Month: September 2020

Categories
Devotion for Women ZZ

Transitions

‘So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.’ 1 Peter 1:6-7(NLT)

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”’ Revelation 21:4(NLT)

From our human perspective, transitions aren’t desirable. We’re tempted to look forward to what’s next, fixing our eyes on the prize—the end of the transition. We tell ourselves “This pregnancy is hard, but it will all be better when the baby gets here” or “Moving with a toddler feels chaotic, but we’re almost to our forever home. Then we’ll be settled.”

But what happens if the pregnancy doesn’t produce a healthy baby, or the house sale falls through or your husband loses his job? Rooting our hope in our circumstances is always dangerous. So is thinking, “This is my last transition. Once this is over, we’ll finally be happy.”

For many of us, transitions can bring out the worst in us, depriving us of what we think we must have to be happy, comfortable, and thriving until our true nature is revealed. God shows us our impatient exasperation when our husband works late every night or travels for weeks on end. He shows us our fickle hearts when a chorus of commotion from our children sends us to seek refuge in social media.

When a goldsmith wants to purify gold, he heats it until the impurities are revealed so he can skim them off. Without the heat, the impurities stay embedded in the gold. Similarly, our circumstances turn up the heat until we see what’s in our hearts. It’s not that we used to be nice, energetic people, and now (due to this transition and things outside of our control) we’re suddenly irritable and unkind. Those changes simply expose the hidden sin that existed all along in the ease and familiarity of our old circumstances.

God doesn’t promise our current hard season or transition will end the way we want it to, but he does promise he’ll be with us all the way through it. He’ll provide strength, refreshment, and encouragement until we reach heaven, where we’ll never experience sorrow again. Just as he provided an oasis for the tired, thirsty Israelites on their journey in the desert, he can provide refreshment in our transitional times when we cry out to him in faith.

The transition you just want to end isn’t a throwaway season—it’s a time full of God’s purposes, when hindsight will tell a story of sin and need driving us to the Father and making us love more like the Son.

Transitional seasons are part of life. We might not enjoy every aspect of them, but we don’t have to fear them. God loves us too much to let us be comfortable and unscathed. Adoption, infertility, job loss, sick family members, new careers, and new schools might feel like transitions we don’t want to bear. But let’s rejoice when we have moments of joy and rest, knowing that God has good purposes for today and a sure promise of our final destination.

Reflect: What transition are you facing and how are you trusting God in those struggles? How might God be working in your transitional season to make it about more than just survival—changing you into the image of Christ? 

from Risen Motherhood

Categories
Devotion for Women ZZ

Heart Attitudes

‘God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. ‘ 1 Corinthians 1:30(NLT)

‘This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!’ 2 Corinthians 5:17(NLT)

Watch any child long enough, and you’ll know that humans are made for worship. Like a toddler in the toy aisle throwing a tantrum because you won’t buy them the purple kitty with the enormous eyes, their outward rage is only a sign of the war of worship in their hearts. God made us in his own image for his glory, which means we are created by God, for God, and for worship. 

But in the fall, Satan deceived Eve when she had a craving to worship herself over God. She doubted God’s promises, thinking if she could just get control of her circumstances, she might be better off. Very quickly her circumstances only got worse. Separated from her Creator, the perpetual wandering and roaming of the human heart for worship began.

When motherhood feels hard, it’s easy to blame our circumstances, children, or husbands. But our biggest problem with motherhood is ourselves. When we worry about tomorrow’s schedule or get frustrated because our morning alone time is short, our hearts are revealing what is already there: misplaced worship of our own comforts and control. Can you relate?

If you’re like us, it’s easy to fear that our negative heart attitudes reflect who we truly are on the inside. We name ourselves: the angry mom, the worrier, the stressed-out mom…  and without Christ, it’s true. We are all sinners on a path to self-destruction. 

