Growth can be painful. The most painful lessons we learn help us to develop into a better person. Adversity brings clarity which gives us the push to change and ultimately grow. But who wants to sign up for adversity? Who wants to go through difficulties just to find change? Most of us would rather stay just like we are rather than go through the challenges that are necessary to grow. Yet, if we don’t grow, what are we really doing? If we are not moving forward, how are we changing? If our difficulties aren’t teaching us something, why are we enduring?
There is the scripture that I hung on my mirror a couple of years back. I find it encouraging at first glance. It seems to teach so much about how life seems to work. Yet, it also holds some difficult truths. It scares me because this reminds me that in order to be where I need to be as a follower, there are overwhelming terrains I must trek. And some days, I just don’t want to. I want to take the easy route. I want to seek out the best way to go which equates to the least pain. That isn’t always the right way. Sometimes the correct routes take us through the most disheartening landscapes.
The scripture I am referring is, of course, the focus scripture for today. Our struggles, our difficulties, our challenges ultimately change us, shape us and mold us. If we allow them, they can produce endurance that refines our character. If we really lean into what God is teaching us, we can find hope in the end. Hope is what we are all looking. Hope is so much more than a concept or a feeling. Hope is what reminds us this suffering is not the end. There is more and it is good. We have hope ultimately because of God’s love.
I don’t know what you are going through today, but know that God has not left you in it all. He may not have caused your suffering, but he can use it for your good and his. May God shed just enough hope on your life today that you feel his love pouring into your heart. And may you be changed by it. Changed by hope…changed by love. That’s something worth the struggle.
Focus Scripture:
Romans 5:3-5
3 And not only that, but wealso boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
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It can be difficult to accept that we only understand a tiny portion of the love that God has for us. Our minds can only comprehend a small slice of a great big feast of his love. We are loved beyond measure. We are treasured with more than we can hold. We are set free and find our resting place in the One who created us. That sounds good in print, but to live it is quite another task. We really can be captured with only the things we can comprehend. If we don’t understand it, we shy away from it. But God’s love is so enormous that it cannot be understood. And that should be celebrated, embraced, and lived. It should change who we are in him. It should change the person we see in the mirror. It should change how we approach life, as a loved and cherished, beloved child of God.
When we begin to get a glimpse into the love God has for us, he begins to become more than a distant figure in our lives. He becomes so much more than someone we have read about in a book. He becomes personal. He becomes a part of our everyday lives. We sense his presence in the good and the bad. And we look to him because we begin to trust in him.
That is what I hear from the Psalmist today. He begins to describe some of the attributes that God is to him. He writes of the strength, rock, fortress, deliverer – just to name a few. This is the One who he loves. This is the One he seeks help. This is the One that is a constant in his life when no one else can be.
For me, this relationship begins with love. God so loved the world…well, you know the rest. God loves you and me. And this is more than just words in a blog – this is truth. May God love you so much that you find a home in him. He is so much more than we could ever imagine.
Focus Scripture:
Psalm 18:1-3
1 I love you, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies.
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One of my favorite people to read about in the Bible is Jonah. That may sound strange because what most of us know about him deals with the whole whale of an incident. But that is only one small blip in his life. It’s interesting to say that smelling fish guts for a few days while God puts you in time out is a blip. But when we consider the scope of his life, we really know very little. What we do know of Jonah reminds me of his humanity.
We often think of Jonah as the disobedient one. We think of him as the runner – the run as far and fast as you can from what God wants you to do kind of guy. We think of him as the one that God had to teach a lesson. That may all be true, but that misses what Jonah was running from, what he was called to do, and what he never really wanted to do. It misses that Jonah was given this mission he didn’t really want, he didn’t really believe in, and he never fully accepted. It wasn’t because he was a horrible guy. God used him in a mighty way. He may have been one the worst speakers but God had a plan for him. Jonah didn’t like the plan and God still used him. I think it was because Jonah had some redemptive qualities that God saw. Jonah had potential that even he didn’t recognize. And the lesson I learn from Jonah is one that leads and guides so much of my life.
Where we will join Jonah in his story this morning is after the most famous and known part of his journey. He has already been called by God to go to these particular people that he did not want to help. He has run the other way, jumped a ship, thrown overboard, spent time with the fish, and found himself on the shore. What a ride. But that isn’t the end. He does go to the people of Nineveh – though more than reluctantly. God gave him another chance to do the right thing (and maybe God gives him a swift kick to get it done). So he does it, in what seems to be a half-hearted attempt. And God used it. God used the seemingly pitiful message. The people of Nineveh heard it, took it to heart, and changed. They repented. They heard that God cared about them and destruction was coming – they listened. Even the King got the message and made a decree – everyone would be in on this. They would change their ways. Great news, right?! Yes, for everyone but Jonah.
