Trusting God Day by Day

[Aeliana]

April 27

Don’t Make Big Decisions in the Storm

Be merciful and gracious to me, O God, be merciful and gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge and finds shelter and confidence in You; yes, in the shadow of Your wings will I take refuge and be confident until calamities and destructive storms are passed.
PSALM 57:1

Life isn’t one big, long sunny day. At some point, we all face storms—whether they come in the form of unexpected illness, job loss, financial crisis, marital difficulties, problems with children, or any number of other scenarios that are stressful, intense, and important. I have faced many storms in my life—some like the quick afternoon storms that are common in summertime and some that seemed like category four hurricanes. If I have learned anything about weathering the storms of life, I have learned that they don’t last forever, and that if at all possible, I do not need to make major decisions in the midst of them.

When the storms of life arise, it’s best to keep your mind and emotions as still as possible. Thoughts and feelings often run wild in the midst of crises, but those are exactly the times we need to be careful about making decisions. We must remain calm and discipline ourselves to focus on doing what we can do and trusting God to do what we cannot do.

Next time you face a storm or crisis in your life, I hope you’ll remember these words, which I often say: “Let your emotions subside before you decide.” Do your best to let things settle down before you make major decisions. You may not always have that choice, but as much as possible, put significant decisions on hold until your storm passes. Just as the wind blows about wildly during a storm, our thoughts can become quite wild and frantic, and that is not the best time to make major decisions.
Making this commitment will protect you from making quick, unwise decisions that could take you off the course God has for you.

Trust in Him Next time the wind blows and the waves crash, take the big life decisions off the table (where you’re going to live, your job, your relationships, etc.) and wait. Once the storm passes, trust God to show you what He wants you to do.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

April 28

Positively Possible

With men [it is] impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.
MARK 10:27

One of the best stories about how faith and confidence in God releases the power of potential took place centuries ago, when many parts of the ancient world were still unsettled. God promised the people of Israel they would possess a rich and fertile country, known as Canaan. He didn’t promise them they could step across its borders without opposition, but He did promise them they would inhabit it—and when God makes a promise, He means it.

Taking God at His Word, the Israelites appointed twelve men to go into Canaan to “spy out the land” and bring back a report. Upon their return, ten spies admitted that the land flowed with milk and honey, and acknowledged that the fruit in Canaan was large and beautiful, but then remarked that the land was full of giants who would be impossible to overcome. They allowed the presence of the giants to detract from the promises of God.

In contrast, Joshua and Caleb brought back good reports, full of faith and confidence in God, and Caleb spoke up with confidence, saying, “Let us go up at once and possess it; we are well able to conquer it” (Num. 13:30). The ten spies thought the giants in the land were too big to kill, but Joshua and Caleb thought they were too big to miss. Joshua and Caleb were the only two men who were positive in the face of opposition from the giants. They didn’t ignore the challenges, but they did not overemphasize them—and they were the only two who entered the Promised Land.

Being positive does not mean we deny the existence of difficulty; it means we believe God is greater than our difficulties. Believing in God can cause us to win any battle we face. When we are closed to “positive possibilities” we only see what is right in front of us, not what we could see if we would simply be positive and creative.

Trust in Him You can either be a “10-spy” or a “2-spy,” but you can’t be both. 10-spys trust what they see; 2-spys trust the God of the impossible even when they can’t see Him. Choose to be a 2-spy today!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

April 29

Fear Leads to Worry

And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life?
MATTHEW 6:27

Fear and worry are closely related. You might say fear is the parent of every kind of worry because every worry starts as a fear. The Bible clearly teaches that God’s children are not to worry. When we worry, we rotate our minds around and around a problem and come up with no answers. The more we do it, the more anxious we feel. When we worry, we actually torment ourselves with a type of thinking that produces no good fruit. Worry starts with our thoughts, but it affects our moods and even our physical bodies.

A person can worry so much that it makes them feel depressed and sad. Worry places stress on your entire system and causes a lot of physical ailments like headaches, tension in muscles, stomach problems, and many other things. It never helps, and it does not solve our problems.

