Jennifer Slattery's Blog, page 2

Trusting God With Our Heaviest Burdens

Some days feel super heavy, like we’re lugging around a backpack full of bricks. When I land in that place, I’m often tempted to disengage. To numb my emotions watching social media reels or clean comedy. But I’m learning to “unload” my burdens by turning to God, seeking His perspective, resting in His comfort, and anticipating His care. In essence, to trust Him to be the attentive Father described in Psalm 68:19, which states, Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

Most Bible scholars believe ancient Israel’s second King, David, wrote this verse and the passage surrounding it when he and the Israelites were bringing the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem. This sacred wooden chest, which had remained with the people from when they first became a nation, until the time of Saul, symbolized God’s presence and covenantal relationship with His people. 

According to Hebrews 9:4, “This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.”

These items served as continual reminders of God’s faithful care. 

A jar of manna, the honey-flavored wafters that God rained from the sky, daily providing for His people’s needs as they wondered through the desert. As God’s children gathered the delicious manna each morning, He was teaching them to rely on and trust in Him. Glancing about the barren landscape, without a village or lush oasis in sight, their eyes might’ve told them they were destined to starve. But they didn’t, and wouldn’t, because God was their Provider. 

The ark also contained Aaron’s staff, which demonstrated that Aaron and his leadership were blessed by God. This also showed God was invested in their leader, which meant He was invested in them. Although they’d rebelled against Him again and again, He remained faithfully by their side, guiding them supernaturally through a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and through Moses, Aaron, and their sister Miriam as well. 

They might not have always liked where God led them, but even in their grumbling, they could always rely on God’s guidance. 

Finally, the ark contained the stone tablets God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai, when He was first forming the people into a nation. On them, God told His children, recently rescued from a sinful, pagan, and idolatrous land, how to live and love Him and one another well. 

Then there was the lid of the ark, called the mercy seat, which played an integral part in helping the people retain a relationship with their holy God. Each year on the day of atonement, the priest entered the most sacred part of the Temple, where the ark was kept, and sprinkled it with the blood of a sacrificed animal. Through this, the people received forgiveness for their sins and retained their covenantal relationship with God. 

That was the only way to have their sins absolved. 

Considering all this, you can understand why the nation was so distraught when their enemies stole the ark. And their joy once they got it back. 

Their Savior, Protector, and Provider was among them once again. 

Just as, through Jesus, God’s presence remains with us. Those tablets pointed to the Messiah who alone fulfilled the demands of the covenant. He’s also our bread of life who daily nourishes and strengthens us. And He’s our leader, our good shepherd, who goes before us, comforting us with His rod and His staff. Most importantly, He’s our only means of atonement. The ultimate sacrifice for our sins and the only way we experience forgiveness and a close relationship with God. 

A relationship where He invites us to unload our burdens, whatever they are, onto His strong shoulders. Knowing our faithful, covenant keeping God can be trusted to manage well whatever we give Him. He’ll manage our burdens much better than we can, in fact. 

If this post resonated with you, you might find my latest Bible Reading Plan on the YouVersion app helpful.

When we are hurting or going through a difficult season, we might feel alone and abandoned. It might feel as if God isn’t listening to our cries for help or that He doesn’t care about our pain. Yet, throughout Scripture God communicates that He is with us, sees us, loves us deeply, empathizes with our pain, and still has good plans for us. He invites us to draw close to Him in times of hardship, receive His comfort, and hold tight to His unchanging truth.

Find it HERE.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

Fun way to win great stuff!

Hey, friends,

Help me celebrate my next release! Because book releases should always be fun and exciting, I’ve decided to celebrate the Rancher’s Secret Daughter’s Debut into the world of reading with a fun trivia give away! Here’s how YOU could win the below books (and the Love Inspired compilation is a two-for!) along with a $50 Amazon Gift Card! To buy even more books. Or makeup, candy, puppy treats–whatever. Please read the details below careful as you must follow the directions to get entered into the drawing.

The first person to earn 100 points wins!

Here’s how to earn points!

Send your answers to me through this form.