But if you are a believer, you have union with Christ. This means Christ is in you. It is not Christ plus you, or Christ and then you, or Christ and not you. It is Christ in you, which means you have everything Christ has. When you are stripped bare, when you peel away everything you believe defines you—your hobbies, dreams, skill sets, personality, weaknesses, and sinful tendencies—who are you? If you are in Christ, then it is not the sinful, uncontrollable woman you fear who remains—it is Christ. It is our loving, kind, gracious, merciful Savior in you.

Through your faith in Jesus, you are a new creation in Christ, which means by the power of the Holy Spirit, you can change. You no longer have to give in to temptations, fight for control in all areas of life, or give in to expressing every feeling you have. Your circumstances do not define you. Trust that because of Christ’s work on the cross, you can grow, improve, and be transformed to be more like him.

Mom, God has not left you to battle your sin alone. Believe you are united with Christ. Exchange your worries, fears, and anger with the worship of our good and loving Father who sent his Son to battle on your behalf. God uses wayward circumstances to reveal the waywardness of our hearts. Each day, as you feel the pressure mounting, the accusations accumulating, the temptations luring, look to Christ to be all you need. 

Reflect: What words do you tend to label yourself with? Example: the angry mom, the worrier, the stressed-out mom… How does your union with Christ encourage you to fight sin and choose holiness in your circumstances? 

from Risen Motherhood

Categories
Devotion for Women ZZ

We Need a Risen Motherhood

‘For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ‘ Romans 3:23(NLT)

‘The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.’ Romans 8:11(NLT)

We became first-time moms within nine months of each other, and although we didn’t realize it at the time, we both entered motherhood with high expectations. We had visions of tidy living rooms, gourmet homemade dinners, peaceful walks with the stroller, and obedient children who loved Jesus (and their mamas).

Today, with eight kids between us, our optimistic expectations have toppled under the pressures of everyday life. Motherhood left us feeling inadequate, frustrated, and desperate for new solutions. 

If motherhood is supposed to be so wonderful—one of life’s biggest blessings—why do we feel stressed, tired, dissatisfied, and overcommitted? If social media personalities, motherhood gurus, and book-writing experts hold the answers, why do we need more and more help?

Influencers, authors, and even our own friends and family tell us that simply because we are loving moms to our children, we are enough. Our well-intentioned efforts (however large or small) are all they need. We should stop worrying about the nagging guilt and create the life we want.

But deep down, we still have this lurking feeling that we’re missing the mark, and we don’t know how to cope with it. 

The world would have you believe the problem is that you can’t seem to get your act together, but the reality is that you can’t get your act together. Not in the sense that your sink always seems to be piled high with dishes, or you’re not getting to the gym as often as you should, or you shoot random discipline strategies from the hip every 30 minutes. No, you can’t get your act together because you’re a sinner in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23).

We cannot will ourselves into finding joy in motherhood because we cannot will ourselves into the obedience or love God requires of us. If we’re to find true, lasting joy in our motherhood journey, what we need is the work of Jesus Christ.

We don’t need the world’s version of motherhood; we need a risen motherhood, transformed by the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. We need his shed blood if we’re going to shed our guilt and failures. We need his fullness to fill us where we are empty. We need his sacrifice and hurt so we can sacrifice for others until it hurts. We need his wounds to cure our wounds. We need his atonement to atone once and for all for our sins. We need his death to give us life.

What we need is the good news of the gospel. 

If we are found in Christ, we have everything we need. Not because we suddenly have all the perfect answers, attitudes, and behaviors, but because the same power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power in your daily life (Romans 8:11). The Holy Spirit gives you help and wisdom, allowing you to see that motherhood isn’t just made up of long days and tedious work—motherhood is made up of a million tiny moments that are springboards to worship. 