We can worry about hundreds of different things, from what people think of us to what will happen to us as we age. How long will we be able to work? Who will take care of us when we get old? What happens if the stock market crashes? What if gas prices go up? What if I lose my job? Quite often, worry does not even have a basis or a nugget of truth to it. There is no known reason to even think about the things that worry and then frighten us.

The only answer is to stop worrying by placing your trust in God. He has the future all planned, and He knows the answer to everything. What we worry about frequently never happens anyway, and if it is going to happen, worrying won’t prevent it. God’s Word promises us that He will take care of us if we trust in Him.

Trust in Him What are you worrying about? Cast your cares on Jesus. He wants you to trust Him with every thought, burden, and worry that you’re carrying because He’s fully capable of taking care of you (see 1 Pet. 5:7).


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

April 30

Encouragement Always Pays

[Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings.
2 CORINTHIANS 9:6

All of us need encouragement. It is a tool that increases our confidence and inspires us to act with courage, spirit, or strength. That is what we need! We don’t need anyone around to discourage us; instead, we need “encouragers” in our lives.

Because we all encounter difficulty while we are running our race and trying to reach our goals, we all need encouragement. The more we get, the easier it is to stay on track and avoid wasting days or weeks in discouragement, depression, and despair. One of the best ways I know to get something I want or need is to give some of it away. God’s Word teaches us to sow and then we shall reap. If a farmer plants tomato seeds, he will get a harvest of tomatoes. If we plant encouragement in the lives of other people, we will reap a harvest of encouragement in our own.

What we make happen for someone else, God will make happen for us. Do you sometimes find yourself wishing you had more encouragement, maybe from your family or your friends or your boss? But how often do you encourage others? If you’re not sure, then make an extra effort right away. You can be the channel that God uses to keep someone confidently pressing toward success rather than giving up.

Trust in Him Choose three people to encourage today. Trust that God will give you the perfect word they’ve been waiting to hear.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 2

A Well-Balanced Mind Stays Positive

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
2 TIMOTHY 1:7

You can’t control what happens to you, but you can determine to go through it with the right attitude.
In fact, you can choose beforehand that you will keep a positive attitude in the midst of every negative situation that presents itself to you. If you make this decision and meditate on it during a good time in your life, then when difficulty arises you will already be prepared to maintain a good attitude.

Throughout history, we have examples of people who have maintained good attitudes in the face of difficult times and thereby turned their problems into opportunities. Specifically, I think of various individuals who were imprisoned and composed some of the most influential writing the world has ever known, such as: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr., Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, and Sir Walter Raleigh’s The History of the World. No doubt, these people could have had terrible attitudes as they faced terrible trouble, but they made a decision and maintained the best of attitudes through the worst of times and made contributions that are still read and heard today.

I don’t think they were simply born positive people—I believe they had to make a choice. And their choice not only benefited themselves, but in the process, blessed the world.

One of the worst mistakes we can make in our thinking is to believe we are just not like those positive people and we can’t help it. If you think you can’t do anything about your thinking and attitude, then you’re defeated before you even begin to try. Discipline yourself to stand strong with your positive attitude in every circumstance.

Trust in Him What was your attitude like the last time you faced a really difficult situation? Did your choices bless you and others? Did you put your trust in God? Looking back now, how could you have handled it differently?

 

[Aeliana]

May 4

Your Trials Are Temporary

Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
JAMES 1:2–3

I have heard many people who live in parts of the world where there are four distinct seasons talk about how much they enjoy winter, spring, summer, and fall. They like the variety and the unique beauty, qualities, and opportunities of each season. The Bible tells us God Himself changes times and seasons (see Dan. 2:21).

Seasons change; this is true in the natural world, and it is true in regard to the seasons of our lives. It means that difficult times do not last forever. We may have “off” days, tough weeks, bad months, or even a year that seems to have more than its share of troubles, but every negative experience does come to an end.

Some of the trying situations we find ourselves in seem to go on far too long. When this happens, we are usually tempted to complain or become discouraged. Instead, we need to promptly adjust our attitudes and ask God to teach us something valuable as we press through the situation at hand. According to James 1:2–3, God uses trials and pressure to produce good results in our lives. He always wants to bless us. Sometimes His blessings come through unexpected circumstances we may view as negative, but if we will keep positive attitudes in the midst of those situations, we will experience the positive results God desires to give us.

