Devotionals for the Heart: Why we need to do what we can for God

Do What You Can
A devotional by Lynette Allcock Yoon

“Don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.”—Hebrews 13:16 (NLT)

I came to South Korea as a missionary English teacher.

I viewed my classroom as a ministry because I wasn’t merely teaching vocabulary and conversation; I was loving the children in my care, praying for them and teaching them about God. In my local English-speaking international church, I was often up front of the congregation, leading out vespers and Bible studies, and speaking from time to time.

Then I got married and moved to a new city in South Korea. My husband was a church leader, and the church we attended was not an English-speaking one. It was a difficult transition. I spoke only a little Korean, and living with the language barrier felt like losing my voice. I could no longer communicate well and do all the up-front things I was used to. I was still teaching English during the week. But on the weekend, I felt like my opportunities for ministry had been taken away.

However, God convicted me that instead of feeling mired down in what I couldn’t do, I should focus on what I could do. It was okay to grieve my felt losses, but He still had ways that I could minister.

I could operate the computer and click the slides on the PowerPoint presentation during worship. I could lead a Bible study discussion on the rare occasions when we had English-speaking guests. I could teach the children some English praise songs. I could wash dishes. I could pray for my husband and the church. I could simply be present.

These tasks were not glamourous. They weren’t always in my comfort zone, either. Yet God reminded me that small, unseen tasks are still ministry.

Sometimes we may feel that our efforts don’t count unless they’re up-front, noticeable and grand in some way. Sometimes we may feel that we don’t have enough to offer someone else—enough skill, enough time, enough talent.

However, as the hymn “Brighten the Corner Where You Are” encourages us:

“Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do,

Do not wait to shed your light afar;

To the many duties ever near you now be true,

Brighten the corner where you are.”

The Bible tells the story of a hungry crowd who were listening to Jesus speak (John 6:1-15). Jesus was mindful of their physical as well as spiritual needs. Let’s read about this Bible story via the text below:

“Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” Jesus asked (John 6:5 NIV). Philip answered, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (John 6:7 NIV)

However, there was boy in the crowd with five small barley loaves and two small fish. This was not an impressive lunch. It would have been easy for the boy to think, “What’s the point of offering this? It’s too small and too simple to feed so many.” It would have been easy for him to fixate on what he couldn’t offer. In fact, when Andrew (a disciple) brought the boy to Jesus, he said, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:9 NIV)

Yet the boy gave what he could, and Jesus took those five small loaves and two small fish and used them to feed thousands of hungry people. He can do the same with what we give to Him. No matter how small, simple, and “not enough” our offerings may be, He can multiply them to bless many others.

The small boy did what he could. May we, too, do what we can.

Let’s Pray: Father God, sometimes I focus on what I can’t do. I compare myself to others, or even to how I was in the past, and think that I don’t have enough to offer You. Yet You still empower me to serve—even in simple, hidden ways. Help me to see what I can do through Your strength. Teach me how to have the faith to put my small gifts in Your hands to multiply. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Brighten the Corner Where You Are” by Ella Fitzgerald. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Available” by Elevation Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Little is Much” by Downhere. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Lynette Allcock Yoon is a writer, teacher, and former radio host. 

She grew up in three countries and now lives in South Korea with her husband.

Lynette writes about life abroad, faith, and relationships from an expat, Third Culture Kid (TCK) perspective.

Outside of work, Lynette enjoys musical theatre and long walks with good friends.

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Connect with Lynette:
Website: https://www.lynetteallcock.com/

Devotionals for the Heart: How I learned to surrender and trust God

Why We Need to Trust God and Surrender to Him
A devotional by Colette Christopher

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

—Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Solomon, the wisest man God created, tells his son to trust God. His wisdom is recorded in the verse above (Proverbs 3:5-6).

