Liz Curtis Higgs's Blog, page 10

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #8 Flawless

It was a weird sensation, being airbrushed for a video shoot. I sat very still while a fine mist of ivory liquid swept across my skin. “Ah,” the makeup pro said at last, smiling at her work. “Flawless.”

Nice try, sister. All the Cover Girl in the world can’t hide my many imperfections—inside or out. When it comes to flawless, there’s only One place to look.

Every word of God is flawless;

   he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30:5

Every word of God… Proverbs 30:5

I love how the Bible makes this crystal clear. Not some words, not most words, but “all God’s words” (CEB) are counted here. “Everything God says” (CEV) and “every word that God speaks” (ERV) is perfect, finished, complete.

Want to know how “you can trust this” (ERV)? Because “God keeps every promise he makes” (GNT).

I don’t know a soul who has kept every promise they ever made. Not my parents, not my teachers, not my siblings, not my friends, not even my darling husband. And I hate to even think of how many times I’ve neglected to follow through on my own promises.

We all drop the ball now and again. But God? Never.

…is flawless;… Proverbs 30:5

Even the finest diamonds have flaws, but God’s Word is “pure” (CJB) and “perfect” (NIRV). We know this, not only because He says so, but also because His Word has been “tested” (NASB) and “fire tried” (DRA). Not in a blacksmith’s forge—in real life.

When fear starts to creep into my heart or skitter up my spine, I turn to His Word and read it aloud: “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you” (Isaiah 41:13). Then, I take His promise and run with it. I tell that ugly fear, “God is here.” I stand still, breathing quietly and listening intently, until I sense God’s presence, just as His Word describes.

We do our part because we desperately need Him.

He does His part because He said He would.

And because He loves us completely.

When we take God at His Word and trust what He has promised, it “proves true” (ESV) and “passes the test” (EXB), every time. Have you tried Him? Then you know: God always has your back. “He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

God might make you wait, but He never makes you wait alone. How can we be sure? Jesus said, “I am not alone, for my Father is with me” (John 16:32). God is our Father as well, beloved, and He offers the same assurance to us.

I think I just heard a huge sigh of relief. And it gets better.

…he is a shield… Proverbs 30:5

Several months ago, we learned that God is “a shield to those whose walk is blameless” (Proverbs 2:7). In Hebrew, magen means a literal “shield,” which is why the six-pointed Star of David is more properly known as the Shield of David.

Who carries shields? Soldiers. Protectors. Knights. Defenders. And God, who “guards” (NCV) us with “a shield set afire” (WYC). Wow. What enemy would dare come near a mighty God with a flaming shield?

…to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30:5

His refuge offers a “safe place” (ERV) for us. We just have to be willing to run to Him and let the Lord handle things.

This is where I get in trouble. Miss Do-It-All-By-Herself says, “I’ve got this. No problem. Here, hold my Diet Coke.”

So, let’s say I tackle a difficult email (the kind that starts out, “I don’t mean to criticize you, but…”), and I forget to consult God. My first draft sounds defensive, the second sounds petulant, until I finally turn to God for help. Only then do my words sound more like His words—compassionate and understanding—instead of grumpy and childish.

Thank you, Lord.

Still, think of all the wasted time and unnecessary teeth-grinding I could avoid, if I simply ducked behind His shield in the first place. If I said, “I trust you for the perfect words, Lord. Please show me what to say.”

Because He will. Gladly.

Who’s welcome to step behind His shield? The people who “hope in him” (DRA) and “put their trust in Him” (MEV), the ones who “come to him for safety” (CEV) and “seek his protection” (GNT).

It’s a big shield, my friend. God, the Creator of heaven and earth, is the One holding it, providing “a safe-covering” (NLV) for all who are willing to admit they need His help (yeah, that’s the hard part).

Some of us have been bruised by abuse. Broken by disappointment. Weighed down by depression. We don’t think we’re worth protecting, worth rescuing. But the Lord says of His people, “You are precious and honored in my sight” (Isaiah 43:4).

Have you been redeemed by His righteousness? Made whole by His holiness? Set free by His sacrifice? Then you can jump behind His shield, anytime. In fact, you can live there, safe and secure, the whole of your life.

Does that mean you’re weak? Oh, no.

It means you’re strong. It means you’re wise.

It means you’re His.

Heavenly Father, how comforting to know that I am never alone, never defenseless. You hide me behind Your shield. You hold my fears at bay. You keep me safe. You give me peace. 

Now it’s your turn

How does this verse from Proverbs comfort you? challenge you?

encourage you?

If you have a moment to share your thoughts, just click Post a Comment below. So appreciate it when you do! Your Printable of Proverbs 30:5 awaits you, as do all our favorite Proverbs on Pinterest.