If you are going through a difficult time right now, let me remind you that this probably isn’t the first challenge you’ve ever faced. You survived the last one (and probably learned some valuable lessons through it), and you will survive this one, too. Your trials are temporary; they won’t last forever. Better days are on their way. Just keep your attitude “up” instead of “down,” and remember that this is just a season and it will pass.

Trust in Him This trial is temporary. Your season will change. You can trust this important truth. Take a deep breath and thank God for the season you’re currently in, as well as the season He’s bringing you into.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 5

Let Go of the Past; Look to Your Future

If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].
1 JOHN 1:9

It is useless to worry about anything and doubly useless to worry about something that is over and done with and that nothing can be done about. If you made a mistake in the past that can be rectified, then go ahead and take action to correct it. But if you cannot do anything about it except be sorry, then ask for forgiveness from God and anyone you may have hurt and don’t worry about it any longer.

Let me remind you that worry is useless… so why do it? God has given us wisdom, and a wise person will not spend their time doing something that produces nothing of any value.

There are many wonderful Scriptures in the Bible that teach us to let go of the past and look to the future. We’re reminded to forget what is behind and keep our eyes facing forward, on God and His plan for us (see Phil. 3:13). We can find peace in the knowledge that God’s compassion and kindness are new every morning and that His faithfulness is abundant (see Lam. 3:22–23). Also, we must never forget that He is able to overcome our mistakes and do far more than we could ever imagine that He could do for us (see Eph. 3:16, 20). God has provided a way for your past to have zero power over you, but it is up to you to receive His gracious gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and a new beginning.

Don’t allow mistakes in your past to fester and threaten your future. When you ask God to forgive you for something that you have done wrong, He is faithful and just to do it. He continuously cleanses us from all unrighteousness (see 1 John 1:9). It’s forgiven and forgotten—but you must do the same!

Trust in Him When you hear the word past what’s the first memory or thought that comes to mind? If it is something that makes you feel guilty, then pray and ask God to help you let go and trust He has great things in your future.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 6

You’re Never Too Old to Grow in Your Thinking

… whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].
PHILIPPIANS 4:8

Dr. Caroline Leaf, a leading brain scientist/learning specialist and committed Christian, notes in her teaching on the brain: “The Word and science believe that the mind and the brain are one.” The way you think is voluntary—you can control your thoughts. I want you to give your brain a new job and begin to teach your mind to work for you instead of against you.

One important way to do this is to make the intentional decision that you will begin to think positively. I realize your brain won’t be able to fulfill the new role completely overnight. You may be asking it to undergo a radical transformation, and that will take time. So give it a little grace, but determine that with your diligence and God’s help, your brain will go to work for you instead of against you and become a powerful, positive force in your life.

I like what Dr. Leaf says—that the human brain takes “eighteen years to grow and a lifetime to mature.” Don’t miss this point. Although every other organ in the body is fully formed when a person is born, and simply gets bigger as the body gets bigger, the brain actually takes a full eighteen years to be fully formed. After that, it continues to mature until the day a person dies.

This means, no matter how old you are, your brain is still maturing. This is great news because it means you do not have to be stuck in any old or wrong thought patterns. Your brain is still maturing, so you can still mature in your thinking.

Trust in Him What comes to mind immediately when I ask: in what way(s) is your mind working against you? Remember, it takes a lifetime for your brain to mature. Trust that it’s never too late to change your mind!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 7

Get over Guilt

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
PSALM 103:12

Millions of people destroy their lives by feeling guilty about something that is in the past and that they cannot do anything about. When God forgives our sin He also removes the guilt. But just as we must receive His forgiveness, we must also receive freedom from guilt and not let the emotion of guilt control us. If God says we are forgiven and pronounced not guilty, then we should believe His Word more than how we feel.

We frequently hear people say, “I will feel guilty about that the rest of my life.” Or I have heard people say, “I will never get over what I have done.” God’s Word says that when He forgives us, He forgets the offense and there is no more penalty for sin where there is complete remission of it (see Heb. 10:17–18). Why decide that you will feel guilty the rest of your life when God has provided a way for you to live free from it?