We are to trust God not with a part of our heart but with our whole heart. Solomon could make that bold statement because he had the experience of what it was like to fully surrender his everything to Almighty God. Perhaps you say that Solomon made some unwise decisions and did things God told him not to. But that doesn’t negate the fact that there were a lot of times when he relied solely on God. He knew the outcomes of those times worked in his favor when he relinquished control to God and asked Him to take control. This is why he can encourage us today through Scripture to do the same.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “trust” means “to rely on the truthfulness or accuracy of: believe” or “to place confidence in” and “to hope or expect confidently.” The word “surrender” means “the action of yielding one's person or giving up the possession of something especially into the power of another.”

As I reflect on my life and think back to the times when I truly applied this Scripture (Proverbs 3:5-6) to my life as I learned how to surrender to God and trust Him, I saw and experienced the hand of God in profound ways. If I trust God then I have to surrender my will to His. We can’t have one without the other. We have to give Him total control and trust that the outcome for the challenges we face, the difficulties and hardships. Tough decisions we have to make yield better results when we leave it in God’s capable hands.

It’s easy to say we will trust God and we will surrender everything to Him. But when we are in a time crunch, when our backs are against a wall, and time seems to be running out, we sometimes take matters into our own hands. We should know that the outcome from that decision is never good. However, when we take our hands off the steering wheel and give God full control, it is in those moments that we experience peace, joy, and satisfaction because we know that no matter what, God’s will is the final outcome. And His will is best.

Have you ever been in a place of waiting on God to show up for you? You are praying and waiting and believing. Perhaps you are quoting Proverbs 3:5-6 like your life depended on it because you know that the outcome you desire is something only God can do? What do you do in those moments? Did you recall past experiences, looked at the outcome when you surrendered to His will and timing and then look at what happened when you didn’t?

The lessons I have learned from both scenarios are always a reminder to trust God no matter what and not to take matters into my own hands. What have you learned from those experiences and how has it affected your desire to lean into God?

I know trusting and surrendering aren’t easy. It’s especially hard in these days when the demands of life are upon us, our needs seem unbearable and waiting seems far-fetched. But as I recall the Bible story in Genesis chapter 16 about Abraham and Sarah. They took matters into their own hands because they couldn’t trust God’s word and surrender to His plans. This true story taught me how important it is to trust God and not rush ahead of Him.

My prayer is that every time we are about to lean to our own understanding and acknowledge our own capabilities then we will remember not only our own outcomes when we didn’t wait on God, but the outcome of Sarah and Abraham’s impatience and the negative results that occurred after they rushed ahead of God.

Today, I encourage you, despite what your circumstances say, to trust God and surrender your heart and will to Him. God is producing something within you that far outweighs the answered prayer we desperately need. When we wait while God is working on our behalf, we are building our faith, trust and confidence in Him. This makes it easier to surrender our hearts and own understanding of what should be and lean into the fact that surrender and trust leads to God directing our path.

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

You alone are Sovereign and You know the end from the beginning. Thank You for your infinite wisdom. I pray for every person reading this devotional today. Please strengthen and undergird them. When they feel like waiting is too hard, remind them of this promise: As we acknowledge You (God) then You will direct our path. Thank You for developing within us the desire to submit our will to You. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “I Surrender” by Hillsong. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Order My Steps” by GMWA Women of Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “I Surrender All” by Cece Winans. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “Wait on the Lord” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Colette Christopher is an empowered woman who inspires women to be who they were created to be. Her core message is empowerment. She is an author, certified life coach, podcast host, and trainer with the Maxwell Leadership team. 

Colette believes that an empowered woman empowers others and is powerful in knowing who she is and what she can accomplish. Colette is on a mission to impact the lives of the women assigned to her, whether she is their coach or trainer or shares a word that will transform their lives.

Colette utilizes her Christian principles as the base of all her engagements. She is passionate about fulfilling her life purpose of empowering women to know who they are, rebuild their confidence, and use their voices as tools to uplift themselves and others.

​​She is the founder of the M.E.E. Movement L.L.C., a faith-based empowerment ministry business that helps women of faith rebuild their confidence and use their voice to walk in their purpose through life coaching, mentoring, and empowerment speaking. Colette believes in using the gifts God has given her to help women be who God has called them to be and ultimately fulfill the purpose for which they were created. She lives by Romans 8:28 (NIV), that promises, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

A native of Jamaica, Colette resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is the mother of two beautiful young women, a son-in-love, and two grandsons. Colette enjoys reading, writing, watching good movies, and chatting with her daughters and friends.