Find my book baby, the Rancher’s Secret Daughter, out in the wild, snatch a picture, share it on your personal social media feed(s), mention where you saw it and tag me (so I see your post) for 30 points (for each social media platform you share it on, for a maximum of 60 points). **Please note, you can complete this or option two but not both.Purchase the book from a store of your choice (online or in person) take a picture of yourself reading it, share it on your personal social media feed(s) and tag me (so I see the post(s)) for 30 points (for each social media platform you share it on, for a maximum of 60 points). **Please note, you can complete this or option one but not both. This second option is provided for those whose local stores don’t carry the book.)Five points for each question you answer correctly (Note: you can find the answers here on my website.):Name four unique places in/on which you can find my writing.What umbrella organization do I podcast under?Name 3 resources I recommend for those wanting to experience increased peace and decreased anxiety and fear.What is the name of the woman who often proofreads my blog posts? Who is Alice Goddard? Where are my Love Inspired novels set? (Hint, they’re all set in the same area.)Name two recent Faith Over Fear podcast episodes.Why do I believe it’s possible to experience joy in any circumstance?What city did Sara/Sarai and her husband depart from when God called them to follow Him to an unknown location?What color is Paige Cordell’s hair?

How God heals regret and restores joy

(Note: This was taken and adapted from one of my Crosswalk Premium Devotional Videos. Used by permission.)

Do you ever find yourself rehashing past mistakes? Maybe your adult son or daughter has become enslaved to self-destructing behavior, and your mind keeps replaying all your parenting regrets. Or, maybe you’re trying to repair a marriage damaged from years of neglect and your heart aches for the relational intimacy lost.

As someone who’s been on a healing and growth journey for a long, hot minute–out of necessity!–I understand the sting of regret.

When I focus on my mistakes, or all I’ve lost due to the mistakes of others, however, I quickly land in a place of despair. When I instead focus on, and make much of, the love, heart, power, and grace of God, working in and through me, I’m filled with hope and the reminder that He excels at rebuilding the rubble in our lives—as He did with the ancient Israelites some twenty-five hundred years ago.

After seventy years of living in exile, due to their idolatry and wickedness, they had returned to their homeland in Jerusalem, which their enemies had reduced to rubble.

And so, by the miraculous hand of God, they began the task of rebuilding what, in essence, evil nearly destroyed.

Eventually, under leaders named Ezra and Zerubbabel, they rebuilt the Temple. This brings us to the time period recorded in the book Nehemiah, which chronicles when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to help the ancient Israelites rebuild the city’s walls.

They complete this massive undertaking in chapter 6 and the people and leaders are redistributed throughout the land—to avoid overcrowding in Jerusalem.

Once everyone was settled, Ezra, Nehemiah and the Levites gathered the people for a celebration and public reading of Scripture.

Hearing God’s word, the people became grieved by all the ways they’d dishonored the Lord, and as today’s passage states, began to weep. To which Nehemiah and the other religious leaders replied:

“This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

In other words, “Now is a time for celebration, not weeping, to praise the Lord for all He’s done to restore His people and their land.”

They encouraged the people to receive and celebrate God’s lavish and abundant grace.

May we learn to do the same. We can’t go back and undo or change the past, but we can rest in the redemption given us in Christ and move forward empowered by His Spirit at work in us.

We can learn to receive, and live deeply anchored in His grace, knowing that His mercies are new every morning, and He is, at every moment, rebuilding, repairing, and restoring what sin and our world’s evil threatened to destroy. In my experience, this is a lifelong process of bringing our hurts, insecurities and regrets to Christ, sitting in His presence and allowing His love to wash over us, and consistently choosing to His truths, such as that we’re His beloved children, to wash over us.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

How Can we Strengthen Our Souls with the Joy of Christ?

(Note: This was taken and adapted from one of my Crosswalk Premium Devotional Videos. Used by permission.)

Do you ever find yourself rehashing past mistakes? Maybe your adult son or daughter has become enslaved to self-destructing behavior, and your mind keeps replaying all your parenting regrets. Or, maybe you’re trying to repair a marriage damaged from years of neglect and your heart aches for the relational intimacy lost.

