Trusting God Day by Day

[Aeliana]

March 24

Whatever You Can Do Is Worth Doing

And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.
MATTHEW 25:40

When we look at the needs in the world today they are staggering. You may be thinking, Joyce, what I can do won’t even make a dent in the problems we have in the world. I know how you feel, because I once felt the same way. But if we all think that way, nobody will do anything and nothing will change. Although our individual efforts may not solve the problems, together we can make a major difference. God won’t hold us accountable for what we could not do, but He will hold us accountable for the things we could have done.

I had recently returned from a trip to India and was at the gym when a woman I often see there asked me if I really believed that all the effort required for these trips was solving anything since millions would still be starving, no matter how many we fed. I shared with her what God placed in my heart—something that forever settled the issue for me. If you or I were hungry because we hadn’t eaten in three days and someone offered us one meal that would alleviate the pain in our stomachs for a day, would we take it and be glad to have it? Of course we would. And so are the people we help. We are able to set up ongoing programs for many of them, but there will always be those we can help only once or twice. Still, I know these outreaches are worth doing.

If we can give one hungry child one meal, it is worth doing. If we can help one person go without pain for one day, it is worth doing. I have resolved to always do what I can do and to remember what God said to me: “If you can only relieve someone’s pain one time for one hour, it is still worth doing.”

Trust in Him Has God planted an idea or a desire in your heart to help others in a specific way? Trust that whatever you can do is worth doing. Don’t let the magnitude of the problem overwhelm you. God will show you what you can do—trust Him when He says it makes a difference.


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

 

[Aeliana]

March 25

Add Flavor Everywhere You Go

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.
MATTHEW 5:13

I think it’s safe to say that most of what the world offers is tasteless—and I’m not talking about food. For example, most of the movies Hollywood produces and the way people treat each other in the world today are tasteless. Usually when we see any type of behavior that is in poor taste we are quick to blame “the world.”

We might say something like, “What is the world coming to?” Yet the phrase “the world” merely means the people who live in the world. If the world has lost its flavor, it is because people have become tasteless in their attitudes and actions. Jesus said we are the salt of the earth (see Matt. 5:13). He also said we are the light of the world and should not hide our light (see Matt. 5:14).

Think of it this way: Each day as you leave your home, you can add God’s light and flavor to any environment. You can bring joy to your workplace by being determined to consistently have a godly attitude, and through simple things like being thankful, patient, merciful, quick to forgive offenses, kind, and encouraging. Even simply smiling and being friendly is a way to bring flavor into a tasteless society.

Without love and all its magnificent qualities, life is tasteless and not worth living. I want you to try an experiment. Just think: I am going to go out into the world today and spice things up. Get your mind set before you ever walk out the door that you are going out as God’s ambassador, and that your goal is to be a giver, to love people, and to add good flavor to their lives. The question each of us must answer is, “What have I done today to make someone else’s life better?”

Trust in Him Determine to walk through life with a godly attitude, adding flavor everywhere you go. Trust God to take care of you while you sow good seed, making decisions that will be a blessing to others.


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

 

[Aeliana]

March 27

The Journey Toward Unselfishness

… I die daily [I face death every day and die to self].
1 CORINTHIANS 15:31

Selfishness is not learned behavior; we are born with it. The Bible refers to it as “sin nature.” Adam and Eve sinned against God by doing what He told them not to do, and the sin principle they established was forever passed to every person who would ever be born. God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins, and to deliver us from them. He came to undo what Adam did. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, He comes to live in our spirit, and if we allow that renewed part of us to rule our decisions, we can overcome the sin nature in our flesh. It doesn’t go away, but the greater One Who lives in us helps us overcome it daily (see Gal. 5:16). That does not mean that we never sin, but we can improve and make progress throughout our lives.

I certainly cannot say I have overcome selfishness entirely—none of us can on this side of eternity. But that doesn’t mean we don’t do everything we can to grow closer to God and die to our selfishness. We can have hope of improving daily. I am on a journey and, although I may not arrive, I have determined that when Jesus comes to take me home He will find me pressing toward this goal (see Phil. 3:12–13).

The apostle Paul made the following statement: “… It is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Paul meant that he was no longer living for himself and his own will, but for God and His will. I was greatly encouraged when I discovered through study that Paul made this statement approximately twenty years after his conversion. Learning to live unselfishly was a journey for him, just as it is for everyone else. Paul also said, “… I die daily…” (1 Cor. 15:31). In other words, putting others first was a daily battle and required daily decisions. Each of us must decide how we will live and what we will live for; and there is no better time to do so than right now.