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Connect with Colette:
Blog: https://www.colettemarie.online/blog
Website: https://www.colettemarie.online/
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2367935
Email: Colettemarieonline@gmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: What Construction Workers Taught Me

Life Lessons Learned from Observing Construction Workers
A devotional by Desiree Future

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

—Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

One day, I was outside enjoying the nice weather.

Nearby, a bunch of construction workers were working. They had constructed a plank that led to the top of the building they were renovating. I watched them move like a synchronized swim team.

For the purposes of this story illustration, I’ve created first names for each of these men who I observed that day: John drove the pickup truck and pulled in right next to the building. Diego then started to unload the large truck as soon as John put it in park. As he placed the containers onto the ground Donald grabbed them.

Donald walked what looked like five-gallon tubs of something to the scaffolding entryway. He handed it over to Kevin, who then took them up to the second level of the four-story building. This conveyor belt system went on until the truck was empty. By that time, the entire load of five-gallon containers sat on the second floor. Each of the four men then started another system to get the containers to the fourth story of the building. They worked in unison to get their materials to the very top of the structure.

The interesting thing about this was that no words were spoken among them. They knew they had a job to do and did it. John, Diego, Donald, and Kevin all have specialized skills that they used to achieve their goal. That goal was to get the tubs safely to the roof in order to begin using their materials.

A roofer cannot build a house alone. You need someone to build the foundation. Another person to build the walls, then the roofer can add the roof. Then you need an electrician and a plumber to install the electricity and the plumbing. Windows and doors are also needed to make this a suitable house to live in. There’s a lot that goes into building a house.

Sure, someone can build a house alone with their bare hands, but not everyone can do it. God gives us all different talents to use. One person might do one thing better than you. While you do another task better than they can. An individual alone cannot do everything alone.

I understand that you may be single and have to do things by yourself. I’m raising my hand because I am in your shoes, too. However, doing everything is difficult and exhausting. You may want to save money and do it yourself, but hear me when I say you can’t do everything yourself. Just because you have done it before doesn’t mean you still can. When you take on the world alone, some things get left behind. The reason is that you are juggling so many things at once. Just because you can do it by yourself doesn’t mean you have to.

Ask for help and stop making yourself tired. You might feel that asking for help will make you feel less of a capable person. But what it actually does is prove that you know you where you’re lacking the skills to accomplish things on your own.

I’ve been a crafter since I was a child. The first time I was realized it was when my friend and I built a cardboard dollhouse. Mine was a two-story with a chimney and I used cotton to resemble smoke billowing from it. My friend said to me “Wow you’re so crafty.” That was the beginning of craftiness.

Throughout the years, I have created many different things from wall décor, to jewelry, purses, and household items. However, I could never sew at all. If I needed anything hemmed or made smaller, I would ask my mother to do it for me. My next option was to take it to the cleaners and pay them for their services.

Asking for help is a good thing because it allows you to see the talents of others while developing friendships. Having someone or a team of people in your corner is the best thing ever. It allows you to rest assured that someone has your back. Remember, it takes a village to raise a child. I’m blessed to have been raised by one myself, and this upbringing has shown me how truly special and awesome it is.

Let’s Pray: Lord, I ask that you let the person reading this know that everything will be okay. Help them to trust You and accept help when they need it. In Jesus’s Name I Pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “My Help Cometh from the Lord” by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Desiree Future is a self-improvement blogger at “Hope Faith & A Smile” where she pens inspirational and encouraging posts. 

This blog that she started as a place for her upcoming novel turned into something far more than she expected. It developed into a home for conversations with people from all walks of life. By writing about everyday events that occur in her world she makes her posts very relatable. As some commenters have said, “Desiree talks to us and not at us.”

In 2013, she self-published The Pastor’s Heart, a Christian romance novel. The following year in 2014, she self-published its sequel, It’s a New Season.