Guilt is worry that is rooted in fear. We are afraid that God is angry, or that what we have done wrong is too big and too bad, even for God to forgive. We feel we don’t deserve forgiveness, so we won’t receive it. We worry about what people think of our past sins. We are afraid they will never forgive us or see us as good people again. Guilt has everything to do with the past, and it has the power to ruin your future. Get over it!

God holds nothing against you if you are sincerely sorry for what you have done and are trusting in the blood of Jesus to cleanse you from your former wickedness. The minute you repent, God forgives and forgets it, so why not follow His example and receive His forgiveness and forget it yourself?

Trust in Him What’s the one thing that you feel the most guilty about? Have you asked God for forgiveness? Do you trust Him when He says He’s forgiven you? Then let it go!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 9

Don’t Let Dread Get a Hold on You

The Lord of hosts—regard Him as holy and honor His holy name [by regarding Him as your only hope of safety], and let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread [lest you offend Him by your fear of man and distrust of Him].
ISAIAH 8:13

Dread is a powerful, gripping fear. People dread many things, and most of them don’t even realize what dread does to them. It sucks the joy right out of the present moment. But Jesus set you free from the power of dread. The life God has provided for us through Jesus Christ is a precious gift, and we should enjoy every moment of it.
Pray and ask God to show you every time you begin to dread any task or something lurking in your future that you’re not quite sure of. Merely eliminating dread from your life will release more of your God-given confidence and help you experience more joy.

How often do you find yourself putting things off that you dread doing? Maybe it’s that uncomfortable conversation you know you need to have, or those bills that need to be paid, or worse, maybe it’s your annual taxes! Train yourself not to dread anything but to actually tackle it first. The sooner in the day you do the things you don’t prefer doing, the more energy you have to do them. If you wait until the end of the day when most of your energy is gone and then try to do something you really don’t like doing, it will be worse than doing it earlier. Dread causes us to procrastinate, but if you’re ever going to do something, now is the best time!

Putting something off does not make it go away; it only allows more time to torment you. You can dread or you can confidently take action. As Christians with the power of the Holy Spirit inside us, surely we can manage to do an unpleasant task without dreading it and with a good attitude. God’s power is not available just to make unpleasant things in our lives go away; it is frequently available to walk us through them courageously.

Trust in Him What are you dreading? Do it now and get it over with. Choose to do all things with joy and strength—don’t trust your fear more than you trust God!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 10

Putting Smiles on Faces

Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another…
1 THESSALONIANS 5:11

When God created Adam and Eve, He blessed them, then told them to be fruitful and multiply and use all the vast resources of the earth that He gave them in the service of God and man.

Are you being fruitful? Is your life causing increase? When you get involved with people and things, do they increase and multiply? Some people only take in life, and they never add anything. I refuse to be that kind of person. I want to make people’s lives better. I want to put smiles on faces.

We must all make sure that we are not like the rich man in the Bible who had so much that all of his barns were full with no room for more. Instead of giving any of it away, he decided that he would tear down the barns he had and just build bigger ones and collect more stuff for himself. He was a foolish man. He could have decided that he would use what he had to bless others, but he must have been a fearful, selfish man, who only had room in his life for himself (see Luke 12:16–20).

God called the man a fool, and said, “This very night they [the messengers of God] will demand your soul of you; and all the things that you have prepared, whose will they be?” The man was going to die that night, and all he would leave behind was “stuff.” He had an opportunity to make the world a better place. He could have added to many lives and put smiles on thousands of faces. Instead, he fearfully and selfishly only cared about himself.

Forget about yourself and start doing all you can to help others. Encourage, edify, lift up, comfort, help, give hope, relieve pain, and lift burdens. If that is your goal, you will be one of those rare individuals who actually make the world a better place and put a smile on every face. Trust in Him What are you going to do today to put smiles on faces? It won’t just happen—you have to be intentional about it. Listen for God to show you what to do and then trust that it will bless them… and you!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 11

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
1 JOHN 4:4

It is highly probable that you dread more little things than you do major things. First of all, we have a lot of little things we deal with all the time, but the major things come fewer and farther in between. As I began to examine this area of dread in my own life, I realized it operated in little daily areas like going to the grocery store, doing laundry, running an errand, or looking for a parking place in a crowded shopping mall. I dreaded waiting because, historically, I have not been an extremely patient person. Waiting in lines or traffic, or for slow people to get a job done, were things I dreaded and allowed to frustrate me.