Jonah 3:10-4:11
3:10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
4:1 But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry.
4:2 He prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing.
4:3 And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
4:4 And the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
4:5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
4:6 The LORD God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush.
4:7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered.
4:8 When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
4:9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?” And he said, “Yes, angry enough to die.”
4:10 Then the LORD said, “You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night.
4:11 And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?”
Don’t miss this. God saved the people and the land of Nineveh. The proclamation of Jonah was heard. He did what he was sent to do and the people heard it and changed. God did not bring the destruction he had planned. They were saved. That should be reason to celebrate. But Jonah was angry. Yes, you heard that correctly – Jonah was angry. He was angry with God. He basically tells God that he knew this would happen. God is too kind and merciful and loving. He just knew God wouldn’t destroy them and that’s why he didn’t want to do this in the first place. How dare God be so loving and kind!
I have to pause there. This is something we do not always hear and if we do, we are ready to cast judgment on Jonah. How dare he act like this! How could he make such a call on those people! Who does he think he is! Yet, what we don’t always consider is who they were to Jonah. Nineveh is the enemy. They are the opposing force. Jonah wants them destroyed because Jonah has identified these people as his enemy. They have sought to destroy his people. How could God care about them? Jonah wanted to see God wipe them out – it seemed only right to him. He didn’t want to care about them and he didn’t want them saved.
That sounds selfish, but I wonder how many times that happens today. We decide who is the enemy and we want them destroyed. We certainly don’t see how God could love them. We don’t want to consider that God created them too and there is any potential in them. They are the “other” and we don’t see value in “those” people. They are the enemy. Yet, if we believe that God is creator of the entire world, there are more people God created than just us. There are more to love outside of our country. There are more valuable people outside of our realm of what we consider worthy. God actually loves the whole world – the whole entire world. And if that is true, that means he loves those we have decided aren’t worthy. It means those we don’t agree with. It means those who don’t look like us or talk like us or think like us. It means God has a plan which is good for all humankind. That could come as a shocker to some of us who feel like the privileged and favored few.
But the story doesn’t end there for Jonah. God decides to teach Jonah a lesson he can grasp. As he did with the big fish, he does with the plant. Jonah is miserable. He has gone to sulk. He wanted to see them destroyed. So he goes and sits down. God provides him shade. It is perfect. It is just what Jonah needed. It saves him for the day. The next day, the shade is eaten by bugs. And Jonah has to face the heat and wind without it. He is angry. God reminds him that Jonah cared about a shade he did not create, he did not do anything for – because it was protecting him. God tells him that there are people in Nineveh that do not understand and that need direction. God cares for them too. He has good things for them too.
God has so much more planned than we could ever imagine. He is using us for his good and loving plan. We don’t always like or understand the plan. We don’t understand how we are to love the enemy. But this is exactly what Jesus taught. We are to love those we consider unlovable and unworthy. God does not appoint us as judge. He does not give us the option to decide who is worthless or worthy. He sees children without direction. And he may just see that in us.
May God open our eyes to see others as he does. May we show love to all – even those we consider the “other”. May it begin today.
I am at the point where I enjoy the subtitles. When I watch shows, I prefer to read what they are saying (along with hearing). It isn’t that they are not speaking English – they are. Sometimes they have different accents (I mean – we don’t have an accent in the South, it’s everyone else, right?). Sometimes they pronounce words differently. It takes a moment for my mind to process what in the world they are talking about. So if I have subtitles, I can read along with hearing what they are saying. It seems to help me put the puzzle together a little better. If I’m honest, I probably don’t hear as well as I once did – but that’s a discussion for another time. I do enjoy using more of my senses when I am watching TV – I feel more engaged.
When we go outside, we have an opportunity to use all of our senses and really embrace the world around us. We can hear the birds sing, if we listen. We can see the sun rise, if we are paying attention. We can feel the cool, fresh air, if we stop to notice. We can smell fresh air, if we breathe it in for a moment. We can feel the life of the tree if we stop and touch. We can taste the goodness of the Lord, if we take it in. It is all there for the experience. But most of us only smell when the smell isn’t good. We notice things that bother us. We only hear the birds if they are getting on our nerves or swooping way too close. We only notice the sun rising if it is blinding us when we are riding. We never stop to feel the earth because that would make our hands dirty. We never taste and see that the Lord is good because we have a million other things to do and engaging the world around us isn’t on the radar. We miss what God has provided – and given us the senses to enjoy. Even if we used just a few of our senses, we will experience the world in a whole new way. We may even find that God has given us an amazing place to live, breathe, grow, and love. If only we took the time to experience.