Desiree has been a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) since 2020. She’s also been a member of a writing critique group through her local ACFW Chapter since 2021. Several of her articles have appeared on the official blog for ACFW. In 2022, she became a contributing author in the encouraging devotional, The Courage to Write.

This child of God may not have a church home yet, but God is first in her life.

Desiree is a cancer survivor who calls New Jersey home. She enjoys traveling to different places to spark ideas for her next article. She likes thrifting and going to the theater to see the latest matinee.

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Connect with Desiree:
Website: https://desireefuture.com/
E-mail: desireefuturewrites@hotmail.com

Devotionals for the Heart: God's Love for you is deep, true and forever!

God’s Deep Love for You
A devotional by Essie Faye

“However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.”—Deuteronomy 23:5 (KJV)

Lately, I can’t help but think about the importance of grit and perseverance.

So many things and people in life can discourage us from living, if we allow them. Some life challenges may include being evicted from your home or experiencing a home foreclosure. Some people are suffering in silence in a toxic relationship. Others are wallowing in grief from the loss of a loved one. Perhaps you are suffering from the grief of disappointment in your current state in life. There are women who experience pain from an infertility journey that seems never-ending. Countless numbers of patients are each fighting a terminal illness. Through it all, it is important to know that God loves us. His profound love for us blesses us in ways that we could never imagine (Romans 8:35-39).

God’s love for us blesses us with His favor. Favor is the unearned, unmerited kindness of God. Because He loves us, He is good to us, even when we were His enemies. Even when we deny His very existence, God is good to us. Even while we are shouting obscenities about Him and accusing Him of wrongdoing, He loves us and is kind to us, extending mercy and grace. God has mercy on us. He doesn’t give us what we deserve (Romans 6:23). Instead, He extends grace and gives us what we don’t deserve: God’s grace and the free gift of salvation (John 3:16-17).

God’s love for us blesses us with protection. Animals protect what they love; it’s second nature. Humankind also protects what they love. We get this attribute from our Heavenly Father (God). He made us in His image and likeness. We are His children. God has commanded His angels from Heaven to protect us in our daily lives and watch over us while we sleep. He does this because He loves us.

God’s love for us blesses us with abundance. God provides for His children because He is concerned about our well-being. He provides our physical needs: food, shelter, water. He also provides our spiritual needs: nourishment, communion, character development, and fellowship. God provides our social needs: divine connections and partnerships. God provides our financial needs. He promises to supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19) who is His Son.

God’s love blesses us with favor, protection, and provision in the face of life’s difficulties. Because of His love and through faith, we can do hard things. When life gets tough and insurmountable challenges arise, we can do hard things. When life circumstances seem unbearable and current situations appear hopeless, we can do hard things with the help of Christ. Because He was victorious, so are we when we place our faith in Him.

All things work together for the good of those who believe in God (Romans 8:28). All things are not always looking good, nor does everything always feel good. But it is all working together to bring you into your place of purpose. God’s love works to turn every curse in our lives from the enemy into a blessing from our Savior.

Call to Action:

1. Receive the blessings from God’s Love.

2. Rest in God’s favor, protection, and provision.

3. Love God in return.

4. Demonstrate your love for God by obeying His Word and living according to His standards.

5. Remember: God’s love blesses you to do hard things. All of it—the good, bad, and ugly—is working to make you into the person God ordained you to be.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for loving us so passionately and so deeply. Your unconditional love looks at our faults and loves us still. Your love for us is a complete blessing that we don’t deserve. You love us still. We make mistakes yet You love us still. We offend You. You love us still. We reject You yet You love us still. We ignore you. You love us still. Your love is inescapable and incomprehensible. Help us to receive the blessings of your love: favor, protection, and provision. And help us to love You in return. Expand our capacity to love You passionately and to serve You intentionally. Teach us to have the kind of faith that please You, God. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayers.

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “God’s Favor” by Donald Lawrence and The Tri-City Singers. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “For The Good” by Riley Clemmons. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Good And Loved” by Travis Greene & Steffany Gretzinger. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Essie Faye is a woman of faith. 