Like many of you, I have a lot to do, and I don’t like wasting my time waiting. But, thank God, I have learned it does no good at all to dread something I have to do anyway. It steals my current joy, and I have lost enough of that in my life, so I am not willing to give up any more of it. I believe it glorifies God when we refuse to live in fear, worry, or dread.

When I find myself in a situation I would rather not be in, whether it is waiting or doing an unpleasant task, I make a decision that I will do it joyfully and not dread it, and then I exercise self-control. I use those faith muscles that God has given to me. You have them, too! If we allow fear and dread in our lives, they breed more fear, but if we practice walking in faith, it becomes easier to do it again and again.

Trust in Him Have you also wasted a lot of your life in fear, worry, or dread simply because you didn’t trust that God would come through for you? If so, I believe those days are coming to an end for you! Refuse to give up your joy and instead practice walking in faith.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 12

Follow God’s Law, Not Murphy’s

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
JOHN 10:10

Years ago, a man named Captain Edward A. Murphy was working on a project for the United States Air Force. He became angry and cursed a technician who made a mistake, noting that, “If anything can be done wrong, this man will do it.” Over time, such thinking became known as “Murphy’s Law,” which basically states, “Nothing is as easy as it looks; everything takes longer than you expect; and if anything can go wrong, it will—at the worst possible moment.”

Many people have never heard of Edward Murphy, but most of us know Murphy’s Law. His negativity caught on and continues to impact the world. I believe God has laws that completely disagree with Murphy’s Law. The world may expect Murphy’s Law to operate in their lives, but we need to resist that kind of negative thinking and embrace God’s Law instead.

God’s Law says that things may be difficult, there will be challenges, but we always have a reason to hope, we can always express ourselves through faith and love, and we can always trust that God is working on our behalf!

Negative thinking always produces a negative life. How much more could you enjoy your life if your thoughts agreed with God’s Law, not Murphy’s? God has a great life for you, one He wants you to enjoy thoroughly and live to the fullest. I challenge you to live by God’s Law and consistently fill your mind with positive thoughts.

Trust in Him In what specific circumstance do you need to start believing God’s Law instead of trusting Murphy’s Law?


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 13

Your Mission from God

Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
JOSHUA 1:6

A teacher has a powerful responsibility. Parents, coaches, teachers, and other role models have tremendous influence—for example, they can train children to fear failure or they can teach them to be hopeful as they overcome adversity.

A mother who struggles with fear will pass that along to her children. Even when she doesn’t realize it, a phrase, an overly cautious attitude, or a reluctance to step out and try new things will be imparted to her little ones. But a mother with bold, courageous faith will inspire her children to chase the dreams God’s placed in their hearts.
We should not teach our children to live recklessly, but we should teach them to be bold, to take action, and to never be so afraid of making mistakes that they won’t try things. I believe we should teach our children and those under our authority to take chances in life. If we never take a chance, we will never make progress, and progress always requires stepping into the unknown. Experience gives us confidence, but we never get experience unless we step out and try things we have not tried before.

A child who is told over and over, “You better not try that, you might get hurt,” will more than likely become reluctant to try new things. If children hear “Be careful” too frequently, they may learn to be so careful that they end up living a narrow life that has no room for adventure.

I want to encourage you to teach others by word and example how to be bold and courageous. Tell people to try things, reminding them that making a mistake is not the worst thing that can happen. And if someone, somewhere in your past trained you to fear failure or to focus on the worst thing that could happen, it’s never too late to live by faith.

Trust in Him How are you influencing those around you—are you inspiring them to trust God with bold faith or cautioning them with what could go wrong?


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 14

What Does the Future Hold?