Trust in Him Are you pressing toward the goal of living for God rather than yourself? Dying to yourself is a process that you can improve daily. Trust God to give you the strength to die to yourself daily.


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

 

[Aeliana]

April 3

Do It Deliberately

… If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me].
MARK 8:34

Jesus told us plainly what we need to do if we want to follow Him. The “cross” you and I are asked to carry in life is simply one of unselfishness. Most of us concentrate on what we can get in life, but we need to concentrate on what we can give. We think about what other people should do for us and often become angry because they do not give us what we want. Instead, we should think aggressively about what we can do for others and then trust God to meet our needs and fulfill our desires.

Please notice that I say we need to think aggressively about what we can do for others. Galatians 6:10 conveys the same meaning, encouraging us to “Be mindful to be a blessing.” Simply put, to “be mindful” means to be intentional, to be purposeful and deliberate. God wants us to think on purpose and to make a point of being a blessing to others.

I do my best to be aggressive in thinking about who I can bless, and realizing I must give and help on purpose has been very beneficial to me. It did not come naturally. I had to learn to do it, but it has been one of the greatest, most rewarding lessons of my life. There are certainly times when I “feel” like being a blessing, but there are many times when I don’t.

Sometimes I may also feel that people should be doing more for me, and in reality perhaps they should be, but that cannot be my concern. You cannot live by what you feel and ever have consistency and stability. Our ability to choose is greater than how we feel, and it is that ability we must activate. Be deliberate about loving others!

Trust in Him What specific thing can you do to bless someone in your life? Be deliberate—develop a plan to make this blessing a reality. When you live this way, you can trust that God will bless you, too.


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

 

[Aeliana]

Imperfect, but Perfectly Loved

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!
1 JOHN 4:18

We cannot love ourselves unless we realize how much God loves us, and if we don’t love ourselves, we cannot love other people. We cannot maintain good, healthy relationships without this foundation of love in our lives.

By the time I met the man I have been married to since 1967, I was desperate for love but did not know how to receive it, even when it was available. My husband, Dave, really did love me, but I found myself constantly deflecting his love due to the way I felt about myself down deep inside. As I entered into a serious and committed relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, I began to learn about God’s love. But it took a long time to fully accept it. When you feel unlovable, it is hard to get it through your head and down into your heart that God loves you perfectly—even though you are not perfect and never will be as long as you are on the earth.

There is only one thing you can do with a free gift: receive it and be grateful. I urge you to take a step of faith right now and say out loud, “God loves me unconditionally, and I receive His love!” You may have to say it a hundred times a day, like I did for months, before it finally sinks in, but when it does it will be the happiest day of your life. To know that you are loved by someone you can trust is the best and most comforting feeling in the world. God will not only love you that way, but He will also provide other people who will truly love you. When He does provide, be sure to remain thankful for those people. Having people who genuinely love you is one of the most precious gifts in the world.

Trust in Him
You won’t be able to receive God’s love until you trust Him. Take a step of faith right now and say out loud, “God loves me unconditionally, and I receive His love!” Say it as many times as you need to until you believe it.


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

 

[Aeliana]

April 8

Faith Beats Fear

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

I will not fear” is the only acceptable attitude we can have toward fear. That does not mean that you and I will never feel fear, but it does mean that we will not allow it to rule our decisions and actions. The Bible says that God has not given us a spirit of fear. Fear is not from God; it is the devil’s tool to keep us from enjoying our lives and making progress. Fear causes us to run, retreat, or shrink back. The Bible says in Hebrews 10:38 that we are to live by faith and not draw back in fear—and if we do draw back in fear, God’s soul has no delight in us. That does not mean God does not love us; it simply means He is disappointed because He wants us to experience all of the good things He has in His plan for us. We can receive from God only by faith.

We should strive to do everything with a spirit of faith. Faith is confidence in God and a belief that His promises are true. Faith will cause you to go forward, to try new things, and to be aggressive. Unless we make a firm decision to “fear not,” we will never be free from the power of it. “Do it afraid” means to feel the fear and do what you believe you should do anyway.

I encourage you to be firm in your resolve to do whatever you need to do, even if you have to “do it afraid!”

Trust in Him Choose to walk in faith, trusting God’s promises. Remember to “fear not,” and when you do feel fear, “do it afraid.”