She’s a bilingual author, educator, speaker, psalmist, and interpreter.

Essie is the author of the “Finding the Love You Deserve” series for women and teens. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to heal themselves, love and accept themselves, and pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path.

Essie is a Chicago native.

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Connect with Essie:
Website: www.essiefaye.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/
Read Essie’s YouVersion Devotion Plan here:
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/58980-grow-through-it-7-healing-practices-that

Devotionals for the Heart: How to measure our love for God and others

God’s KPI: Measuring Love, Not Just Numbers
A devotional by Christine Monteiro

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”—John 13:34-35 (NIV)

We as Christians are taught to love one another, care for each other, and give them comfort when they are in need. But sometimes it is hard to follow that advice.

People’s lives are getting more demanding day by day. The busyness of life with priorities, the test of making the right decisions, and the accelerating pace of daily living leave no time to think or have quiet moments.

Living in the world’s biggest Muslim country has its challenges. We as Christians are outnumbered. The mix between the two religions is no longer obvious because families are mixed and friendships are blended between people of different faiths. It is hard to stand and be “the light” (Matthew 5:14-16) and “the salt” (Matthew 5:13) because we normalize many things. Yet, we are called to be different by showing God’s love.

In the world of business, KPIs (Key Performance Indicator) are not a foreign topic. In a company, we are required to create a KPI both for our department and ourselves. When we put in our KPI, all we talk about are numbers. They measure success with numbers noting everything from sales to growth to followers and to profits. All aspects should be measurable, as the KPI will directly impact our salary increase and bonuses. Therefore, we are all motivated to put our best effort into achieving the KPI so we can receive better compensation.

In some Christian mission organizations, they also apply KPIs to measure the effectiveness of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to note the number of souls reached within a year. I found it interesting because in my experience, we have our part in sharing the Gospel, but it is the Holy Spirit who works in an individual’s heart to accept Jesus Christ. Many Christians feel pressured to produce results and note how many people we’ve evangelized, how many programs we run and how many followers are in our ministry.

I started to think about it. I observed that some organizations are more excited about mass outreach rather than a personal approach, which might take more time. It seems that time becomes less efficient when spent one-on-one versus having an event. Not to mention that church members also need to care for each other. If we can’t care amongst other Christians, how can we become a witness to the unbeliever? While evangelism is crucial (Matthew 28:19-20), God never asked us to trade discipleship and care for the sake of statistics.

Sometimes we’re so focused on reaching outsiders that we neglect brothers and sisters right next to us who are hurting. God’s Word (The Holy Bible) encourages us to do good to all people, especially to minister to our family of believers. Galatians 6:10 (NIV) says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

I want to believe that God’s KPI is different than what we have in our mind. God measures not how many we reached, but how faithfully we loved. KPI in the kingdom is different. It looks like this (see the three Bible verses below):

· Love for one another (1 John 3:16-18)

· Care for the overlooked (Matthew 25:40)

· Faithfulness in small things (Luke 16:10)

The early church wasn’t known for “conversion count” but for community living, generosity, and unity (Acts 2:42-47). This Biblical truth makes me ask myself questions daily such as: Am I checking in on fellow believers who are struggling? Do I encourage and build up the body of Christ, or do I only look outward?

Evangelism is vital, but discipleship and love for the family of faith must not be abandoned. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV) says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

I am reaching out to our fellow Christians to help me continue to grow in my faith walk and my relationship with Jesus Christ. Remembering God’s KPI instead of the standard business KPI will make us do what Christ wants us to do. The only thing that makes us different from others in our faith is the love of Christ for all of us.

Let’s Pray:

Lord, help me to see people the way You do. Teach me to love my brothers and sisters in Christ with patience and care. Keep me faithful in discipleship, not chasing numbers but living out Your KPI of faithfulness, love, and obedience. May my life reflect your kingdom values. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “The Cause of Christ” by Kari Jobe. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “By Our Love” by Christy Nockels. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love” by Jars of Clay. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Christine Monteiro is a certified transformative coach, writer, and keynote speaker who is passionate about helping others navigate the complexities of purpose, personal growth, and resilience. 

