of the presence, guidance, and affirmations of God.

Armed with the confidence of God’s presence and the confidence that it gives, fear and timidity are minimized and peace is magnified and projected. The foundation of fear is a sense of insufficiency. I do not have the strength, confidence or acumen to meet my immediate challenge. But, when you have the confidence that God will not put upon you more than we can bear, we look for that supernatural infusion that meets the need, or the way of dignified escape.

We should not become arrogant, but we should be confident that the welded relationship with God is unbreakable. With that, we stand with internal peace that radiates from us to those around us. To this peace comes the awareness of joy. We can notice the beauty around us, smell the scents of flowers, hear the chirping of the birds in the trees and see artwork in the clouds. This peace is notable. I think of Daniel’s influence in Babylon, even and maybe especially while in the lion’s den.

A few years ago, I became friends with an Arabian Sheikh. He was a member of the Court of the King of Bahrain. He invited me to his home and sent a chauffeur to pick me up. After we chatted for an hour, he had his personal chef bring us some tea and snacks. As it turns out, we appreciated the same snacks. Before our meeting adjourned, he told me that he had a friend that I had to meet, then he stepped out of the room.

After a few moments, I heard a dog barking and running down the hallway to the parlor where I was sitting alone. I hoped that it would not be a big, dangerous dog. It was a Springer Spaniel. He bounded across the cavernous room and I spoke to him and put my hand near the floor. He slid to a stop on the marble floor, right at my hand and rolled over for me to rub his chest. The Sheikh came into the room and was startled. He called his wife to come and see the dog contentedly allowing me to pet him.

The Sheikh said to me, “If he likes you that much, I must do the same. You will always be welcomed in our home.” He then introduced me to his wife. I think that the dog ratified to the Sheikh that I was a godly man of peace and joy. When your life is moving up the pathway of peace, the world and all therein recognize it. That is the overflow that Paul mentions in the next phrase. Some may accept and revel in your hope, peace and joy. Others may challenge you. If they do, stay planted in your faith and experience. Look for the overflow of joy!

I have often said that “if the fulfillment of your dreams does not require the miraculous intervention of God, it is too small.” I think this may have been what the apostle Paul meant when he used the phrase “overflow with hope.”

Every morning when God wakes you to start a new day, I advise you to do this: Check your hope, peace and joy. Open your spirit so that what God has given to you can flow into the life experience of others.

~*~
Author Bio:

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

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

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

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

Devotionals for the Heart: The Fear of the Lord and Intimacy with God

The Fear of the Lord
A devotional by Nanci Rubin

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.” –Proverbs 9:10 (KJV)

When I was baptized as a child, at the age of eight, church was a very different experience from today’s services.

We were assembled in a one-room country church with no air conditioning and we used the cardboard funeral parlor hand fans. Yes, when you see this depicted in a movie, we actually did use them. All the windows were opened, birds chirped and there was always anticipation for the Word of God from the pastor. Dinner on the grounds was the end to a perfect Sunday. We’d go home, take a nap and get ready to come back for the evening service.

Children remained with their parents for the sermon in church and we didn’t move about or talk. We were taught the fear of the Lord. And, it had nothing to do with physical or emotional fright as one would feel when threatened by an adversary. It was respect. God was revered.

We had respect for God, His house and everyone in the ministry. As a matter of fact, our generation was taught respect for all authority and we as children were taught to pray for our teachers, our family and our country. I am saddened that this concept has been abandoned along with the fear of the Lord. This is my perception and I am expressing what I see through my eyes. We need a little more conviction and a little less condemnation.

I’m not judging anyone’s heart when it comes to their faith in God, but according to the Bible, God made some very distinct rules governing His house and those He destined – pastors, teachers, prophets, evangelists and apostles – to perfect the saints and to do the work of the ministry. There were and still are qualifications regarding those in authority ministering God’s Word. It appears that in this 21st century, many things have become obsolete. Rules are ignored or bent to fit the need or the direction that man has destined for the church.

According to 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (KJV), “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

The church is not a building. We, the believers, are the church. But what are we bringing each time we gather? Would an unbeliever even feel they were in church?