Meanwhile, something FUN is on the horizon: Monday, November 24 join Ann Voskamp and me on Twitter as together we watch a reprise of last year’s Christmas on the Farm, while we chat with you in real time on Twitter!

All you need to do is…

Start watching the Christmas at the Farm video on your computer at 2:00pm ET (or whenever you join us)

Jump on Twitter and look under “Search” for this hashtag: #TheGreatestChristmas

Join our live, on-screen conversation, cup of tea in hand, as the Tweets fly by!

It’s BYOC—Bring Your Own Cookies—but we do have some yummy Christmas at the Farm Recipes for you to try. It’s gonna be a BLAST (especially since I’ve never Twitter Partied before!). We both have some lovely gift packages to share too.

(If Twitter isn’t your thing, not to worry. We’re trying to figure out how to party on Facebook—surely it can be done. If you receive my NewsNote, I’ll be giving away goodies there as well, plus special custom-made gifts for you here on my blog—just a small way of saying a big thank you for opening God’s Word with me each week!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

  



For friends who love getting lost in a story: A Wreath of Snow

For friends who love being inspired: The Women of Christmas

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #9 Home Construction

Can we just focus on the first half of this verse and quietly skip the second?

Sigh. You and I know that’s not how it works with Scripture.

God wants us to embrace the whole of it—the good news and the seemingly bad news. Because when we put our trust in Him? It’s always good news.

The wise woman builds her house,

   but with her own hands the foolish one

   tears hers down. Proverbs 14:1

The wise woman… Proverbs 14:1

Wise means so much more than being intelligent or educated or talented or clever. Wisdom comes from knowing God. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).

All year long we’ve been unpacking Proverbs and pursuing wisdom. It’s a female noun in Hebrew, chokmoth, paired here with ishshah, meaning “woman, wife, female.” And it’s plural— God applauds not just one wise woman, but “every wise woman” (AMP). In truth, “the wisest of women” (ESV).

That can definitely be you, beloved. Especially if you’re good at construction.

…builds her house,… Proverbs 14:1

Rather than nails and boards and concrete and roofing shingles, this is a home built with our hearts and our minds, through God’s power and God’s Spirit.

In Hebrew, bayith usually means “house,” but in this case it’s also “household.” Rather than just our physical residence, it’s everyone and everything that makes a house a sanctuary. A safe place. Home.

So, a wise and godly woman “strengthens her family” (NCV) and “makes her home what it should be” (ERV). Not a House Beautiful kind of mansion, or a Pinterest sort of place, but a love-centered, grace-filled, bursting-with-joy, covered-with-peace, don’t-mind-the-dust, kick-off-your-shoes kind of home.

And if you live by yourself in an apartment no bigger than a walk-in closet? It’s still home—your home—where people can be welcomed and God can be honored.

When I embraced the grace of God, I was a single woman with my own little urban fixer-upper. One of the first things I did was hang a really large picture of Jesus in my entrance hall.

A bit much? Maybe.

But interior design wasn’t the point. I wanted the Lord front and center in my life. I needed his loving expression to greet me when I walked in the door. I also needed His Word on my fridge, on my mirror, and on my walls—to remind me of His grace and remake me in His image.

I knew where I’d come from, and I did not want to go back.

…but with her own hands… Proverbs 14:1

Uh-oh. Here comes the word but to prepare us for the rest of the story. The ugly half.

That emphasis on “her own actions” (ERV) means she can’t blame anybody else. She made a mess of things “by her own efforts” (TLB), and did so not with good intentions, but “with her evil works” (WYC).

We’ve seen this. Fact is, a few of us have done this. We had happiness in our grasp, then threw it away, even as people around us whispered, “Fool!”

…the foolish one… Proverbs 14:1

Calling such a woman “unwise” (WYC) may soften the blow, but the fact is, she’s “stupid” (GW). Ouch.

Worse than that, the Hebrew word for “folly,” ivveleth, is also the root of the word for “evil.” A foolish woman isn’t merely careless or thoughtless or perimenopausal. She’s traveling the wrong direction, and dragging her household down with her.

The woman who turns away from God and His wisdom eventually turns her beautiful home into an abandoned ruin. If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve seen this happen—to a family member, a coworker, a friend.

Heartbreaking.

…tears hers down. Proverbs 14:1

It’s so hard to watch when ”the home of a foolish woman is destroyed” (ERV). We can shout out warnings, jump up and down, wave our arms, but without God’s goodness to keep her from sinning, “brick by brick” (MSG), she “plucks it down” (JUB) and “picks it to splinters” (VOICE).

Of all the cautionary, don’t-go-there verses in the Bible, this one hits hard because it’s directed at us, dear sisters. We have the power to build up our loved ones, and we also have the means to tear them down.

I can’t bear to end on such a grim note, so let’s circle around to the hopeful start: “Homes are made by the wisdom of women” (GNT).