As someone who’s been on a healing and growth journey for a long, hot minute–out of necessity!–I understand the sting of regret.

When I focus on my mistakes, or all I’ve lost due to the mistakes of others, however, I quickly land in a place of despair. When I instead focus on, and make much of, the love, heart, power, and grace of God, working in and through me, I’m filled with hope and the reminder that He excels at rebuilding the rubble in our lives—as He was did with the ancient Israelites some twenty-five hundred years ago.

After seventy years of living in exile, due to their idolatry and wickedness, they had returned to their homeland in Jerusalem, which their enemies had reduced to rubble.

And so, by the miraculous hand of God, they began the task of rebuilding what, in essence, evil had nearly destroyed.

Eventually, under leaders named Ezra and Zerubbabel, they rebuilt the Temple. This brings us to the time period recorded in the book Nehemiah, which chronicles when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to help the ancient Israelites rebuild the city’s walls.

They complete this massive undertaking in chapter 6 and the people and leaders are redistributed throughout the land—to avoid overcrowding in Jerusalem.

Once everyone was settled, Ezra, Nehemiah and the Levites gathered the people for a celebration and public reading of Scripture.

Hearing God’s word, the people became grieved by all the ways they’d dishonored the Lord, and as today’s passage states, began to weep. To which Nehemiah and the other religious leaders replied:

“This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

In other words, “Now is a time for celebration, not weeping, to praise the Lord for all He’s done to restore His people and their land.”

They encouraged the people to receive and celebrate God’s lavish and abundant grace.

May we learn to do the same. We can’t go back and undo or change the past, but we can rest in the redemption given us in Christ and move forward empowered by His Spirit at work in us.

We can learn to receive, and live deeply anchored in His grace, knowing that His mercies are new every morning, and He is, at every moment, rebuilding, repairing, and restoring what sin and our world’s evil threatened to destroy. In my experience, this is a lifelong process of bringing our hurts, insecurities and regrets to Christ, sitting in His presence and allowing His love to wash over us, and consistently choosing to His truths, such as that we’re His beloved children, to wash over us.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

Overcoming Shame Through Grace: Guest post by Shadia Hrichi

As a child, had you ever done something wrong and were unable to look your parents in the eye? 

A few years ago, I was visiting my brother and his family.

We were all enjoying the afternoon sunshine on his back deck as the children played in the backyard. At one point, I overheard my brother tell my 5-year-old niece not to swing from the branches of a very small tree. 

Minutes later, crash! 

We all heard a loud crack as she and the branch came tumbling down. 

I watched as my niece timidly walked to her dad, hanging her head as she pointed to the broken branch. 

My brother bent down, spoke something to her, and then they hugged. In no time, she was again laughing and playing. I was just given an opportunity to witness a father’s love and forgiveness as in the Bible.

”As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him…” Psalm 103:13

Overcoming Shame Through Faith In Jesus Christ

Understanding God’s Compassion For Sinners. As God’s child, I can easily picture hanging my head low when I know I’ve broken one of God’s commands. But that day, I saw the situation from a different angle. 

My niece disobeyed, was powerless to remedy her situation, and was too ashamed to look her father in the eye. But my brother reached down to meet her where she was. Stretching out his hand, he lifted her eyes to meet his so she could see his desire to forgive and restore their relationship.

Dealing With Shame And Forgiveness In Christianity

It is the same for each one of us. Covered in sin and shame, you and I are powerless to reach a holy God. Our heavenly Father must reach down to us. So God sent His Son Jesus Christ, who stretched out his hands on the cross, beckoning us to lift our eyes and remember that God passionately desires to forgive and restore us. 

“…at just the right time, when we were still powerless… God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us…” Romans 5:6,8 

Heavenly Father, when we sin, lift our eyes to the cross so that we can remember Your forgiveness and embrace the power to live as Your beloved children. Amen. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ” 1 John 1:9

Get to Know Shadia Hrichi:

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Shadia Hrichi is a passionate Bible teacher, award-winning author, and speaker who stirs the hearts and minds of her audience through personal story, illustration, and her unwavering confidence in the authority of God’s Word.