Reflect: Where do you look for hope and help in motherhood? What would you do differently if you saw each moment as a meaningful opportunity to serve and worship God? 

from Risen Motherhood

Categories
Devotion for Men Devotion for Women ZZ

Love Is a Person – Day 8

‘Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.’ 1 Corinthians 13:12-13(NLT)

‘Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.’ 1 Corinthians 16:13-14(NLT)

‘And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.’ Romans 5:5(NLT)

‘Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. ‘ Romans 13:8(NLT)

‘Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ‘ Colossians 3:12-14(NLT)

‘Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. ‘ 1 John 4:18(NLT)

‘I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.’ Ephesians 3:16-19(NLT)

Loving another is a risk, since there are no guarantees that love will be reciprocated. It takes courage and boldness to love another. Of course, it’s easiest to love those we agree with and with whom we share the same lifestyle. It’s fairly easy to love strangers. But it’s really hard to consistently love those who are closest to us because they can, and do, hurt us. When we are hurt, we may take a step back and withhold our love out of fear of being hurt, perpetuating a vicious cycle.

But 1 Corinthians 13:7 TPT tells us

 “…Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.” 

Fear is the opposite of love. Fear cannot stand where God’s love abounds, and His love abounds in you!

Even in our disappointment, we can choose to pick ourselves back up and move forward, for love is never defeated! Love stays the course. It never lets go. When things go from bad to worse, love always moves toward, never away. 

Love never gives up. It endures and pushes past any quitting point. When we are ready to give up, Love reaches beyond our situations with hope for the future. This hope is not a vain wish for something that may or may not happen, but it is the settled conviction that God sees and is at work, even when we cannot imagine a good outcome. 

Love offers hope as a shelter for the most difficult situation.

Love holds on in hope: 

  • for the meanest neighbor.
  • for the challenging foster child.
  • for that coworker who is your greatest annoyance. 
  • for your husband or wife who doesn’t know how to love.

As we allow our love to hold on in hope, nothing will defeat it because “Love never stops loving.” 1 Corinthians 13:8 TPT

Your enemy, satan, has one purpose: to turn you away from Love, for satan is the antithesis of love and of God. He relentlessly whispers fear and defeat on the chance you will give up and make agreements with him that your situation is a lost cause. He wants to steal your influence, kill your hope, and destroy your love. If he can do that, he has won. We must be alert and stand firm against him by making a strong choice for Love.

In the collision of the two kingdoms, Love is the force that separates and pushes back the darkness and shuts down the enemy. When people are rude and unkind, choose to love them anyway. When conflict comes, apologize and forgive, and keep choosing love.

Love is a very high calling but it’s not out of our reach, for we were never asked to love from our own resources or abilities. As in all things, as we practice, we will get better. We will become stronger. We will go beyond what we thought was possible. 

Love is a Person. When we are anchored to Him, we can continue to love and give to others without fear of losing ourselves. 

“So this is my parting command: Love one another deeply!” Jesus, in John 15:17 TPT

These examples of love written by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 are not exhaustive of love’s characteristics, for the depths of His love for you is offered throughout scripture. As you dig deeply into His Word, discovering more of Who He is and what He says about you, I pray that your love for others will be enlarged.

from Love Is a Person by Robin Meadows

Categories
Devotion for Men Devotion for Women ZZ

Love Is a Person – Day 7

‘Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses.’ Proverbs 10:12(NLT)

‘Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.’ Proverbs 17:9(NLT)

‘Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. ‘ Romans 12:9(NLT)

‘Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.’ Romans 12:21(NLT)

‘Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.’ Ephesians 5:1-2(NLT)

‘Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. ‘ 1 Peter 4:8(NLT)

‘“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.’ Matthew 7:3-5(NLT)

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” I Corinthians 13:6 NIV

We skim over this scripture never considering that we’d delight in evil. But could our judgments against another be just that—evil? 

“He got what he deserved.” 

“Serves her right.” 

“They had it coming.”

These are words and thoughts the Holy Spirit would never inspire. I’ve been there many times—agreeing with evil and adding to its power. 