If we do throw ourselves at God’s mercy, if we do give Him the keys to our hearts and homes, if we do seek His wisdom and ignore the voice of “Sir Fool” (MSG), then we can say with confidence, “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:25).

Don’t you love a happy ending?

Now it’s your turn

What’s one wise thing you could do to build up your home today?

Just click Post a Comment below. Can’t wait to see what you share! Your Printable of Proverbs 14:1 is ready to download, and you’ll find all our favorite Proverbs on Pinterest.

Only 8 verses to go in 2014! Next month, I’ll have some presents to share—a small way of saying thank you for opening God’s Word with me each week!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

  

And to celebrate this joyous season…

A story I loved sharing: A Wreath of Snow

A study I loved preparing: The Women of Christmas

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #10 Plan to Win

That old saying, “If you want to hear God laugh, show Him your plans”?

Well, honey, I’m a serious planner. A calendar keeper, a list maker, a goal setter. Which means I make the Lord absolutely LOL. Here’s why.

In their hearts humans plan their course,

   but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9

In their hearts humans… Proverbs 16:9

This is where our plans begin. Inside our “inner man,” our “mind,” our “will,” our “heart,” as the Hebrew word leb tells us. Our plans may land in a notebook or on a computer screen where we can look at them, but they begin deep within us.

“Humans” is a fine translation of adam—yes, like Adam, the first man. It can mean one man, “a person” (GW). Or all of mankind, “people” (ERV).

Let’s keep it personal. It means “you” (GNT), beloved. It means “we” (CEB).

Though not everyone has a plan, as Lewis Carroll well knew. While in Wonderland, Alice asked the Cheshire Cat…

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.

“I don’t much care where—” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

“—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.

“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat.

Indeed, we’ll all get somewhere. For most of us, we’re pretty sure that requires planning.

…plan their course… Proverbs 16:9

Some of us have a five-year plan, a ten-year plan, plus goals for each year, each month, each week, each day, each hour, each minute.

Or we may take life one day at a time, with a few scribbled notations on next week’s calendar.

Even if we don’t write things down, we often carry them in our hearts. Next week, I’m starting this. Next month, I plan to tackle that. Next year, I am getting my act together. Finally.

In Hebrew, we chashab—that is, we “devise”—our derek, our “way,” our “road” our “journey.” Not a trip across the country, but a “manner of moral action and character.”

We seek our best “path” (CEB), we sort out what we “want to do” (ERV) and how “we want to live” (MSG). We’ve got it all goin’ on. We’ve got it all figured out.

Not a thing wrong with that, as long as we understand this: we will be following a path already laid out for us by the One who knows every step we’ll take, from beginning to glorious end.

…but the Lord… Proverbs 16:9

Right. Exactly.

Whole sermons have been based on this simple phrase—my favorite biblical word, but, and the proper Hebrew name of the God of Israel, Yhvh.

Whether we call him “Adonai” (CJB) or “Yahweh” (LEB) or “Jehovah” (YLT) or “the Eternal” (VOICE), we mean the One True God.

He walks before us and behind us, on our right hand and on our left.

He provides and protects, He guides and directs.

He clears the path. He makes crooked ways straight.

His beautiful promise? “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (Psalm 32:8).

Loving eye. Such a comforting thought. He loves us. He sees us.

The Lord doesn’t wind us up like toys or pull our strings like puppets. He teaches us, counsels us, watches over us. He creates a perfect path for each of us, then helps us walk forward without stumbling or losing our way.

This is a good God. He isn’t pushing us around. He is leading us. He is carrying us. He is loving us.

God doesn’t say, “My way or the highway.”

God says, “For I know the plans I have for you” (Jeremiah 29:11).

God says, “Come, follow me” (Matthew 4:19).

…establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9

This is more than just our feet landing on pavement. The Hebrew word yakin means to “direct one’s face toward” something, in a moral and spiritual sense. And the root word means “firm”—further assurance of God’s strength.

Sometimes we may feel as though we’re wandering in the wop-wops (best Kiwi phrase ever), but if we can stop, breathe, listen…if we can whisper the words, “Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life” (Psalm 143:8), and then wait for His leading, He will show us the way.

This is God’s plan for you. His very best plan.

God “secures” (CEB) your footing, and “decides where your steps will take you” (NIRV). He not only “determines” (HCSB) your path, He also “directs your actions” (GNT), and—here’s the best part—“God makes us able to live it” (MSG).

God doesn’t say, “Good luck with that.” His love and mercy make walking in His will possible.

In her new book, Rhythms of Grace: Discovering God’s Tempo for Your Life, author Kerri Weems writes, “I want to move to Your rhythm and at Your pace so I can finish the race You have marked out for me with joy and wholeness.”