She holds a master’s in biblical and theological studies as well as a master’s in criminal justice. Shadia is the author of several Bible studies, including RAHAB, TAMAR, HAGAR, LEGION, and WORTHY OF LOVE and the recipient of the 2022 WCCW “God’s Word is Alive” Award. Residing in northern California, Shadia is often invited to speak at churches, conferences, women’s retreats and other events, and loves to visit the ocean each week for “a date with Jesus.”

Check Out Shadia Hrichi’s Bible Study, Hagar:

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Join gifted Bible teacher Shadia Hrichi and journey into the story of Hagar. Through this in-depth Bible study, you will find that when you surrender your life into God’s hands, your trials and triumphs serve a magnificent purpose: to draw you into the arms of your heavenly Father, the faithful God Who Sees Me.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

Finding God in Our Anger

(Note: This first published on August 26, 2021.)

Many of us are uncomfortable with anger, likely because we’ve seen the damage the emotion, uncontrolled, can produce. We’ve probably, on occasion, created wreckage ourselves. I’ve done both. I’ve been deeply hurt by the rash actions of others, but I’ve also allowed corrosive words to erupt from my mouth.

All that pain and ugliness from the past can motivate me to squelch my anger. But God has shown me, while He is pleased when I guard what I say, He doesn’t tell me to suppress and deny my feelings.

Instead, He wants me to investigate and untangle them. To get to their root.

Scripture says, “In your anger do not sin” (Eph. 4:26a). In other words, some situations and encounters will make us mad. And the emotion itself isn’t sin, but it can easily, much too easily in fact, lead to sin—especially when we see it as a signal to spring into action. We simply cannot handle the intensity of such an emotion on our own, not if we want to respond with godliness.

We need to learn to pause. To really sit in our anger, to wrestle with ourselves and with God. Most importantly, to find Him—His heart—in our emotional angst.

As we do, we begin to understand, on a soul-deep level, what grieves and provokes His Father’s heart. When my anger stems from selfishness or pride, He’ll show me, lovingly drawing me into His cleansing embrace.

Other times, He’ll take me deeper, revealing where our souls connect, where we grieve together. As Dr. Allender, co-author of the Cry of the Soul states, “Righteous anger” —like what burns within me when I see a child abused, the weak oppressed, and a life destroyed— “warns, invites, and wounds for the greater work of redemption. It is full of strength that is neither defensive nor vindictive, and it is permeated by a sadness that is rich in desire and hope. … Righteous anger grieves and struggles with God: ‘What are You doing, God? What am I to understand about You?’”

My deepest angst becomes a call to intimacy, to discover more of my heart and God’s and where they intercept. A call to worship, and then, and only then, to action. Because as Dr. Allender so wisely states, “Our reaction to the pain and injustice of life will only move toward godly anger if we own up to our struggle with God and move toward Him with our questions.”

About a month ago, God walked me through this journey. It’d been a tough weekend where I felt bombarded by evil on every side. Someone using their religious authority to break up a marriage and friend groups. Another using their power to wound a young heart. And still another, a leader, creating ripples of dysfunction that drove numerous people from the church.

Ignited by the injustice, the wrongness, of it all, I immediately became engulfed in spiraling thoughts. Thoughts that, frankly, centered on me. On what I wanted to say or do or how I would “fix” the situation. But then I sensed God’s gentle whisper, “I’m here.” So I paused, right there in my bathroom, to pray.

To see Him and His heart, one that was even more grieved than mine.

There was beauty and comfort in that. In sharing that moment with my Savior, the loving and self-sacrificing lamb, absolutely, but also the sovereign, all-powerful lion of Judah who fights for His beloved. The One who always has a plan, and who will show me, in His timing, the role I am to play.

He is just.

He is righteous.

He is the defender of the vulnerable and oppressed.