Here’s what I have learned: every person on earth is fully and completely loved by our God. He loves everyone the same as He loves me, no matter what they’ve done. Sin is sin is sin, including my evil thoughts. All sin separates us from God, from love.

1 Corinthians 13:7 TPT offers a solution to these evil thoughts: 

“Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others….”

Love should be the base point of our thoughts and attitudes toward one another—the worst felon or our resistant teen. Love focuses on the heart rather than the behavior. This activation of our love is not to excuse one’s conduct; rather, it gives us spiritual eyes to see the person behind their pain. 

Our love toward another is a safe place of shelter that covers over bad attitudes and disappointing conduct with a blanket of compassion and grace rather than expressing our self-righteous assessments. Truth, spoken without love, is a bruising and crushing weapon.

You may be thinking, “But you don’t know about my lying spouse, my defiant teen, or my hateful co-worker.” 

Even in the face of conflict with the most difficult person, we can take a deep breath of God’s Spirit, which will give us the ability to believe the best of them—to see them with His eyes. Love chooses a gracious response over an emotional reaction. Why else would this scripture say so, if it were not possible?

Love pulls another into grace as we lay these people and their problems into the hands of a loving God who is the only solution to our difficult relationships. The speck in another’s eye quickly diminishes as we deal with the plank in our own.

God invites us to step into the safe shelter of His Love, bringing those difficult people with us.

“His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide….” Psalms 91:4 TPT

from Love Is a Person by Robin Meadows

Categories
Devotion for Men Devotion for Women ZZ

Love Is a Person – Day 6

‘A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.’ Proverbs 12:16(NLT)

‘Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.’ Proverbs 19:11(NLT)

‘“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit#18:18b Or loose, or open. on earth will be permitted in heaven.’ Matthew 18:18(NLT)

‘For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.’ Ephesians 6:12(NLT)

‘Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,’ Romans 12:17-19(NLT)

‘Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ‘ Colossians 3:13(NLT)

“Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense.” 1 Corinthians 13:5 TPT

Being irritated is a sign of being unloving? Wow! God’s love is a strong standard. 

Irritation can be seen in our body language and seeps from our attitudes, but irritation is most glaring in our words. An irritation is a trigger, a red-light alarm telling us to engage the Spirit’s power of self-control to hold in our harsh words. Love chooses to overlook the annoyance.

Offense is a stronger feeling—an irritation that has gone deep and taken root. Sadly, most offenses happen in our closest relationships. Painful words are said, harsh actions are taken, and offense becomes the stone you choose to pick up and carry, wounding your heart and damaging your relationship. 

Our hurts usually have a face and that’s where we direct our anger. We need something tangible, someone we can see to direct our offense and disappointment toward. We replay the reel of our offenses and rehearse the hurts, wondering if we could have said or done anything differently. We become trapped in a circular thought pattern that always brings us back to the moment of offense, where our mind and thoughts are consumed with things that have already happened and cannot be changed. We can’t make sense of it, so we try to reason through the anguish and imagine our way to justice. But reasoning will not end the pain. Our offense deepens, often spiraling into bitterness.

Bitterness and resentment are rampant in our world. Opinions have become dividing lines rather than open places of discussion. We have lost the ability to respect any viewpoint other than our own.

How can we let go of our offenses and love those who have hurt us? 

The only way to be set free from offense is by bringing it into the light, by acknowledging the incident and naming it. Then release your burden by dropping those heavy, debilitating stones into the hands of God as an act of your faith in Him. Remember, He is not blind to what happened. Justice is in His hand and on His timetable. Ask God to replace the ache from your past wounds with His healing presence. Receive His love in exchange for your pain.

Offenses cause separation but love is a bridge. Love kept Jesus at the table with his betrayer. Love washed his feet. (John 13)

Forgiveness of irritations and offenses is a practice we will have to implement over and over again because true forgiveness rarely happens immediately. But love is always here—God with us. 