Yes, Lord. That’s it exactly.

And so we pray His Truth right back to Him: “Direct my footsteps according to your word” (Psalm 119:133). And on those days we’re afraid we might lose our footing, we remind ourselves, “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3).

You can be sure the Lord will never fail you, because His reputation is on the line. He is a God who says what He does, and does what He says. Always.

This month and every month, I’m giving thanks for a God we can trust.

Now it’s your turn

Share a particular line or verse from this week’s study that spoke to you.

(So generous, when you share your heart with us)

Your Printable of Proverbs 16:9 is easy to download, and you’ll find all our favorite verses from Proverbs on Pinterest.

A special thank you to all who are reading and studying  The Women of Christmas this holy season …

“I did this with a group of family/friends last year. Loved it!”— Nancy

“We just finished up last night…it was wonderful!” —Ashley

“ Thank you for bringing the women of the Bible to life!”—DeVonne

I hope you’ll find The Women of Christmas to be a meaningful Advent devotion. You might also gather with your girlfriends and share what God is teaching you, since the book is just right for a 4-week or 8-week study. Here’s your free Leader’s Guide, with a hug tucked inside!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

  

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #11 Fear Can Be a Good Thing

Proverbs is all about seeking wisdom, but the first step is an unexpected one: fear. Not scary costumes and frightening faces and eerie sounds (not even on October 31st!). Not agoraphobia or arachnophobia or any other phobia.

No, this is the kind of fear that makes us fall down on our faces and tremble in God’s holy presence. If we long to be spiritually smart, this is where we start.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

   and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the Lord… Proverbs 9:10

God-fearing. It’s a phrase we don’t often hear. Sounds a bit dated. Old school. We’d rather focus on loving God and being loved by Him.

Sure, that’s a good thing. But it’s not the first thing we need to learn.

This is God’s lesson plan:

“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (Psalm 34:11).
“The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever” (Psalm 19:9).
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness” (Joshua 24:14).

So, what does this kind of fear look like? “Respect”(CEV). “Awe” (EXB). “Reverence” (VOICE). We stand in wonder, we kneel in worship, we live in obedience because of our holy and humble fear of the Almighty One, because of our “dread of the Lord” (WYC).

God wants us to harbor a genuine fear of His mighty power and infinite strength. As David wrote, “If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due” (Psalm 90:11).

No one but God can rightly say, “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.” He did, beloved, and He will.

When we start to shake in our boots, we are walking in the right direction. God will show us what our healthy fear of Him produces: something wonderful, something new.

…is the beginning of wisdom,… Proverbs 9:10

Don’t you love fresh starts? A new journal, a calendar without anything scribbled on it yet, a blank To-Do list. For many of us, “the chief and choice part” (AMP) is “the start” (LEB).

Grace is all about starting over. Being washed clean, being made new. Since “his mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lamentations 3:23), we can start right now—right where we are—to show the Lord more reverence, more honor, more awe. Truth is, “if you really want to become wise, you must begin by having respect for the Lord” (NIRV).

Anytime I lose sight of just how truly powerful God is, I read three short chapters in Scripture—Job 38-41—which begins with God’s thunderous challenge to Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?”

This passage is so familiar at the Higgs house, we just remind each other, “Where were you…?” and a healthy fear of the Lord quickly stirs in our hearts. Try just these four verses, and you’ll see what I mean. Oh, my.

…and knowledge of the Holy One… Proverbs 9:10

The Hebrew word qadosh means, “sacred” or “holy.” It’s plural here, which is why some translators give us “holy things” (GNV) and “Holy Ones” (YLT), and why I’ve given you three harvest pumpkins. He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We want to know all of Him, the whole of Him, the Holy of Him. Everything our minds can handle. Everything our hearts can hold.

We not only need to “learn about” (NLV) the Lord, we truly “must know” (CEV) Him. A relationship with our Creator and Savior is deeply personal and moves way beyond head knowledge.

It took me forever to understand this.

I knew about God for the first 27 years of my life. Then I finally knew God—or rather, was known by Him. All at once, distance was replaced with intimacy. Cold indifference became Spirit-fueled adoration. “Go away!” turned into “Please don’t leave me or forsake me!”

He doesn’t. He hasn’t. He never will.

…is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

This is where fear of the Lord takes us: understanding. Our destination is a deeper “insight into life” (MSG), which inevitably “results in good judgment” (NLT). A solid foundation.

Fearing, respecting, honoring, worshiping, and reverencing God not only opens the gateway to understanding His Word and His will—it also “results in every other kind of understanding” (TLB).

Imagine it! All that goodness from putting into practice one four-letter word: fear. Not a fear that separates us from God, but a fear that draws us closer to Him.