Several years ago, John Bevere wrote a book, The Fear of the Lord: Discover the Key to Intimately Knowing God. In his book, he wrote, “Do you think the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is going to come into a place where He is not given due honor and reverence?”

I think that this is a question we probably should consider today. We have become so familiar with God perhaps even taking Him for granted. Do we truly welcome Him into our churches? Or, have our services become rote? The Bible says in Leviticus 10:3 (NASB), “Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the LORD spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.’” So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.”

I have pastor friends who long for a mighty move of the Spirit of God and can’t understand why miracles aren’t happening in their churches. They do not see the casual behavior of their parishioners, the eating and drinking in church, cell phones in use and all manner of distractions. This is not the atmosphere for the miraculous. We have become de-sensitized to the things of God. We live in a highly technology-driven world and we are inundated with all manner of distraction.

We need to return to a true fear of the Lord. When we enter into God’s house (our church buildings), let’s do so with thanksgiving and let us dwell upon Him. Worship Him and give Him all the Praise.

I have been blessed to had experienced powerful moves of God and it had little to do with the size of the meeting. It had everything to do with those gathered being in one accord. We were not asking Father God for anything, but with hearts of worship we fell at His feet. In that atmosphere miracles occur. This, I believe, is what occurred in the Upper Room with the disciples.

If we as believers would humble ourselves and seek God’s heart, not only would our churches be more like the New Testament church, but our world would be a better place in which to live.

Let’s Pray: Father God, let us not forget how great You are. Let us enter into Your gates with thanksgiving and Your courts with praise. Return us to the former things and set aside anything that distracts us from You. In Jesus’s Holy Name we pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Nanci is a poet and short story writer published in Cypress News, Family Times E-Zine, Free Verse and the Commonwealth of Poetry. 

She belongs to RWA, ACFW, and Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild where she’s enrolled in his novel writing program.

Nanci lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and cats, Romeo and Juliette, along with their newest member of the family, Roni who is a seven-month-old Goldendoodle.

Recently, Nanci completed her debut novel, A Betrayal in Cross Keys. It is an Amish romance that she has placed in her agent's capable hands. The rest is up to God.

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Light

Shining God’s Light
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

One of my favorite things to do lately is go into really busy places, like gas stations or the grocery store, and spread some God-inspired peaceful light and love.

Like the rest of us, in today’s fast-paced society I am more than guilty of rushing to and fro, getting so tunnel-visioned in my thinking that I miss out on important connections with others—sometimes even the people right next to me.

It doesn’t help that so many of us spend such a great deal of time staring into small rectangular screens—our cell phones—giving us yet another reason not to connect with our fellow humans. When was the last time you waited at a doctor’s office and actually talked to the person a few seats over instead of checking Facebook or email on your phone?

But as a Christian, I’ve lately become convicted that I am called not just to love my family and my close friends, as well as people in need and people in my church, but I also need to love the people all around me—the general public. I’m talking about the cashier who rings up my sale. The teenager who hands me my salad through the drive-through window. The lady who takes my money at the tollbooth. The elderly man thumbing through a magazine next to me at the dentist.

“I’m just soooo busy” can no longer be my excuse in life. Instead, I’m making a huge effort to stay off my phone when I’m in public and instead try to connect with people around me. Even if they’re lost in their own cell phones, at least I can send some loving prayer vibes their way. When it’s my turn at the cash register, I no longer care how grumpy the clerk looks. I find a way to look into her eyes and give her a sincere thank you.

Even in the first century, early Christians had places to go and things to do. Jesus and his disciples knew this, knew money and security vied for his followers’ hearts far more than anything else. But time and again, Scripture reminds us that loving others is far more important than our own concerns.

“This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice that deals with our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us this way, we also ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. If we love each other, God remains in us and his love is made perfect in us. This is how we know we remain in him and he remains in us, because he has given us a measure of his Spirit." 

~1 John 4:10-13 (CEB)

Loving others is loving God. Let’s shine His light together.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden. 

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, and a member of the Wholly Loved Ministries team.

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