I know many of you have experienced inner turmoil over all that is and has been occurring in our world at large and your more personal world. Righteous anger God shares. And we know that one day He will make all things right. Until then, we wrestle with ourselves, with Him, and seek His heart and His will, trusting in and waiting on the God who sees, hears, feels, and acts according to His perfect timing, His perfect love, and His infinite wisdom.

Let’s talk about this! How do you typically respond to feelings of anger? Do you suppress, lash out, or investigate? How might seeking God’s heart in the middle of your anger deepen your understanding and intimacy with Him? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, because we can all learn from and encourage one another.

I’d love to connect with you on social media! You can find me on Facebook and Instagram, and you can listen to the latest Faith Over Fear podcast episode here:

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/finding-courage-in-god-our-abba-father-ep-68

How I came to love my mother-in-law: guest post by Patti Ritcher

“Na-na-na-na boo-hoo. I’ll be with Jesus before you.”

My mother-in-law sang that little ditty to me in our final phone conversation. She had just accepted hospice care and, knowing I was crying, she tried to make me laugh.

Marion, who I always called Mom, kept me laughing for most of the 45-plus years I knew her. But our relationship didn’t begin so promisingly; she wasn’t sure that I was the right one for her firstborn son to marry.

Jim and I had been close friends at college for two years before we suddenly announced our engagement—with a wedding day planned for six weeks later! This caught his mother off guard since she and I barely knew each other. Further, Marion’s five other children included a three-year-old, so she had the challenging circumstance of “losing” her oldest while still raising her family.

I understood some of those concerns, but I also felt Marion’s disapproval. She had grown up in Chicago in the 1930s and 40s; she loved fashion and all things fine. She attended St. Mary’s College, across the street from Notre Dame, where she met Jim’s father. In contrast, I was from Arkansas, raised by less sophisticated parents who considered Little Rock a big city. Fashion was not my priority and I had little experience with the finer things in life. 

Romans 12:10 became a lifestyle, as Marion and I both grew in our knowledge of God and His ways,  and we learned to honor the other above self. This verse emphasizes the need to prioritize the needs and desires of others over your own, even when it’s difficult or requires sacrifice. My relationship with my mother-in-law was strengthened during the times she came to help out after our three children arrived, and later, just to spend time with our family. Marion loved cooking healthy meals, and I enjoyed letting her take over in the kitchen. And, as I said, she made me laugh.

Having been raised by immigrant parents, Marion had stories to tell, along with all the right accents, expressions, and mannerisms. Further, there were some English words she could never quite pronounce correctly. With the emotional wound of rejection in childhood, her humorous antics might have been a lifelong coping mechanism.

At age 50, Marion was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Her doctor removed a massive tumor, ordered chemotherapy, and gave her six months to live. She endured treatments but also asked the elders at church to pray for her healing, according to James 5:14. She then proceeded to live for another 40 years.

Marion gradually became more of a mentor to me than a mother-in-law. She encouraged me to seek God daily through Bible study and prayer—without forgetting to wait and listen for His guidance.

Mom wanted to be remembered for more than her fun and laughter. She hoped to be remembered as one who was led by the Lord. And I hope to carry on this legacy she left behind for me and so many others. I honored her while she was living and honor her now.

When God puts someone in our life that we do not immediately connect to and love, it is important for us to pray and ask God to show us how to honor the person and sacrificially love them. The transformation happens when we no longer need to make an effort, but develop a genuine affection for the person.

Prayer: God, I ask you to help me love those around me, and to honor them above myself.

About the author: Patti Richter lives in north Georgia with her husband, Jim. She is a freelance journalist and long-time faith columnist at BlueRibbonNews.com with more than four hundred published articles. Patti is the co-author of the award-winning Signs of His Presence—Experiencing God’s Comfort in Times of Suffering. It is the story of Luann Mire, whose godly husband was blindsided by an indictment due to a former employer’s tax fraud. The resulting prison sentence and restitution took the once joyful couple into a long season of suffering as they fought judicial tyranny. Helpless to change her situation, Luann endured a painful examination of her life and found God faithful to His promises.