Heavenly Father, let it never be said of us, “T here is no fear of God before their eyes” (Psalm 36:1).  When we read Your Word, fill our minds with wonder. When we see Your creation, fill our hearts with awe. When You pour out Your mercy on us, fill our souls with gratitude. You are worthy, O Lord. So very worthy.

Now it’s your turn

Psalm 96:4 reminds us, “For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.” What does “fearing God” mean to you?

I hope you’ll take a moment to Post a Comment below. A Printable of Proverbs 9:10 awaits you, as well as colorful pins for each verse we’ve studied on Pinterest.

Can I just say, THANK YOU for reading my weekly posts? For sharing them on Facebook, forwarding them to friends, tweeting about them on Twitter, and most of all, commenting on the blog itself. What a treasure your responses are to me!

Please invite others to receive my Weekly Bible Study Blog by sending them this link: http://eepurl.com/D1Acr. And why not pop over there yourself and sign up for my Monthly News Note? November’s edition is in the works!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

P.S. Here I am, reading The Pumpkin Patch Parable at our church this week. Is there anything sweeter than a child’s face alight with God’s love?

  

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #12 Looking Glass

You’ve seen her. That woman who radiates the love of Christ.

His truth glows in her eyes. His love shines through her smile.

His mercy beams through the words she speaks.

The world may or may not call her attractive.

God calls her beautiful. God calls her His.

Take a look in the mirror of His Word and see if that radiant woman might be you.

As water reflects the face,

   so one’s life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19

As water… Proverbs 27:19

This verse starts with a comparison—“just as” (CJB). Solomon is saying, Look at how these things are alike and learn.

Water can be turbulent, whipped up by the wind. Or it can be calm and placid, like the Sea of Galilee on an autumn day.

“When you look into water” (NIRV), hoping to catch a clear view of yourself, you need a surface as smooth as glass. Like a mirror.

…reflects the face,… Proverbs 27:19

Back in the day, women gazed at their reflections in polished brass (Exodus 38:8). For the poor, a basin often served as a natural “mirror” (NLV), where a woman could see her face “shine in the water” (DRA).

Today, glass coated with amalgam is the mirror of choice. That reflection you see is only a “likeness” (NIRV), not the real you, though it is your “true face” (VOICE). It’s what others see when they look at you.

But that’s not what God sees. He looks beyond our mirrored image. He looks inside our hearts and observes the things we do. “For the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed” (1 Samuel 2:30).

What does the Lord know about you that no one else knows?

What deeds of yours might He weigh and find wanting?

We won’t know the whole story until we stand in His presence. But this is a guarantee: “Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

God sees the absolute truth about who we are and what we’ve done. Even so, He loves us completely. As is. As His.

“Ta-da!” indeed.

…so one’s life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19

In other words, all the things you are—“your thoughts” (CEV), “your heart” (ERV), and “your mind” (NCV)—echo through your words and are revealed in your actions.

What you do, day to day, “reflects the kind of person you are” (ERV). Your heart shows in the way you live as a “real person” (NLT). The real Lizzie. The real Susan. The real Linda.

Standing in front of a mirror, lifting up our arms, and saying “Ta-da!” is a great way to begin the day. What we do next is even more important to the Lord.

James wrote, “For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” (James 1:23-25).

It’s God’s Word that shows us who we truly are. It convicts and counsels and comforts. It shapes and informs and guides. It reflects and reveals.

 

Mirrors also have a purpose. They help us learn how to accept the woman God created us to be. And the woman He wants us to become. This star-shaped mirror from DaySpring reminds us, “You will shine…like stars in the sky” (Philippians 2:14-15).

So, shine, beloved. Right here, right now. Hide nothing in an attempt to look good. Instead, display your true self as a way of making God look good—because He is good.

Lord Jesus, open our eyes so we can be honest with ourselves and with others. Remind us that our true beauty is designed by You. Our true worth is measured by You. Our true calling is bestowed by You. By the power of the Holy Spirit, let our lives reflect what’s in our hearts: You, Lord.

Now it’s your turn

The next time you look in a mirror, what good quality would you like to see reflected there, and why?

Please take a moment to Post a Comment below. Your insights mean the world to me and to others. As a special thank-you for leaving a comment this week, on October 28th I’ll choose one person with a U.S. address (thanks for understanding) to receive a $50 coupon code good toward DaySpring’s Everlasting Light Collection. Yes, just in time for the holidays!

As always, your Printable of Proverbs 27:19 awaits you, as well as pins to share on Pinterest. Also on Pinterest, you’ll find favorite photos and quotes for each day in October. LOVE this month!

Since I was late posting Your Favorite Proverb #12 (sigh), watch for #11 sooner rather than later. Thanks for your patience, your kindness…and your comments!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

P.S. Honored to visit Ann Voskamp’s porch this week on A Holy Experience. And if you need a good laugh, check out “Lighten Up with Liz,” featured on Focus on the Family this week.