I will [earnestly] recall the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will [earnestly] remember the wonders [You performed for our fathers] of old. I will meditate also upon all Your works and consider all Your [mighty] deeds.
PSALM 77:11–12

None of us knows for sure what the future holds. This lack of knowledge often opens the door for fear. What if I become disabled? What if my spouse dies? What if my child dies? What if we have another world war? What about terrorism? What kind of world will I be living in twenty-five years from now?

Wondering about things we don’t have answers to opens the door to fear. Instead of wondering, trust God that whatever your future holds, He will enable you to handle it when the time comes. Wherever you are going, God has already been there and paved the way for you. This isn’t a one-time decision—it’s a choice you make every day to trust Him.

I look at some of the things people go through, and I say to myself, “I am afraid I could never go through that with the graciousness and courage I have seen them display.” Then I remind myself that when we must go through something negative, God gives us the strength to do so. When we merely fear going through something, we do it without any help from God at all.

When I look back over my life and remember some of the things God has brought me through, I think, How did I do that? It was because of God’s grace and power. He enabled me to do what I needed to do at the time, and He will always do the same thing for you if you ask Him to. We may not know the future, but if we know the One Who holds the future in His hands, we can look forward to it expectantly and without fear. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Trust in Him Next time you are tempted to look at a situation and think you could “never” go through something like that, remember a time when God has proven Himself trustworthy in your life. You trusted Him before—and you can do it again!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 15

Get Up and Do Your Part

How long will you sleep, O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?
PROVERBS 6:9

Too much activity and no rest definitely is the culprit behind most stress, but no activity is also a problem. I am sure you have heard that exercise is a great stress reliever, and it is very true. I would rather be physically tired from exercise and movement than tired in my soul from doing nothing and being bored.

Work is good for all of us. As a matter of fact, God said we should work six days and rest one. That shows how important work and activity are in God’s eyes. God has created us to work, not to sit idly by and do nothing. There are several good stories in the Bible about people who had serious problems and when they asked Jesus for help He told them to “Get up!”

In the fifth chapter of John we see one example. A man was crippled, and he lay by the pool of Bethesda for thirty-eight years waiting for his miracle. When Jesus came to the man and asked him how long he had been in that condition, the man gave the length of time and then continued to tell Jesus how he had nobody to put him into the pool at the right time and how others always got ahead of him. Jesus told the man to “get up! pick up your bed… and walk!” (John 5:8).

Get up and start doing whatever you can do to clean up the messes in your life. If they are marriage messes, then do your part. Don’t worry about what your spouse is not doing; just do your part and God will reward you. If you have a financial mess, then stop spending and start paying off your debts. Get an extra job for a period of time if you need to. If you are not able to do that, then ask God to show you what you can do. Remember, “If you do what you can do, then God will do what you cannot do.”

Trust in Him Don’t wait thirty-eight years for your miracle while you do nothing. Whether it has been lack of knowledge, laziness, self-pity, or fear holding you back, choose now to get up! Do your part and trust God to do His.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 16

See the Big Picture

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
PROVERBS 23:7

When you focus excessively on the negative elements of a certain situation and overlook the good aspects, you are “filtering out” the positive and exaggerating the negative. Very few situations are 100 percent negative; most of the time, you can find something good in every circumstance, even if you have to be really diligent about it.

Let’s say you are a mom with young children. Your four-year-old colors on the walls, cuts holes in his new pants, kicks his sister, and spills grape juice all over your freshly cleaned carpet. Let’s also say he finally apologizes to his sister without being reminded, confesses to cutting his pants instead of saying, “The dog did it,” makes an attempt to clean his room, and says you are the best mom in the whole world.

To say he was absolutely horrible all day long and forget about his good moments would be filtering out the good, and it would leave your mind with nothing but negative thoughts. Though there certainly would have been some negatives about that day, it had its positive experiences, too.

I can’t emphasize too strongly how important it is that you resist the temptation to characterize something as totally negative or to focus excessively on negative aspects of a situation. Look at the situation as a whole and find something positive about it.

When you’re constantly focusing on the negative, you’ll find it very difficult to trust that things will get better. But when you choose to find the positive things in even your worst challenges, you’ll never run out of hope or the ability to put your trust in God.