Christine’s journey to becoming a coach started four years ago, following the loss of her husband to brain cancer. That experience left her feeling as though she had lost her purpose—a feeling she deeply understands in clients who she works with now. Through self-discovery and training, Christine found the missing pieces in her life and regained her purpose and drive that now motivates her to help others.

Christine coaches her clients from all walks of life—from young adults to retirees—helping them to embrace change, set meaningful goals, and confidently pursue their dreams. She has received training through Creative Results Management and holds credentials from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Christine also has certifications in Positive Psychology and Mental Health Coaching from Yale and Light University. Her diverse approach to coaching her clients combines empathy with strategic insight, helping them to navigate every stage of life.

When she writes, Christine likes to focus on topics like finding purpose, coping with grief, and achieving personal transformation. As she writes, Christine draws from her own experiences as a single mom and empty nester. She enjoys sharing these insights on various platforms to reach a wider audience and foster community support.

When not coaching or writing, Christine spends her time sipping black coffee and swimming in the pool. She has found that having three independent children gives her a privilege to have a lot of “me time” that she didn’t have when they were growing up.

Devotionals for the Heart: We should not become weary in doing good

When Loving Others and Doing Good is Difficult
A devotional by Leslie Bake

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

—Galatians 6:7-9 (NIV)

I’m a natural encourager because I thrive on encouragement from others.

Encouragement and affirmation are like oxygen to my soul. When someone notices how much time and effort I put into a project and compliments me, it’s a blessing and I’m grateful. But what happens when my encouragement and affirmation of others are met with silence? What if I am doing my best in a difficult situation only to feel insulted or criticized?

If I’m honest, not all my motives are pure. Sometimes I encourage others because I want to earn favor with them. But when those whom I have tried to love, encourage and affirm do not receive it well or do not reciprocate, I feel empty and offended. Lately, I’ve asked myself, “Am I searching for validation, affirmation and love through others instead the Lord? Am I expecting others to do what only the Lord can do? Am I offended that I’m not receiving the same encouragement I think I am so generously giving?” The answer to all the above is, “Yes.”

It is easy to become offended. It’s easy to allow hurt and bitterness to take over our hearts when we do good things but see no tangible results. We must pause and ask ourselves why we are offended. How do we deal with this in a way that honors God?

The Lord revealed to me that I was walking in selfish, conditional love that is easily disappointed when my expectations are not met. John Bevere, founder of Messenger International, is also an author. He explains this in his book, The Bait of Satan: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense. Bevere said, “Without God we can only love with a selfish love—one that cannot be given if it is not received and returned. However, agape loves regardless of the response. This agape is the love Jesus shed when He forgave from the cross.”

In Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV), The Apostle Paul writes, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Bevere explains this Biblical truth further when he says, “You need to realize that when you sow the love of God (agape) you will reap the love of God. You need to develop faith in this spiritual law—even though you may not harvest it from the field in which you sowed, or as quickly as you would like.”

The love that caused Jesus Christ to die for us is the same love that has sent the Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us every day. The power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that saved you and can be yours every day. Having begun a life with Christ, you have a reservoir of power and love to call upon each day for help to meet every challenge or trial. You can pray for God’s power and loving help as you need it.

God sees every good deed we do and knows our motivations better than we do. We need to go to Him in prayer to check in with ourselves. Are we giving encouragement to others, affirming and loving others from an outpouring of love for our God, or to gain favor?

I realized that I needed to let go of the bitterness festering in my heart simply because some people did not reciprocate my “generous encouragement” the way I hoped they would. My tendency is to expect others to do what only He can do, and sometimes others are so consumed by their own challenges unknown to me that they have nothing to give. When I feel empty and hopeless, I am learning to shift from those feelings to God’s promise in Isaiah 40:31 (NIV): “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Here's what I’ve learned: When we are mired in bitterness, our guard goes up like the walls that surrounded ancient cities. Our energy is consumed by making sure no further offenses occur. Yet, if we refuse to risk feeling offended again, we are not capable of giving unconditional love. The paradox is that loving unconditionally gives others the right to offend us. How do we find the strength to love unconditionally?