  

Thrilled to hear about all the Bible study groups who are preparing their hearts for the holidays with our ancient sisters, Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna:

The Women of Christmas

4 weeks or 8 weeks

Free Leader’s Guide

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #13 Tongue Tied

A few times (very few), I wish I’d spoken up instead of holding back. But many times (way too many), I wish I’d held my tongue. At home. At work. On a plane. In a restaurant. At church. At a friend’s house…well, pretty much everywhere.

What happens next is seldom good. Words spoken can’t be unspoken.

We may explain, apologize, grovel, beg to be forgiven. But we can’t undo the damage we’ve already done.

Is this a challenge for you, beloved? Right there with you. Keep reading for a word of encouragement.

Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,

   but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. Proverbs 13:3

Those who guard their lips… Proverbs 13:3

World War II posters reminded Americans, “Loose lips sink ships.” Now we read on Twitter, “Loose Tweets Sink Fleets.” Either way, it’s wise counsel.

“People who are careful about what they say” (ERV) not only protect themselves; they also guard the safety and well-being of others.

In the book of Proverbs more than a hundred verses teach us about the power of our words to wound or to heal: “The words of the reckless pierce like swords [ouch], but the tongue of the wise brings healing [ahhh]” (Proverbs 12:18).

Planting this truth in my head and heart isn’t enough. I need to educate my mouth as well: “Self-control means controlling the tongue!” (TLB). Right.

Short of taping our lips shut, what can we do?

Here are two exercises that seem to be working.

Stop, look, listen, pray. I not only respond too quickly; sometimes I speak while the other person is still talking. Good grief. My current solution? Stop thinking about how I might answer. Look at their eyes, their expression, their body language. Really listen to what they’re saying. Pray before I offer a response.

When in doubt, say nothing. If you “keep what you know to yourself” (CEV), you’ll stop gossip in its tracks, remain a trustworthy friend, and save yourself and others a ton of trouble. Sometimes I have to literally press my lips together—hard—as I pray for the Lord to rescue me from possible disaster.

…preserve their lives,… Proverbs 13:3

This is God’s saving power at work. Because of His mercy and loving-kindness, the Holy Spirit helps us before we end up in deep water and drag others down with us.

Calling on Him first to zip our lips is far more effective than crying out to Him after we’re drowning in a sea of ill-spoken words.

Our verse from Proverbs promises that, if you control your mouth, “you will be safe” (CEV). Whether you picture a life preserver tossed in your direction or a safety net stretched below you or a fire escape outside your window, guarding your speech insures you will “take another breath” (VOICE) and “have a long life” (NLT).

Such a good plan.

…but… Proverbs 13:3

You’d think the assurance of safety would be enough to keep believers in line. But for some of us, “Careful words make for a careful life” (MSG) doesn’t sound very appealing.

The truth? We like a touch of adventure, a hint of danger, an element of risk. “Careful” sounds…well, boring. Timid. Too safe.

But…we think.

What if…we wonder.

Why not…we decide.

Instead of holding back our thoughts, words, or opinions, we let ’em rip.

…those who speak rashly… Proverbs 13:3

There she blows. The Hebrew word pasaq literally means “open wide.”

This photo doesn’t look like freedom of speech to me. More like a woman out of control. A “big mouth” (GW). A “careless talker” (GNT). The kind of person who “speaks without thinking” (NIRV) and “talks too much” (ISV).

Those who “open their lips” (CEB) often have a hard time closing them. With “no guard on his speech” (DRA), a person is likely to say anything.

When we’re frustrated, we blurt out words we wouldn’t normally say. And when we’re angry, we shout out words we wouldn’t even allow ourselves to think if we were feeling calm and rational.

Then what happens to us and the people we care about?

…will come to ruin. Proverbs 13:3

Families destroyed. Jobs lost. Marriages ended. Bank accounts emptied. Relationships severed.

This isn’t my inner Drama Queen talking: the Hebrew word mechittah means “terror.” The words we speak can do serious damage.

Bet you can think of a time when a sharp rebuke, a blast of vitriol became a weapon of mass “destruction” (ASV) in a household, in a friendship, in a workplace.

It’s a horrible feeling when such things happen. The minute the words explode from our mouths, we realize we’re “done for” (CEV).

Think train wreck: “calamity” (JUB), “evil” (WYC), “ruin” (LEB). This isn’t a calculated attack, meant to inflict injury. It’s a thoughtless remark, “a quick retort” (TLB), nothing more than “careless talk,” (MSG), yet it may well “ruin everything” (NLT).

Okay, now I’m nervous. Maybe we shouldn’t speak, ever. Avoid potential problems. Keep our mouths shut.

But that’s not God’s will for us. He wants us to speak.