Trust in Him What is the most negative situation in your life? Now, list three positive things about it or other aspects of your life. When you do, you’ll find a fresh source of hope and a new ability to trust.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 17

Embrace Change with Faith

I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
MATTHEW 18:3 NIV 1984 (EMPHASIS MINE)

If you are stressed out all the time, something will have to change in order for the stress to be relieved. It will not just go away as long as you keep doing the same thing. We cannot expect to keep doing the same thing over and over and get a different result. If you want different results, you have to change what you are doing.

Take some bold steps of faith and change anything the Lord leads you to change. If what you are doing with your time is not bearing good fruit, then make a change. If you are not getting enough rest, make a change. If you are not disciplining your children and their behavior is causing you a lot of stress, then make a change. If you are not taking care of yourself, then make a change. If you are bored, make a change. If your friends are taking advantage of you, then make a change! Are you getting the point? Stress can be relieved if you’re not afraid to make changes.

You may be afraid of change, but it is also possible that even if you find the courage to make the necessary changes, other people in your life won’t like the changes you make. Don’t be afraid of them, either. You will get used to the changes, and so will they. If you don’t take action now, you will still be complaining about the same things a year from now, and a year after that, and ten years after that, and there will be no end to your misery. The time is now! Boldness takes action, but fear breeds inactivity and procrastination. The choice is yours!

Trust in Him Don’t waste time resisting change. God uses it to shape us, mold us, and make us new. Change keeps life fresh and adventurous—embrace change with faith and trust that God will pull you through.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily

 

[Aeliana]

May 18

Your Plans or God’s Plans

A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.
PROVERBS 16:9

We must learn to wait for God’s plans to develop. He perfects everything that concerns us. True boldness moves in God’s timing; it moves at the right time.

During the three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry, people thought He was crazy. His own brothers were embarrassed by Him, and in an effort to save their reputation, they told Him He needed to go somewhere else and do His works. If He was unwilling to do that, they had another option for Him. They told Him to take action and stop doing His works in secret. They tried to convince Him it was time to show Himself and His works to the world. In other words, they wanted Jesus to impress the people with what He could do.

He responded to them by saying, “My time (opportunity) has not come yet…” (John 7:6).
How many of us could show that type of self-control? If you could do the miracles that He could do and were being made fun of and challenged to show your stuff, what would you do? Would you wait until you absolutely knew that it was the right time, or would you take action that was not sanctioned by God?

It is good to have plans, and I believe we should plan boldly and aggressively, but we must be wise enough to know that our plans will ultimately fail without God. God’s Word says, “Except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it…” (Ps. 127:1). We can build without God as our foundation, but like any building without a strong foundation, we will eventually fall.
Trust in Him Are you operating in your own timing, or are you trusting God’s timing? Trust God—His plans are always best!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

May 19

You Can Overcome Opposition

So, since Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God].
1 PETER 4:1

God did not send the power of His Spirit into our lives so we could be weak-willed, wimpy, or the type of person who gives up when the going gets tough. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (see 2 Tim. 1:7).

In the beginning of my ministry, God gave me a dream. In the dream, I was driving down a highway and I noticed cars pulling off. Some were parking, and others were turning around to go back where they came from. I assumed there must be trouble up ahead but could not see what it was. As I boldly continued to drive forward, I saw a bridge with water from the river below starting to flow across it. I realized that the people in the cars were afraid they might get hurt or get somewhere and not be able to get back. My dream ended with me sitting in my car looking first at the water-covered bridge, back where I had been, and to the side of the road, trying to decide if I should park, retreat, or keep moving forward. Then I woke up.

God used that dream to show me that there will always be opposition when pressing toward a goal. There will always be opportunity to park and go no farther or turn around and give up. It was up to me to decide each time if I would give up or go on. That dream has helped me many times to press on when difficulties came and I was tempted to quit. I have decided that even though I sometimes make mistakes, and I may not always get the result that I hope for, I will never quit! Determination will get you a lot further than talent. So if you feel you lack in talent, take heart. All you need to win in life is a determination to never give up and keep pressing forward.

Trust in Him You can do whatever you need to do in life through Christ Who is your Strength. Trust Him completely and press toward victory.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions