“They tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to” Acts 16:7

How good are you at rolling with the punches?

Even Paul, the man responsible for writing a huge part of the New Testament, often found that God changed his plans. What he didn’t do however, is fall apart when it happened. He saw it as providence—a divine redirection.

Maybe your plans have been jacked up. Maybe a relationship hasn’t gone your way. Maybe an outcome has not been what you expected.

Maybe it’s a gift.

“His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them” 1 Corinthians 15:10

If you are completely forgiven and completely accepted, then why don’t you just sit around and do nothing?

When the reality of undeserved radical love sinks in, it moves you. When you feel completely accepted in spite of complete inadequacy, you can’t help but respond in gratitude.

To the apostle Paul, as someone who once tried to crush the church, he was the least deserving of God’s love and therefore the most grateful. He didn’t have to do what he did, but he was compelled to.

If in your honest moments you genuinely have no desire to do the things that please God, according to Paul, the best thing to do might be to think about whether or not you have grasped the magnitude of what you’ve been given.

Ask yourself if you really believe that you’re completely loved and accepted, or do so still think you have to work to earn God’s love?

“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things” 1 Timothy 4:8

There’s a clear connection between strength and training. You don’t get stronger by trying; you get stronger by training.

This is commonly accepted when it comes to physical strength, but often overlooked when it comes to spiritual and emotional strength.

Do you want to be stronger emotionally and spiritually? What does your training regiment look like? You don’t get stronger by trying; you get stronger by training.

“Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2:3

This is the reason Peter gave for life change—for obeying God—because his goodness had been seen.

Sometimes, we get this out of order. We expect people to obey God when they haven’t yet come to see him as good.

Would you listen to someone who you don’t believe has your best interest in mind?

As always, God is the initiator, we are the responders. The ancient Jews were given their law and expected to obey only after God had rescued them from oppressive lives of slavery. Their obedience was a response to his goodness.

We’re expected to obey Jesus only after we have come to see him as our savior—our rescuer. Our obedience is a response to his goodness.

Lacking the desire to obey God? Remind yourself of how good he is.

Living with someone who has no desire to obey God? Show them how good he is.

“Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.” 1 Corinthians 12:1

When you’re using your gifts, your work is meaningful and rejuvenating. When you’re forced to do work outside of your gifts, your work is draining and difficult.

How often are you doing the things you were made to do? Are you looking for ways to exercise your gifts?

The unfortunate reality is that a lot of what we do will be outside our areas of giftedness, which means we have to be all the more intentional about looking for work that allows us to use the gifts and talents we’ve been given.

Take some time to think about the kind of work that energizes you—the kind of work that may exhaust you physically but energizes you spiritually. Then, think about how you can work that way more often.

“No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” 1 Corinthians 10:24

Growing up, one of my best friends was the grandson of a coach in the NBA. One night, he came to the practice of my fifth grade basketball team. He came with a lesson I’ll never forget.

“If every player on the floor is trying to play at his best, then every player on the floor has the strength of one person (himself) behind him.”

We were a little confused, but we followed.

“If every player decides to forget about himself and focus on helping his teammates play their best, then every player on the floor has the strength of four people behind him.”

This is the magic of a team, but it only happens if each part is willing to unselfishly seek the good of the others.

This is also supposed to be the magic of the church, but it only happens if each part is willing to unselfishly seek the good of the others.

“Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.” Matthew 5:15

Today, you’ll probably walk into a dark situation.
By dark, I don’t mean evil, I mean dull—down—lacking any sense of light.

If you’re like me, you may find it natural to dim your light to the level of the environment—to take the light you have and put it under a bowl, as Jesus would say.

Don’t.

Let your light shine.

“…that you may be successful wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7

Joshua came right after Moses. He had an enormous task before him: to lead a newly formed group of people to the place God had promised. The task was challenging, the people were challenging, and their obstacles were challenging, but Joshua was told to be brave.

He was told to be rooted in two things: God’s presence and God’s direction. God would be with them and God would show them where to go. If they listened, they would be fine.

Unfortunately, they didn’t always listen. They weren’t always fine.

In this, we see why God tells us to listen. He knows the way. He wants what’s best.

Sometimes, life is difficult just because it’s difficult. But sometimes, life is difficult because we make it difficult. We know the best thing to do, but we choose something else.

Today, remember Joshua. Remember that God wants to show you the way. Whether or not you choose to listen… that’s up to you.

“You are not your own.” 1 Corinthians 6:19

Would you speak to someone else the way you speak to yourself?

Would you speak to someone you love the way you speak to yourself?