Paul confessed, “I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). The Lord urges you and I as well to “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16), and to “speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel” (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

Speaking isn’t the problem: it’s controlling our wild and willful tongue. That’s where we need the Holy Spirit’s help.

Heavenly Father, when we open our lips, help us chose our words with care. Temper them with Your love. Fill them with Your grace. Remind us that wrong words lead to disaster, but right words offer everlasting life.

Now it’s your turn

If you’ve found a way to control your tongue, I’d love to hear it.

Take a moment to Post your Comment below. I have lots to learn on this one. I’m thinking others might too. Thanks for sharing!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

P.S. Your Printable of Proverbs 13:3 awaits you, as well as colorful pins to share on Pinterest. Also on Pinterest this month? Some of my favorite photos and quotes about this splendid season. Happy October!

  

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Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #14 The Sharpest Tool in the Shed

This week’s verse is short, sweet, and…um, sharp. Not only will we learn a bit about filing, whetting, and sanding; we’ll also discover why talking with a friend face-to-face can make all the difference.

As iron sharpens iron,

    so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron,… Proverbs 27:17

I’ve quoted this verse for years, as if I knew what I was talking about. But the truth is, I’ve never even met a blacksmith and, until today, had no idea how this sharpening business works.

Now, I do. In 20 seconds, you will too.

The Word tells us, “iron is made sharp with iron” (NLV), a process that begins with a standard metal file and an iron blade.

The iron blade is propped on a support—say, a small wooden block—then the metal file is drawn across the edge of the blade in slow, measured strokes, until a sharp, rough edge is revealed.

Next, the “iron is whetted” (WYC), using a small amount of oil on a whetstone. Rubbing the iron blade against the oiled stone smoothes away the rough edge, leaving the blade polished and sharper still.

Then, “in the same way that iron sharpens iron” (VOICE), heavy-duty sandpaper is cautiously smoothed along both sides of the iron blade’s edge. This blends the edge with the rest of the blade and makes the finished product even sharper.

Handle with care, beloved.

Sharp, pointy objects do a fine job of slicing bread for a meal. But they also can pierce our hearts and pry us open: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

The Hebrew word here, barzel, literally means “iron tool.” When we use our words like swords, we’re called to follow the Lord’s example:

Instead of cutting apart, open gently.
Instead of rubbing the wrong way, polish.
Instead of inflicting new wounds, bind old ones.

This is no wooden toy we’re swinging through the air. God’s Word is powerful. It can and will change lives. Change us. Change everything.

…so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

Not just any person. The Hebrew word rea means “friend, companion, fellow, neighbor.” Someone we know well. Someone we care about.

Our goal as believers is to hone one another, so we become sharper and more effective in our faith. People opposed to God may “sharpen their tongues like swords” (Psalm 64:3), but those of us who love Him are called to “improve each other” (NCV).

Three centuries ago, Matthew Henry said, “Wise and profitable discourse sharpens men’s wits.” Still true today. Conversation—one-on-one, eye-to-eye—accomplishes far more than texting, tweeting, leaving messages, or sending emails.

After all, our faces talk too. Eyebrows rise with surprise or furrow with confusion. Mouths smile, frown, twist. Noses wrinkle. The Hebrew word paneh means “face.” Literally, “friends sharpen each other’s faces” (CEB). We smooth away the rough spots not with sandpaper, but with truth. We “whetteth the face” (WYC) of a friend not with a stone, but with a timely word.

The end result is better “character” (CJB) and sharper “minds” (CEV). Friends are meant to encourage one another and cheer each other on, but sometimes we have to say the hard things.

Ouch.

As a new Christian, I began dating a man who I knew, deep down, was not God’s choice for me. But I was single. He was handsome. I was 30. He was available. How could this be a bad thing?

I met with a close friend to pray, fearful of what she might say. She said it anyway. “This relationship needs to end, Liz.”

It wasn’t what I wanted to hear. But it was what I needed to hear.

We prayed, we wept, then I followed her godly advice. So hard. Still, “wounds from a friend can be trusted” (Proverbs 27:6). They’re meant to help, to heal.

She told me the truth because she loved me, and because she loved the Lord, who urges us to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24).

A spiritual sparring partner: rare, wonderful, necessary.

Do you have one? Is it time for you to be one?

Now it’s your turn

How has another believer sharpened your faith?

Please take a moment to Post a Comment below. I read every one and respond whenever I can. The best reason to comment is to “spur on” one another!

I’m so glad it’s finally October. Best. Month. Ever. Thanks for sharing a few minutes with me each week!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

P.S. Your Printable of Proverbs 27:17 awaits you, as well as colorful pins to share on Pinterest.

  

Looking for a women’s Bible study to prepare everyone’s heart for the holidays?