You focus on the truth in Galatians 6:7-9 and also Romans 5:8 that states that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Christ didn’t wait for us to reciprocate His love because He knew we weren’t able to do this without Him.

Is there someone who has offended you, whether they realize it or not? Is there a friend or family member whom you have tried to love, yet he or she consistently rejects you? Ask God to pour agape love into your heart. He is the source. You can’t love people unconditionally without His help. Focus on who God’s character and His Sovereignty. Ask God to remove the pain and bitterness from your heart so that you can love with a pure heart. This may take some time and healing, but the freedom you will experience is worth it.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Forgive us for harboring bitterness in our efforts to love others who can’t or won’t reciprocate. We need You, Jesus. We ask that You replace our expectations of others with unconditional, agape love for them. We ask for an outpouring of Holy Spirit power to do this. Help us come to the place where we trust You, not our flesh, to protect us from offense. 

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Forgiveness” by Matthew West. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “The Jesus Way” by Phil Wickham. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “How Beautiful” by Twila Paris. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Leslie Bake grew up Lutheran in Des Moines, graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with an undergraduate degree in English, and with a new understanding of what a relationship with the Lord could look like. 

She spent a few years reporting and editing in small town journalism and then began pursuing a master’s degree at Iowa State University in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Then she got married and later went through a divorce, which deepened her relationship with God and transformed her life.

Leslie taught English as a second language for three years at Kansas State University, then returned to writing and earned a master’s degree in creative non-fiction in Pittsburgh. Her memoir will eventually be published. It details the process of how the Lord created beauty from the ashes of divorce.

Pittsburgh is also where she met and married her second husband. They are now the parents of two wonderful children—one in fifth grade and one in first grade.

Leslie and her husband make their home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Leslie has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 11 years and actively growing her writing career alongside her two growing children.

She now maintains a monthly blog of her own and is working toward expanding her writing ministry on Substack. Her heart’s deepest desire is to help others connect with God through writing.

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Connect with Leslie:
Website: lesliejoybake.com
Substack: lesliebake.substack.com
E-mail address: Leslie.bake@yahoo.com

Devotionals for the Heart: A closer look at the story of The Prodigal Son

What the Prodigal Son Story Teaches Us about God
A devotional by Kerry Sue Teravskis

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.”—Luke 15:20 (NLT)

We all love a good story, especially one with a happy ending. We enjoy a tale that is filled with adventure, mishaps, escapades, relationship forming, building and solidified. A story with substance, meaning and character.

When He was walking on this Earth and ministering to people for God, Jesus Christ used parables (a form of short storytelling that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson) to help His listeners to understand a point, a truth or a character trait of His Father (God). Jesus used familiar scenes, relationships and objects so the people could easily identify themselves in the story.

When we listen to or read a parable, most of us put ourselves in the story. We insert ourselves into the action and try to come out as the winner because nobody wants to be the loser. Sometimes, we walk away convicted after hearing a story that challenges us, but we try to see the good in the parable. Sometimes we see the parable for someone else, easily comparing his of her life within the passage.

We make ourselves the center of the story because things seem to fit better with us in the middle. When one gets right down to it, we are a self-centered bunch of people. Yet, have we ever stood back to think that maybe passages and parables in Scripture are to be God-centered, and not me-centered?

Case in point: the parable of the “Prodigal Son”. A quick look in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary will give us the definition of what it means to be a prodigal. This term implies that a person is “reckless or wasteful lavishness threatening to lead to early exhaustion of resources.” When you hear the word “prodigal”, what is the context and what do you think? Perhaps you think “wayward child, a runaway, one lost in sin. Someone who walked away from a loving family.”

I have even heard sermons on this topic, multiple times. And I have spent time praying for prodigals in my own life—if not for a loved one, then a friend’s loved one who has wandered far from home. And our hearts break. Ache. And we cry out to God for restoration, a return and forgiveness. We want answers to our prayers. We want our loved ones to return home.

