Devotional Archives for Encouragement for Today
Sara Hagerty shares a personal story of how her limitations, including being confined to bed on a family vacation, became opportunities for God to meet and guide her, leading her to reframe her understanding of limitations as gifts from God. By exploring Psalm 16:5-6, she invites readers to consider that their limitations may be inching them toward a deeper connection with God.
Stephanie May Wilson shares her personal journey of self-discovery, revealing that a beautiful life isn't one-size-fits-all and that women should stop striving for perfection and instead focus on building lives that reflect their unique values and priorities. By embracing the freedom to make confident, creative decisions, women can quiet outside voices and finally hear their own, leading to a more authentic and fulfilling existence.
Lynn Cowell shares her personal struggle with praying constantly, as directed by Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, and how she has found that incorporating thanksgiving into her prayers shifts the focus from burdens to God's faithfulness. By practicing gratitude and praise, Cowell has discovered a lighter burden and a deeper trust in God's ability to bear her weight.
As summer approaches, many of us are tempted to seek physical perfection through diet and exercise, but Jesus teaches us to trust Him with our bodies instead, promising freedom from the power of sin and death. By seeking God's Kingdom above our own desires, we can find a new perspective on beauty, fitness, and food, and learn to value what He values - our lives as temples for His glory.
Spiritual comparison can lead to feelings of inadequacy and overcommitting, but God created each person with unique gifts and purposes. By focusing on Jesus and letting go of comparisons, we can find peace and effectiveness in our lives.
When faced with everyday decisions, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and lack confidence. However, God's Word offers enduring guidance that can arm us with wisdom and direction for our daily choices. By holding onto Scripture and seeking its practical counsel, we can discover the power of His Truth to change our lives, one word at a time.
Jesus told a crowd of people, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent." In this powerful devotion, author Rachael Groll explores what it means to surrender to God and find peace in knowing that He will work everything out.
Lysa TerKeurst challenges readers to choose calling over comfort, asking them to love Jesus more than anything else and follow His leading, even when it's terrifyingly outside their comfort zone. By embracing this mindset, believers can discover the abundant life God has for them and take the next step in their spiritual journey.
Taylor Joy Murray shares her personal struggle with anxiety and how she has learned to give it space to speak, rather than trying to suppress or outrun it. By adopting a new approach that involves pausing, attuning, asking, breathing, and being present with God in the midst of anxiety, Murray finds that her anxiety doesn't have to scream so loudly to get her attention.
Jennie Allen challenges readers to rethink their emotions, suggesting that feelings are not something to be fixed or hidden, but rather a natural part of being made in God's image. By exploring the biblical perspective on emotions and drawing parallels with Jesus' own emotional experiences, Allen invites readers to embrace their emotions as a means of deeper connection with themselves, others, and God.