Check out Patti’s Book:

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Voted 2020 Best Memoir by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association Luann Mire faced overwhelming circumstances when her godly husband was blindsided by an indictment due to a former employer’s tax fraud. The resulting prison sentence and restitution took the once joyful couple into a long season of suffering as they fought judicial tyranny.

Helpless to change her situation, Luann endured a painful examination of her life-long faith as she faced evil and distress. Fear, anxiety, and depression worked against her ability to trust in God’s goodness. Meanwhile, she wrestled with powers of darkness she had never before encountered. Luann’s desperate desire for a restored family life kept her looking to God through prayer, Scripture, and every trustworthy scrap of divine encouragement she could find. Yet doubts plagued her as months turned into years, and hope for justice was continually deferred by an ironclad court system. Though trapped in severe circumstances, Luann found God faithful to His promises, especially Psalm 34:18, which says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (NIV). Signs of God’s presence came at timely moments of need―often in astonishing ways.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

When Faith Feels Fragile: Holding On Anyway – Guest post by Zeeva Usman

There are days when faith feels unshakable—when the worship is sweet, the Scriptures speak directly to your heart, and the path ahead looks clear. But then there are days … when faith feels like it’s barely hanging on. Fragile. Thin. Quiet. And maybe today is one of those days.

I remember a time when I wrestled with doubt. I had been praying and seeking God’s guidance, but everything felt still and silent. I wondered if my prayers were even heard, and I began to question my faith. During that time, I realized that it’s okay to wrestle with doubt—it doesn’t mean we’ve lost our faith, but rather, we’re being honest with God and ourselves about our struggles. That moment taught me that faith isn’t about never feeling weak; it’s about choosing to trust, even when we’re unsure.

If so, you’re not alone.

Even the strongest believers face seasons when doubt whispers louder than truth and prayers feel like they bounce off the ceiling. But Scripture doesn’t shame us for fragile faith. In fact, it gives us permission to be honest—about our fears, our questions, and our weariness.

Even Heroes of Faith Had Weak Moments

Abraham doubted. Elijah hid in a cave. John the Baptist—who once pointed boldly to Jesus—sent messengers to ask, “Are You the one, or should we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3)

If they struggled, why do we think we shouldn’t?

Faith isn’t about never wavering. It’s about choosing to trust—even when we’re trembling. It’s about leaning in when everything in us wants to run. It’s about holding on to Jesus, not because we’re strong, but because He is.

When All You Can Do Is Stay Close

Sometimes faith is loud and confident. Other times, it’s quiet and persistent. It shows up in whispered prayers. In opening the Bible, even when it feels dry. In wearing faith-based apparel as a simple reminder of who you belong to. In choosing worship when you feel numb. In staying in community, when isolation seems easier.

And sometimes, it simply looks like saying, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)

That prayer counts. That is faith.

God Doesn’t Despise Fragile Faith

The beautiful thing about our God is that He doesn’t require perfect faith—He just invites us to come. He meets us in the valley, in the questions, and even in the silence. Jesus never turned away the weak-hearted. He drew near. He lifted heads. He offered peace.

He still does.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to reach for Him, even with trembling hands.

Faith That Grows in the Cracks

The very places where your faith feels fragile might be where God is doing His deepest work. Growth doesn’t always happen in the mountaintop moments—it often happens in the in-between, the unseen, the waiting.

So if your faith feels fragile today, let this be your reminder: Fragile faith is still faith. And the One you’re holding on to will never let go of you.

Get to Know Zeeva Usman

Zeeva Usman is an experienced content manager at Christian Marketing Experts and a content specialist at Salt of Heaven, where she uses her expertise to create impactful, faith-centered content. When she’s not crafting words, Zeeva finds joy in worshiping and singing for the Lord Jesus, drawing inspiration from her faith to encourage others.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

God’s Perfect Love for Imperfect People

(This first published on Crosswalk.com and in the Crosswalk Devotional, adapted below.)

Many of us have heard people talk about the Lord’s complete forgiveness and unconditional love but can expect Him to withhold both when we mess up. Most often, this stems from times in which others responded to our mistakes with some degree of emotional distance. I can relate. For decades, I struggled to fully receive God’s grace, and sometimes still do. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I find the words recorded in Psalm 103:8 so beautiful.