May your experiences use all of your senses God has given you. And may you be changed.
Focus Scripture:
Psalm 34:8-10
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him. 9 O fear the Lord, you his holy ones, for those who fear him have no want. 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
My dog, Leo, has a game he really enjoys. For us, it’s not nearly as fun. His timing seems to be a bit off and it can be, well, annoying. But he finds so much entertainment from it. This can happen in the early morning hours or right when we go to bed. It can even be in the middle of the night if he is restless. He takes a toy or his chewy and starts playing with it at the foot of the bed. That’s not annoying enough for us, so he ends up dropping it. He inevitably drops it down this small opening between the mattress and the footboard. The happens every single time. And then he sits and stares down the hole as if that is going to do something. When that doesn’t help, he starts whining. He is the cutest dog but has the most shrill whine, especially when we are trying to rest. But it works for him because it definitely gets our attention. He whines continually until one of us will reach under the bed and get it out. It is a cycle we repeat all too often.
From the outside, there are many solutions you may dream up. But for us, to generally just means we get up and get the toy. It just seems to work best for us if we just take care of him. Yes, he gets what he wants. Yes, it drives us crazy. But in the end, it really is worth it. Why? Because the joy and love that Leo brings to this house are way more important than the little inconvenience of playing his games. Leo brings a smile to our faces when we walk through the door. When he lays in your lap, you know you are loved and have his heart. He keeps things lively so we do not have dull moments in our home. And that holds more value than we could ever count.
We all have people or jobs or furry friends in our lives that drive us crazy sometimes. They have their own quirks that make us want to scream. They have things we would change. But ultimately, they hold great value. We can overlook some of the insanity for what they add to our lives. It isn’t about perfection. It is about love and joy. What brings you love and joy that you may be overlooking? What do we need to give thanks for today that we may not always appreciate? May God fill you with love and joy today as you seek him, even in the small but invaluable things.
Focus Scripture:
Ephesians 3:20-21
20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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Before we speak…take a moment. Before we act…take a moment. Before we post…take a moment. That moment could help us to decide if what we are about to do or speak is beneficial. It could help us decide if what comes next is to encourage or destroy. It could help us to detect if it is selfish or not. One moment could make all the difference.
To take a moment requires self-control. It requires us to have enough control over our tongues, our actions, and our posting to check ourselves. Why are we doing or saying this? What is behind it? Is it fear or anger or hate? What is driving my need to say, do or write this? If we could have enough self-control to stop for just a moment, we might find we make better decisions. We may see we are more disciplined in our approach and our responses. We may even find we are more helpful than hurtful.
Self-control is part of the fruit of the spirit. We are given this gift which we do not always readily use. Instead, we end up trying to repair the damage or not caring if we hurt anyone. We can become cold and calloused. That does allow us to share the love of Christ. It can be difficult to exercise this gift because we have knee-jerk reactions. This is especially true when we are bombarded with things which can make us angry or upset. But exercising self-control is part of who we are as followers of Christ.
Today, maybe we work on that moment. Just focus on taking a moment before we respond and evaluate if what we are about to do, say or post is really beneficial. We may find our lives are better for that moment. We may even find we reflect Christ a bit better – the One who taught us all about self-control through his actions. Take a moment – it could really make the difference.
Focus Scripture:
Galatians 5:22-23a
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.
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Whenever we are working to accomplish something, there will inevitably be setbacks. There are those issues that arise. There are temptations to go a different direction. There are roadblocks that seem to tell us we are doing it all wrong. There are people that are not only not supportive but are naysayers. They make us question what we are doing and why. It could be that these people are right and we need to take a second look. It could also be that these people do not have our best interest in mind and we should move on. Regardless, there are setbacks we encounter to any plan. What do we do when we are faced with these?
When we run into a roadblock or a setback, all too often we simply stop. We collapse under the weight of the task. Our momentum is interrupted and we find ourselves ready to quit. That’s the easy route. If we are exercising, for instance, and we have a minor injury, we can stop exercising or find something else to do while we heal that can help. If we are trying to eat right and don’t lose the weight we wanted or mess up on our plan, we could eat a whole cake or we could simply keep on the right path knowing that progress is slow. If we are following God’s plan for our lives but nothing seems to go right, we could just abandon the plan and do what we want. Or we could continue to seek God’s guidance as he leads us through the difficult terrain. How we react to setbacks has a lot to do with our accomplishments.