As the face of your offense comes to mind, ask yourself how God sees your offender. A simple but effective question that has helped me when I’ve been hurt is: would I want that other person to live an eternity separated from Love? Imagining myself with them in Paradise helps me find compassion and changes my heart. The painful memories remain, but they no longer have power over me. 

Invite the Holy Spirit into your heart and mind as you pray, “Father, just as You forgave those who betrayed You, spat on You, and sent You to your death, I ask You to forgive this person who has wounded me. They may not even know the depth of pain this caused me. Please begin a work of forgiveness in me to heal the hurt and offense that is in my heart. Renew my mind as I focus on You rather than on my pain. Thank You for Your great love for me”.

“Whoever would foster love covers over an offense…” Proverbs 17:9 NIV

from Love Is a Person by Robin Meadows

Categories
Devotion for Men Devotion for Women ZZ

Love Is a Person – Day 5

‘Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. ‘ Mark 8:34-35(NLT)

‘When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.’ Romans 1:12(NLT)

‘But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.’ Romans 7:20(NLT)

‘Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. ‘ Romans 12:9-10(NLT)

‘Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. ‘ Romans 15:7(NLT)

‘Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.’ Philippians 2:1-4(NLT)

Relationships would be easy if it weren’t for the people. It’s a humorous statement, but so accurate!

Even the best of relationships can be difficult to maneuver. After all, we are imperfect people trying to coexist, and the closer the relationship the harder it can be.

We all have our ways—our habits and quirks. “Our way” is the how, when, or why we do things or think they should be done. Most married couples disagree over how the toilet paper hangs, how the towels and t-shirts are to be folded, how to discipline the children, the temperature of the thermostat. Kids certainly have their ways and it is usually the opposite of the parent’s. We like our ways. Most often we believe “my way is the right way, and your way is not!” 

When your way crosses my way, there is often conflict and friction. But the choice to practice love happens at the intersection of your way and another’s. In this intersection of ways, 1 Corinthians 13:5 NLT reminds us, “Love does not demand its own way.”

When we follow and agree with God’s way, our ways lose their power over us. As we align with Him and give up our right to be right, we gain freedom from not having to always “win.” Love chooses to glorify God rather than choosing to have the last word or be right. After all, when we push to win or be right, someone else has to lose and the only thing that wins is our pride. We get to choose whether we win, or love wins, because 1 Corinthians 13:5 TPT goes on to say, “Love does not selfishly seek its own honor.”.

The word honor is rooted in value and glory. Your attitude of honoring another elevates them above your desires, opinions, and ways, and instead, offers them a position of high regard. 

Honoring and esteeming another presses so strongly against the darkness of the spiritual realm it presents an almost tangible energy as we give that person space to be who God created them to be. Love, in the form of honor expressed for another, in turn, honors God and makes room for Him.

Giving honor to someone, especially when they don’t deserve it, allows the miraculous compassion of God to invade our hearts so we can see that person as He does—chosen, loved, and highly valued, created in His own image. Our demonstration of His love for them builds a place of trust, security, and safety.

When we understand and accept the immense value God has for us, we are then able and willing to honor others from His strength, no matter how difficult they may be.

“You will bring God glory when you accept and welcome one another as partners, just as the Anointed One has fully accepted you and received you as his partner.” Romans 15:7 TPT

Consider reading today’s scriptures from The Passion Translation (TPT)

from Love Is a Person by Robin Meadows

Categories
Devotion for Men Devotion for Women ZZ

Love Is a Person – Day 4

‘For no one on earth—from east or west, or even from the wilderness— should raise a defiant fist. It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall.’ Psalms 75:6-7(NLT)

‘Mockers are proud and haughty; they act with boundless arrogance.’ Proverbs 21:24(NLT)

‘Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. ‘ Romans 12:15(NLT)

‘For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ‘ Romans 13:9(NLT)

‘Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.’ Philippians 2:3-5(NLT)

‘Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ‘ 1 Corinthians 13:4(NLT)

“[Love] refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else….” 1 Corinthians 13:4 TPT

Jealousy reveals itself when we refuse to join in and celebrate another’s good fortune, talents, or abilities. Envy and jealousy are part of the enemy’s original lie, a seedbed of comparison asking us to believe that God is withholding His goodness from us and that He is, instead, giving it to someone else. This type of thinking is a stronghold of bondage and lies.