Would you speak to someone who belongs to Jesus the way you speak to yourself?

You are not your own. When you speak to and care for yourself, you are speaking to and caring for someone who belongs to Jesus.

Today, when you’re tempted to beat yourself up—in those moments when you might speak to yourself in an unloving way—be reminded that you are not your own.

Don’t mistreat someone who belongs to Jesus.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.” Joshua 1:9

God often says the same thing in different ways to different people for different reasons. He doesn’t just know what we need to hear; he knows how we need to hear it.

One great example is how he deals with our fears.

Martha was logical. Jesus gave her an explanation. Mary was emotional. Jesus gave her his tears. Peter was impulsive. Jesus gave him correction and redirection.

Joshua was a warrior. He needed a command. As a soldier, he wouldn’t be one to take an order lightly. For him, to be brave was an order to be followed.

God speaks to people in ways they can understand. Are you listening?

“Well done” Matthew 25:21

We all want to be praised. It’s not a bad thing or a good thing. It’s the way we were wired.

In the same way a little kid loves to hear his parents cheer as he slides down the slide on the playground; a full-grown adult loves being told he has done well as a parent, friend, or professional.

In light of that, like anything else, we need to be aware of the potential issues that come with this.

It’s both unrealistic and unhealthy to think that we can get to a place where we are unaffected by the praise and criticism of people. The author, CS Lewis, pointed out that it takes a special kind of arrogance to care absolutely nothing about what people say.

At the same time, if we live for the praise of people, we will be forced to live the miserably enslaving life of a people-pleaser.

So what do we do? Know whose opinion counts and whose doesn’t. Know whose praise matters and whose doesn’t.

There should be a short list of those who know you and love you—who have earned the right to be brutally honest with you about the good and the bad.

Most importantly, at the top of that list should be the one who knows us the best and loves us the most—someone who has earned the right to be brutally honest with us. We should learn about the things that please God. Like a perfect father, he accepts us completely and yet loves us too much to allow us to continue to live in ways that hurt us.

If you want to experience real freedom, live for the praise of the one who loves you the most.

“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

Your labor is not in vain.

I love those words.

The implication is that something hangs in the balance. You will see results from your work–results that you won’t see if you quit.

Whether you’re struggling at work, struggling at home, struggle at school, struggling in relationships… keep pushing through the struggle.

Don’t quit.

Your labor is not in vain.

“He put a new song in my mouth” Psalm 40:3

This is a little weird… God putting a new song in someone's mouth?

It’s actually a pretty cool picture.

The idea is that he has something new to sing about. In yet another way, at yet another time, the writer of this psalm has seen yet another side of God’s goodness.

Is there an area of your life in which you have kept God out? What if you allowed him to step in? What if you started seeing and handling that area of life in light of the way he wants you to see and handle it?

You might find that it goes better than you thought. You might find yourself with a new song in your mouth.

"I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.” Psalm 118:21

The writer of this psalm called God his “salvation.” Salvation is something that comes from a savior—a hero.

Most Christians today use the term salvation to talk about life after death. More frequently though, especially in the Old Testament, salvation was something people experienced in everyday life. In other words, there was a constant sense that God was saving them. He was constantly coming through for them—bailing them out.

Danger, disease, famine—they had much to worry about and yet God seemed to always take care of them. He was constantly “saving” them.

When we learn to rely on God the way they did, we may see him come through for us the way they did. The next time you have something to fear, choose to trust God. You will begin to see him as your salvation.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

A few years ago, when we moved from the North Shore into our first place in Lindenhurst, I noticed something different about the people who lived behind us. They weren’t just nice—it was more than that. They didn’t know much about us, but they seemed to actually care about our family.

One day in August, my dad and I were in the backyard breaking up concrete and hauling it to a dumpster in the front. The sun was hot and we were exhausted. My neighbor spotted us and threw a few ice cold water bottles over the fence. I had my own water. I could’ve gotten it from inside the house, but that’s not the point. He saw a need and jumped on it.

At that point, I realized there was something different about them. They seemed to care more than most people do.

What if we made a habit of going out of the way for people like that? We wouldn't have to make a grand gestures or costly sacrifices. Maybe we could start with throwing a few water bottles over the fence.

If you’re wondering how the story ended, I later found out those neighbors were Christians.
In their own words, they were just trying to be a light.

Today, try to seek out opportunities to be a light.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths” Ephesians 4:29

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

Here are three questions to ask before you say something during a conflict:

1. Is it kind? Here’s where we distinguish whether we’re building up or tearing down.

2. Is it true? This obviously includes flat-out lying, but it’s also worth thinking about how your current emotional state is affecting your perception of reality. In the heat of the moment, stop and ask if the words you’re about to say will be true a few minutes after you cool down.