Today, if you find yourself in a tough spot, stop for just a moment. Is what you are doing pleasing to God? Are you helping yourself to become a better person? Are you growing through the process in a positive way? Is the end goal where God would want you to be? If this is a yes, press forward. If it is a no, reevaluate the plan. Where is God leading you? How is he helping you to become more like the beautiful creation he knows you can be? Seek this. Seek HIM. Setbacks are temporary. Accomplishments for God are life changing. Don’t let a setback stop you today. Keep moving forward.
Focus Scripture:
Psalm 23:1-3
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
It is easy to be divisive. It doesn’t really take that much. You can bring up any hot topic and find the most controversial statement and get people going. You simply insult your opponent and watch the battle. Some people seem to live for it. They say, think, act, post anything to get something started. They are not trying to start a conversation or be helpful. They are not trying to learn something. They are trying to shove their point forward, even with vengeance if needed. Yet, no one really grows from this. Nothing good comes from this way. It sows ugliness.
In the focus scripture for today, James is trying to help his readers understand the difference in wisdom. He basically says that when our works are done with gentleness, they are born of wisdom. It is not about envy or selfish ambition. Real wisdom results in peace. And wow – could we use peace. Our world would look a lot different if those that follow Christ also sowed peace rather than divisiveness.
That does not mean that Christians go with whatever, though. I am not advocating simply keeping quiet and sitting on the sidelines. Instead, it looks like engaging in conversations for the opportunity to hear, to learn, to grow, and to understand. It looks like working with others to show the love of Christ – which is really what transforms. It looks like not doing or saying or posting things that are just meant to start an argument or to prove a selfish point. It looks like kindness which does not waiver from the foundation of all the Christ teaches – Love God, Love others.
Today, our challenge should be to seek to be wise according to God’s Word. We should work with gentleness and kindness to sow peace. We should reflect good fruits and mercy coming from the Lord. May it be so. May it be so.
Focus Scripture:
James 3:13-18
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
We can have some pretty incredible experiences without even leaving our house. We don’t think of them as experiences. They are usually seen as something that just happens. It goes unnoticed for the most part. It becomes a part of our routine. But when it does, we miss the experience.
For me, coffee is an experience. From start to finish, there is so much that is pretty incredible. It starts when the coffee beans arrive to my home. We do our best to make sure the coffee is fair trade – meaning the workers were paid fairly for their labor. Sometimes they have been roasted local. Someone has taken the time to roast them just right with the perfect tones to make the beans sing. They do sing if you listen well. Opening the package and smelling the goodness inside, grinding up the beans, and deciding how much is needed is all part of the experience. I don’t like to set my timer on my coffee maker. I want to hear the percolating. I want to hear the coffee drip into the pot. I want to be there as the aroma fills my kitchen. Coffee is not meant to be consumed quickly. It is meant to be enjoyed at a pace that causes us to slow and to simply breathe for a moment. No need to rush goodness. Why would you want to?
Coffee may not be an experience in your home. For some, it is the experience of creating a meal. Or it is the joy of having clean clothes. It is often considered menial everyday tasks by too many of us. But there is something to the things we do. There are simple joys in our day that we miss. There are experiences that are at our fingertips for us to enjoy if we would just stop long enough to pay attention.
Today, may your life be filled with good experiences. May you find simple joys in the often mundane. May you see the goodness in the often overlooked. May you find happiness, right in your own home.
Focus Scripture:
Colossians 3:23a
23 Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord
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In every day, there is something that goes well. There are things we can give thanks. There are moments that bring us joy. There are times that spoke peace to us in the middle of the craziness. There was good and there is good. But we can so easily get caught up in the loop of what went wrong. We can find our attention focused on the things that didn’t go the way we thought they should. We can concentrate on what we should have done or should have said or should not have said. We can lose our focus on what went right because we are so consumed with what didn’t go right.
It isn’t easy to see the good some days. Our vision can be clouded by the fog of despair. Our eyes can be blinded by the tears of fear or guilt or grief. But the good is there, hidden in the middle of the mess. We are geared to find the bad. We are drawn to the things that shock us. Our minds can become sucked into the news of all that has gone wrong. That can be all we see. It takes effort to see the good.
Today, look for the good. Look for what goes right. Look for the positive. Where is there joy? Where is there peace? Where is there a moment of love? Where is the good? It can be simple and it can be brief – so we have to pay attention. It may come from our four legged babies or the kindness of a stranger. It may be completely unexpected. Be on the lookout. Good is here because God is here. Do you see it?
Focus Scripture:
Psalm 113:2-4
Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time on and forevermore. 3 From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. 4 The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 
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