Envy is a subtle, evil spirit that rises in opposition to the goodness that falls on others. Envy is in direct opposition to love. 

Envy and jealousy come from a scarcity mindset which, in effect, believes that the goodness of God is limited—that there’s only so much to go around. It is the belief that what someone else has or is given will subtract from what we may have or receive.

Envy is believing in a false math problem: You + your good fortune = less for me. 

Often, when we are triggered by envy and jealousy, our natural response is to diminish the success of others in order to feel better about ourselves—a desperate effort to balance the false equation in our mind. 

But the verse speaks to this by telling us, 

“Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance.”

An inflated opinion of our own opinions or abilities will drive others away from us. Proverbs names this person a scoffer, a mocker, a know-it-all. It’s very easy for us to fall into this category because we believe that our opinions define us and make us who we are. We are for this, but against that, falling into a religious standard of rightness. Might we actually be withholding our love for others because of our opinions? 

Honoring and acknowledging another’s accomplishments, no matter who they are or how they live, does not diminish you. In fact, in the Kingdom of God, elevating another’s importance by honoring them invites more honor to you and is a demonstration of maturity in your heart. The ability to acknowledge and honor another is strong evidence that you are overcoming your limiting beliefs about God.

Love chooses to celebrate all good things! Love rejoices with those who rejoice. Loving others by honoring them becomes a wide place of freedom, believing there is more than enough goodness for us all. 

When I have been triggered by jealousy and envy, it’s a sign for me to take it to Jesus and ask Him what’s going on in my heart. He has always been faithful to reveal it.

“…And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give.” Romans 8:32 TPT

Consider reading today’s scriptures from The Passion Translation (TPT)

from Love Is a Person by Robin Meadows

Categories
Devotion for Men Devotion for Women ZZ

Love Is a Person – Day 3

‘Praise the Lord , all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord ’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the Lord !’ Psalms 117:1-2(NLT)

‘“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. ‘ Matthew 5:43-47(NLT)

‘You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?’ Romans 2:1-4(NLT)

‘Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.’ Philippians 4:4-5(NLT)

‘But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.’ James 3:17-18(NLT)

‘Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”’ 1 Peter 3:8-12(NLT)

“…Love is gentle and consistently kind to all….” 1 Corinthians 13:4 TPT

Loving with gentleness means conducting yourself with mildness and evenness of spirit. It is a display of love not found in extremes of emotion. 

Kindness is an action that elevates and honors another.

Kindness offered to another is a demonstration of the gentleness of our hearts. 

However, in our efforts to love others, it is the words consistently and all in this verse that stood out to me. It’s fairly easy to demonstrate love through kindness and gentleness with those who are easy to love. But difficult or annoying people? It’s not easy to consistently show love, and certainly not easy to demonstrate gentleness and kindness to them. In fact, it’s easier to withhold love, because our feelings tell us they certainly do not deserve it! 

Often, these difficult people live in our own homes, or maybe they are our direct report at work. Sometimes, they are even our enemy. When these people come against us in their immaturity or insecurity, or especially in their hatred, it’s easy to let unkind words and attitudes spill out. Our mildness of spirit—our gentleness—disappears in the conflict. 

In these moments we use love like dollar bills, handing them out when people are acceptable to us and snatching them back when our expectations are not met and we are disappointed. 

Are we demonstrating love through consistent kindness with our spouses, our kids, our parents or are we short-tempered? Are we gentle while we are driving or are we wildly gesturing and yelling? Are we courteous with the slow cashier at the store, the inattentive waiter at the restaurant, the salesperson on the phone, or to that person on the Internet?