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

 

[Aeliana]

April 9

Stop Waiting and Start Trying!


And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.
PHILIPPIANS 1:6

Many people are confused about what they are to do with their lives. They don’t know what God’s will is for them; they are without direction. I felt the same way once, but I discovered my destiny by trying several things. I tried working in the nursery at church and quickly discovered that I was not called to work with children. I tried being my pastor’s secretary, and after one day I was fired with no explanation except, “This just isn’t right.” I was devastated at first, until a short while later I was asked to start a weekly meeting on Thursday mornings at church and teach God’s Word. I quickly found where I fit.

I could have spent my life being confused, but I thank God that I was confident enough to step out and discover what was right for me. I did it through the process of elimination, and I experienced some disappointments—but it all worked out well in the end.
If you are doing nothing with your life because you are not sure what to do, then I recommend that you pray and begin trying some things. It won’t take long before you will feel comfortable with something. It will be a perfect fit for you. Think of it this way: when you go out to buy a new outfit, you probably try on several things until you find what fits right, is comfortable, and looks good on you. Why not try the same thing with discovering your destiny? A confident person is not afraid to make mistakes, and if they do, they recover and press on.

Trust in Him You cannot drive a parked car—it’s time to put your car in drive! Choose a desire God’s put on your heart and take a first step. Try it on. Even if it’s not the right fit, your destiny will unfold as you continue to put your trust in God and try something new.


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

 

[Aeliana]

April 10

Avoid Comparisons

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
PSALM 139:14 NIV

Confidence is not possible as long as we compare ourselves with other people. No matter how good we look, how talented or smart we are, or how successful we are, there is always someone who is better, and sooner or later we will run into them. I believe confidence is found in doing the best we can with what we have to work with and not in comparing ourselves with others and competing with them.

Like most people, I struggled for years trying to be like my neighbor, my husband, my pastor’s wife, my friend, and so on. My neighbor was very creative at decorating, sewing, and many other things, whereas I could barely sew a button on and have confidence that it would not fall off. I took lessons and tried to sew, but I hated it. My husband is very calm and easygoing, and I was just the opposite. So I tried to be like him, and that didn’t work, either. My pastor’s wife was sweet, mercy-motivated, petite, cute, and a blonde. I, on the other hand, was aggressive, bold, loud, not-so-petite—and a brunette.

In general, I found myself always comparing myself with someone, and in the process, rejecting and disapproving of the person God created me to be. After years of misery, I finally understood that God does not make mistakes, He purposely makes all of us different, and different is not bad; it is God showing His creative variety. We should accept ourselves as God’s creation and let Him help us be the unique, precious individual that He intended us to be. Confidence begins with self-acceptance—which is made possible through a strong faith in God’s love and plan for our lives.

Trust in Him Make a decision that you will never again compare yourself with someone else. Trust God more than your ability to compare yourself. Then you can appreciate others for who they are and enjoy the wonderful person God created you to be.


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

 

[Aeliana]

April 12

Choose Carefully

She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.
PROVERBS 31:16

This verse is very important to me. I am an aggressive person who wants to be involved in everything, but I have learned the hard way it isn’t wise or even possible. When we try to do everything, we don’t do anything well. Quality is much better than quantity. Our woman in Proverbs seems to be quite a good businesswoman. Verse 16 begins by saying she “considers” a new field before she buys it. She considers her present duties and is careful not to neglect them by taking on new ones. In other words, she seriously thinks about what she is about to do and does not act emotionally without forethought.

Oh, how much better life would be if we all took time to think about what we are about to do before we do it. It is amazing how many things I don’t buy if I just go home and think about it for a while. It is amazing how one good night’s sleep changes our minds. Not everything that looks good is good, and a wise person will take time to examine things thoroughly. If you think about it, what is good is sometimes the enemy of what is best. We should choose the more excellent things and not merely settle for another good thing.

I receive many good opportunities almost daily, and I have to decline to be involved in most of them. I know what I am called by God to do, and I stick with my call. Each of us has an allotted amount of time and energy, and we should manage it in such a way that we bear the most fruit we can. Don’t court neglect of other duties by taking on new ones. A sure way to lose your confidence is to have so much to do that you are not doing any of it well.

Trust in Him When an opportunity arises, carefully consider how it will affect your present duties before you commit. Do you have the passion and resources for it? And most important, has God called you to it? Then you can trust God’s hand will be on your decision.


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