It reads:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love (NIV).

Written by David, ancient Israel’s second king, this verse reiterates the way God revealed Himself to a man named Moses around four hundred years prior.

This occurred shortly after the Lord’s newly liberated people rebelled against Him to worship idols. Following, God told Moses that He wouldn’t accompany him and the Hebrews into the new land He’d promised them. But then He appeared to relent and in Exodus 33:15 stated, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 

Perhaps confused, or simply wanting to experience more of the God with whom he’d already come to converse with as a friend (Ex. 33:11), Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” One could phrase this as, “Reveal the essence of who You are.” God did, declaring Himself compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness. 

David likely knew how the Lord described Himself to Moses and how consistently He lived out those traits with the often faithless and rebellious Hebrew people. In today’s verse, He praised God for those same qualities. While Scripture doesn’t reveal David’s circumstances when he wrote Psalm 103, we do know from other passages that He landed in numerous situations that plunged him into despair and overwhelming fear. We also know that God faithfully cared for, protected, and defended David throughout His life. And, the Lord showed David grace when he failed as a father, a king, and chief commander over the Israelite army.    

In other words, David hadn’t simply learned of the Lord’s love, mercy and compassion from Scripture. He’d experienced those same traits when he’d desperately needed them. Likely reflecting on who God was and all He’d done, David began his prose with a praise that arose from his inmost being, the deepest and truest part of him. He then recounted numerous blessings God provided—forgiveness for even the worst of sins, emotional and physical healing, restoration of seemingly hopeless lives, provision, vitality, justice for the oppressed, and guidance for those who find themselves wandering about in desert places.

In verse 4, we read that the God who “redeems [our] life from the pit” also “crowns [us] with love and compassion.” One might phrase this as, “He rescues us in our weakest and most helpless state and enveloped us in grace.” When the devil tries to bury me in toxic shame, I’m reminded that God’s favor toward us stems from His goodness alone, and not from anything we have or haven’t done. 

Because while He is the Almighty Creator of all that exists and the One who holds all authority in His powerful hands, that wasn’t how He most defined Himself to Moses, and therefore, to us. When we reflect upon who He is at His core, He doesn’t want us to think of His anger. Instead, He wants us to recognize, intellectually and from personal experience, that He is first and foremost a God of unfathomable love and grace.

Expanding on this, David then drew an analogy between the Lord and caring parents (Psalm 103:13). Our heavenly Father views us with more tenderness than an attentive mother with an over-tired two-year-old and a patient dad with an emotionally dysregulated middle schooler. Because, as verse 14 states, “he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust” (NIV). In other words, He remains cognizant of our humanity. 

The Lord recognizes how much we long to please Him and how grieved we feel when we mess up. He sees our ongoing struggle against sin and the wounded places in our souls that cause us to react in fear and self-protection. And while He’s given us everything, in Christ and Scripture, to stand firm, whatever we face, He also understands how easily we become deceived. 

He has compassion for who we truly are, in all our weaknesses and sins, and responds to our greatest failures with mercy and forgiveness, rather than anger and condemnation. Living in that reality helps us rise again when we fall, with our gaze fixed not on our past nor our shame but on the Savior who proved every word of today’s verse true when He died on the cross to quite literally redeem our lives from the pit of hell (verse 4).

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/

Remaining Focused Amid Opposition

(Note: This first published on April 1, 2021.)

When God calls us to something, we should expect difficulties and opposition. Not everyone will understand our actions or motivations. Some people might even misjudge us or actively fight against us. The question is, how will we respond? Will we shrink back? Lash out in anger and frustration, or diligently, confidently forge ahead?

In short, when obedience feels challenging, whose voice will we give preeminence? Those of our naysayers or our own insecurities? Or will we give our Savior the authority He deserves?

Years ago, I served in an area for which I was unqualified and ill-prepared. Having received zero training, I wanted to learn to lead well. To glean from other female leaders who had perhaps encountered similar challenges and understood all the relational dynamics involved with leading women. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find that in the church I attended at the time, so I began reaching out to others in my community. Within a week, I’d gathered eight Christ-led, wise women of grace excited to share their insights and also to learn from others. Basically, to join a mission-minded group of ladies.