Courtesy, a display of gentleness and kindness toward another, is an almost forgotten characteristic in our society today. The word is rooted in the ceremonial manners used in a royal court. High respect and consideration for those we live with or meet, especially those who are most difficult, are the appropriate qualities of sons and daughters of the Most High.

How can we consistently love those that grate against us? Why does God ask us to love unlovely people, even those who come against us? 

Consistently showing love through gentleness and kindness is only possible when we acknowledge the consistent love and grace our Father has lavished on us. He never holds back His love, even when we deserve it.

Psalm 117:2 TPT tells us that God’s kindness has melted our hearts. I know it has mine and I am so grateful. 

Let’s make it a practice to melt hearts with gentleness and kindness through our courtesy to others. God’s Spirit within us will enable that fruit to increase and grow.

Consider reading today’s scriptures from The Message. (MSG)

from Love Is a Person by Robin Meadows

Categories
Devotion for Men Devotion for Women ZZ

Love Is a Person – Day 2

‘If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ‘ 1 Corinthians 13:1-4(NLT)

‘Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!’ Romans 12:16(NLT)

‘May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.’ 2 Thessalonians 3:5(NLT)

‘A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. ‘ 2 Timothy 2:24(NLT)

‘Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. ‘ 1 Peter 3:8(NLT)

‘The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. ‘ 2 Peter 3:9(NLT)

In the last verse of 1 Corinthians 12 (TPT) Paul tells us, “And now I will show you a superior way to live that is beyond comparison!”

This leads us into 1 Corinthians 13, “The Love Chapter,” which gives us a description of love, a tutorial for loving others.

The beginning verses of the chapter tell us that we can be extremely gifted and talented, have great knowledge and a large faith, but if we don’t have love for others, we are nothing. Let that thought sink in. 

The Passion Translation goes on in verse 4 to say,

“Love is large…and incredibly patient.”

From my own relational failures I discovered that my capacity to love others is directly related to how well I believe I am loved by God. As we continue to grow in the comprehension of who He is and the magnitude of His love for us, we gain compassion and the ability to give love to others from His never-ending love. 

On the other side of this verse, our “incredible” patience, or the lack of it, reveals and exposes what we believe about ourselves. Self-importance, our own pride, destroys relationships. An inflated view of one’s self and how things “should” operate becomes a driving force, often from insecurities and fears. Consequently, our impatience causes us to press and prod others, expecting more than what is given. I know this was true of me; just ask my family. I wanted things done my way and in my timeframe. How selfish and prideful of me. Do you identify? 

Patience, a fruit of God’s Spirit, is the practice of waiting without complaining. It counters our pride. Patience is an offering of grace and mercy from a posture of humility, focusing on others above ourselves. It is the activation of restraint, power under control, willingness to wait, and deference of anger.

“Incredible” patience is developed in humbly and expectantly waiting for the Spirit of God to move in your circumstances without spilling a string of unkind words, without manipulating the situation, without focusing on yourself. Love, expressed by patience, takes the necessary time. It waits well. It listens. 

Whether in response to annoyance, or enduring for a long-awaited hope, your level of patience reveals the depth, strength, and source of your love. Patience understands and believes that God loves you so much that He sees you, has everything in control, and is working all for your good and His glory, even when it seems impossible. In my own life, being patient with myself was the beginning of being patient with others.

If loving with patience is difficult for you, connect to the Source of true love. Ask for His power and ability to love others with patient expectancy rather than demonstrating your impatient expectations. Thank Him for being patient with you. Through His mighty love, you will become a patient person and your love will expand!

“With tender humility and quiet patience, always demonstrate gentleness and generous love toward one another, especially toward those who may try your patience.” Ephesians 4:2 TPT

from Love Is a Person by Robin Meadows