3. Is it necessary? Here’s where we filter out the “I told you so,” the “See what you did,” and anything else that adds heat to a hot situation.

“You were bought at a price” 1 Corinthians 7:23

Have you ever had someone fight for you? Have you had someone sacrifice for you?

A little girl dreams of being rescued by the prince who risked it all to win her heart. A little boy loves to know he’ll be picked first for the team on the playground.  

We want to be wanted. We love to be needed. There is something deep within us that yearns to know we are worth fighting for.

In this light, we’re told over and over not just that we have been forgiven, but that we’ve been purchased. You were bought with a price, a high price, and to the One who paid, you were worth it.

“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8

To the ancient reader, being at someone’s right hand had a lot of applications. One of them, needless to say, is that they are close by—ready and able to help when needed.

To the writer of this psalm, this was the secret to being unshaken. Every problem, every obstacle, every unforeseen difficulty was handled and dealt with in light of the belief that God was close by—ready and able to help.

Do you feel like God is close by, or that he’s far away? Is there a sense that he is ready and able to help no matter what may come your way, or does he feel distant and hard to get in touch with?

In those moments that catch you off guard today—in the moments that typically shake you—stop and remind yourself that God is near.

“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?” 1 Corinthians 5:12

These words were written by Paul, arguably the most influential leader of all time, and they teach an important lesson—one that Christians often forget.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, it isn’t your job to judge the behavior of those who don’t follow Jesus. They didn't sign up for that. According to Paul, the things they do really aren’t any of your (or his) business.

Could you imagine if the church took this seriously? Could you imagine if we didn’t get so bent out of shape about the way the world is "these days"?

As followers of Jesus, what if we concentrated solely on getting our own issues in order—on being the kind of people Jesus would like us to be, rather than worrying about the way we’d like other people to be?

Maybe the world would want to listen in, rather than tune us out.

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him…” Psalm 37:7

This is an interesting thought—waiting for God.

Is there something you want? Is there something you need? Are your prayers going unanswered? Wait for him.

Maybe he’s up to something.

“Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10

For most of us, stillness is a lost art. Our days are filled with unending beeps, rings, and alerts. We have schedules, to do lists, and appointments.

“Bored” is not something that happens anymore.

Take a few minutes to be still today. Turn off the radio, silence your phone, and take a deep breath. Gain some perspective. Make sure your priorities are in order. Remind yourself of the things that really matter.

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

At some point in all of our lives, we’ll come to the realization that our days are numbered. For some, it will be after a diagnosis, for others it will be late into their eighties or nineties. Either way, the moment we realize that time is limited is often the moment we start appreciating the days we have left.

It’s with this reality in mind that the writer of this psalm prays that today we would learn to understand the limits of our time here on earth. When we do that, our remaining days—whether in the thousands, hundreds, or dozens—will become that much more precious.

In light of that, when you see those you love today, love intentionally. When you work today, work hard. When you rest today, rest well.

Our days are numbered. Let’s make the most of them.

“Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these” John 14:12

Jesus relentlessly strived to make other people better. The majority of the time he spent during his three-year career was spent investing in others.

He corrected when people needed correction, He comforted when they needed comfort. He inspired when they needed inspiring.

Though he was literally the son of God, he chose to make every waking moment about other people. He had every right to make it all about himself, but he didn’t.

Think about the people you are going to run into today. Are they likely going to need comfort? Are they going to need to be encouraged? Are they going to need to be inspired?

What if your job for today was only to make other people better?

“Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” John 16:24

If you ask God for something, do you expect him to answer? Do you look for an answer? When you receive an answer, do you recognize that it came from God?

I’ve made a habit of writing down the things I pray for. From doing this, I’ve learned two things: (1) God actually answers and (2) I often don’t even realize it.

I’m amazed at how often I find myself only realizing that a prayer has been answered after I go back and revisit my notes. What has this shown me? Honestly, it’s that too often I ask for things and don’t expect God to answer.

Next time you need something, try asking God for it. Then, write yourself a note and hang it somewhere you’ll see it. Then, watch.

“Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20

Gratitude isn’t just saying thanks—it’s choosing to see the good. When we’re grateful, we’re not claiming that every situation is good, but rather that we can take good from every situation.

Sometimes that’s easy, but often it’s not. It often takes effort—determination. It frequently requires us to do the work of self-reflection. It demands that we take time to look back on hardship and dig for the good that we can salvage from it.

Next time you face a setback or disappointment, determine to find the good you can take from it.