Filled with joy, I began envisioning what our meetings might look like. We could discuss highlights from ministry-related articles and books, pray for one another, and share ideas. We could learn from one another’s successes and failures and together, impact our community for Christ.

My excitement quickly deflated, however, when one of the pastors I served under called me in to his office. His facial expression, body language, and tone made it clear—he was not a fan of my endeavors. I sensed, in fact, that my actions raised suspicion, as if this small group of women were in some way acting with subterfuge.

Hurt and confused, I said I would quietly let this group I’d launched die and determined to do my best to honor my role with my limited training and experience. But my heart continued to ache for deep, ministry-related connections with other Christ-focused women. And I was saddened to know how close such a group had come to taking form.

My soul felt burdened to pursue the call God had given me, but the doors in front of me felt perpetually closed.

One afternoon, I shared my frustrations with my husband.   

He shook his head and said, “Don’t let anyone stop you from doing what you know is right.”

I contemplated his statement for some time, struggling to determine my next best, most God-honoring step. Did He want me to initiate change in my current environment? Was He calling me to seek support elsewhere?

I prayed over that situation, over the need, the hole God made increasingly apparent, for over a year, until I knew with certainty, He was calling me to act. The following week, Wholly Loved Ministries was born, a place where women from diverse denominations can grow in their gifting and their relationship with Christ. That small group of women who gathered together in a local coffee shop to dream of all the lives God might change, through our first timid yet obedient steps, has now grown to a team of 30 speaking life across the globe.

All by God’s grace, and in part, because we refused to allow opposition to dictate our actions.

Perhaps you’ve experienced a similar situation—an invitation to act that left others confused or even angered. And maybe in the moment, compliance felt easier, safer. Certainly less confrontational. But if we want to live for Christ and fully embrace all God’s called us to, we cannot be swayed by other people’s hostility.

Consider the example Jesus provided in Matthew 12:9-14. He’d recently made some pretty big claims: That He was the Son of God who knew God intimately and always did as God desired. (John 5:16-21.) That He possessed the same life-giving power as God the Father. And that He was Lord of the Sabbath. Then He performed miracles to validate His claims.

About this time, the Bible says Jesus went over to the Pharisee’s synagogue. While there, He noticed a man with a deformed hand. Seeking a way to trick Christ, the Pharisees asked, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:10, NLT).

They saw this individual as an opportunity for entrapment. But Jesus saw the man’s wounded heart, his need, and was moved by deep compassion. Though He knew His actions would lead to increased opposition, He chose to advance God’s light. He told the man to stretch out his hand. When he obeyed, Scripture says “it was restored, just like the other one” (Matthew 12:13, NLT).

Can you imagine the man’s joy? This was cause for celebration. He had been touched by the light of Christ. But the religious leaders were not impressed. Instead they “called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus” (Matthew 12:14, NLT).

And yet again, Jesus remained focused on His mission and, leaving the area, continued healing and teaching.

He didn’t let spiritual resistance keep Him from the synagogue or hinder His decision to heal. Nor did He try to fight against it, at least, not as we might expect. Instead, He kept moving forward, kept spreading the light, wherever He went and to whomever would receive it.

His faithful, steady actions provide a model for us. When darkness hits, and it will, we can falter in fear, lash out in anger, or faithfully advance God’s light.

In what way is God calling you to advance His light this week? In what way has darkness threatened to halt your steps? What is one truth that will help you move forward in confidence and victory?

Speaking of embracing our calling, if you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to listen to Faith Over Fear episode: The Courage to Pursue Our Calling.

https://www.lifeaudio.com/faith-over-fear/the-courage-to-pursue-our-calling-ep-44

And there’s still time to sign up for Wholly Loved’s Beautiful Mess Mother Daughter Conference. Find out more HERE.

For those following our chronological New Testament Bible reading plan, today’s post kicks us off with the first suggested passage.