Luke 15 has three parables with many before and after this chapter. They have a flow about them, similar message, and they all point to the Father, His Son, mankind. Let’s turn to Luke 15:11-32. If you grew up in a Christian home and attended a Christian church then you may have read this story before. You know the characters: father, two sons (one is the good one, the other was bad). The bad son wants his inheritance before his father dies and leaves to squander his money, newfound freedom, and different life. In his mind, he is free from all restrictions.

Only a little while later after leaving his home with his inheritance, the bad son is broken financially, broken spiritually, and desperate. He decides to do anything to get back into his father’s good graces. Therefore, this prodigal son formulates a plan while slopping pigs: he’ll go home and ask to be a servant so at least he can eat and have a roof over his head. He makes up his mind and heads home.

As the prodigal son nears his father’s house, what does he encounter? His father runs towards him and welcomes him home. He had been waiting for his son’s return. The father orders his servants to prepare a banquet to celebrate his son’s return. He dresses his son in a clean robe, gives him a ring and good shoes to wear on his feet. All this time, the prodigal son was hoping for acceptance as a servant but what he found was love beyond expectation. He received love and compassion lavished upon him by his father who never stopped loving his son.

Why is it we make this story about the son, when it is actually about the Father? When we take a step back, we can see the extravagance of the father toward his son. We see a father run to his son. It is important to note that a man did not run in those days like this. It was the servant who was seen running. We also see a banquet of grand proportions proving that the father withheld nothing for this son.

We look at the son, when instead we should be looking at the father. Isn’t this how our Heavenly Father is with us? Doesn’t He lavish us with His love, compassion, kindness, goodness, forgiveness? And so much more? Doesn’t He see us off in the distance and come running?

The Bible says in James 4:8 (NKJV), “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Why do we put ourselves in the center of everything, when we should be putting and keeping God in the middle of our story? We focus on the sinner in this parable when we should focus our attention on the Savior.

The Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit should hold all our attention. We are to seek God’s kingdom first and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). The Christian walk of faith is not about doing my own thing as I pursue my dreams and do daily life then tacking God on as an afterthought. It is about aligning my life with the will of the Father (God). Keeping in step with Him (Galatians 5:25). Running this race marked out for us by His mighty hand, to bring Him honor, glory and praise.

Because it’s all about Jesus. And it always has been and forever will be.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are good. Amazing. Lavish and profuse in Your love for me. You are extravagant in all Your ways. You are “prodigal” in the truest sense, and I am forever thankful. May my life never cease to be the offering I give out of my deep love for You because You chose me and loved me. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Prodigal” by Sidewalk Prophets. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Your Love is Extravagant” by Casting Crowns. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “All to Bring You Glory” by Ashmont Hill. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Kerry Sue’s life is very full because she is a wife and Marmee to three adult children—two of whom are married—and a new grandson. 

Kerry Sue met her husband in college and served on the mission field with him for a few years before settling down back in the United States of America to raise their family.

Kerry Sue’s family was a homeschooling family for 20 years and they enjoyed it immensely. For the last 24 years they have lived on a small farm in Northern California where they have raised many farm animals, along with growing and preserving their food. Kerry Sue’s family farm has been a great source of enjoyment and a place to host many family gatherings. She maintains an open-door policy for dear friends—old and new.

Following and serving Jesus Christ is an integral part of Kerry Sue’s life as well as her family’s. Whether it’s singing in the church choir, teaching children or leading and lecturing at a women’s Bible study, Kerry Sue loves to demonstrate her love for Jesus by giving to Him in service. She’s been a blogger for more than eight years, a Bible study writer for four years, and a devotional writer for more than two years.

Kerry Sue feels led to write about finding God’s Sovereignty in our suffering because of her own ongoing journey of more than four years, with the hope to encourage others.

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Connect with Kerry:
Blog: https://www.sovereignblog.com/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerry.teravskis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksteravskis/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sovereignblog