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Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #15 Apples to Apples

Autumn. Brilliant blue skies. A crispness to the air. Vibrant shades of burnt orange, brick red, and harvest yellow. Apple cider, freshly pressed. Apple cobbler, hot from the oven. Apples dipped in caramel and rolled in nuts…

Oh my.

In celebration of Autumn, this week’s verse is short, sweet, and calorie-free. Promise.

Like apples of gold in settings of silver

    is a ruling rightly given. Proverbs 25:11

Like apples of gold… Proverbs 25:11

My husband swears by Golden Delicious. Our daughter’s a Gala girl. I’m a Winesap woman or, when they’re on sale, juicy Honeycrisp.

But this “golden apple” (ERV) in Proverbs is tasty for a different reason. It’s “precious” (CEV) and valuable, pleasing to the eye, “like a design” (GNT). Though the Hebrew word tappuach simply means “apple,” in this verse that familiar fruit is made out of zahab—pure gold.

Sink your teeth in that, and you’ll be headed for the dentist.

Instead, this proverbial golden fruit is meant to be admired, sought after, and savored. Like wisdom. Like honor. Like truth.

…in settings of silver… Proverbs 25:11

The Hebrew word keseph means “silver.” You know, coins and such. But maskith in Hebrew means a bunch of things, most of them carved images.

That’s why Bible translators were all over the map on this one. It’s either a “network of silver” (ASV) or “a silver tray” (HCSB) or something “inscribed with silver (JUB) or “a custom-made piece of jewelry” (MSG). Okay, then.

Here’s the real story: This proverb describes something “as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl” (NCV)—Matthew Henry believes this “ornament of the table” was well known in Solomon’s time—comparing it to the equally appealing dessert we find in the second half of the verse.

…is a ruling rightly given. Proverbs 25:11

It’s a fact: “the right word at the right time” (CEV) is downright delicious. When an idea is “well-expressed” (GNT) and “skillfully spoken” (NET) by someone who knows what she’s talking about, everyone looks around with a sense of satisfaction. They smile at one another, nod their heads. Yes. Well done.

Instead of argument? Agreement. Instead of dissent? Consent.

All because of an aptly chosen word.

Timing is everything. And that’s where I usually blow it.

Standing in my wedding reception line, I gushed to a close single friend, “You’ll be next!” Not very thoughtful, Liz. Who wants to be reminded at a wedding that she came alone, isn’t married, dearly longs to be, and has no prospects in sight? Groan.

A few years later, a friend who is deaf and incredibly gifted at reading lips spoke at our local Christian school. When I asked her, “Were the kids quiet for you?” she said with a straight face, “Oh, they were very quiet.” Real sharp there, Liz.

As you can see, foot-in-mouth disease is common at the Higgs house. Given time, I could easily come up with a dozen more examples of my verbal foolishness. That’s why this is my constant prayer: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

Lord, even the right word at the wrong time can damage a friendship or create problems. Guard my mouth. Teach me to think before I speak. Help me say nothing rather than something hurtful or unhelpful. Remind me to affirm others whose speech is sweet, then follow their good example. And Lord? Thanks for your unending patience.

Now it’s your turn

Since “timely advice is lovely” (NLT), when did someone bring you the right word at the right time? And how did it encourage you?

Thanks for taking a moment to Post a Comment below, knowing that your words will bless many. So glad to be spending our autumn Wednesdays together!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

P.S. Your Printable of Proverbs 25-11 awaits you, as well as colorful pins to share on Pinterest. If you haven’t checked them out yet, take a peek!

  

Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #16 What Will People Think?

Your heartfelt comments from last week’s post on Proverbs 17:22 have been overwhelming—in the best sense. Thank you for bravely sharing your own struggles, your own journeys.

As you might guess, my biggest fear was, when I revealed my experience with depression, you might think…uh…well…see, I didn’t know what you might think!

That was the scary part.

So, here comes this week’s verse (God’s perfect timing), as a gentle reminder that what people think about us can’t compare to what our Savior thinks about us.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare,

    but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25

Fear of man… Proverbs 29:25

If someone points a gun at you, fear is the right and natural response. What we’re talking about here is the “fear of human opinion” (MSG). Disparaging comments, withering looks, derisive laughter, arched eyebrows—all the unkind ways people communicate that we don’t measure up, that we have EPIC FAIL stamped on our foreheads.

When we’re on the receiving end of judgmental opinions, our response is often “anxiety” (EXB). The Hebrew word charadah describes it as “trembling violently.” Serious business.

However much we pretend people’s opinions don’t matter to us, they do matter—maybe because we’re looking in the wrong direction for approval. That’s why it’s “dangerous to be concerned with what others think” (GNT).

What if they think terrible things about us? Or (horrors!) what if they don’t think about us at all?

Fear becomes a ball and chain around our hearts.

A trap without a release. A cage without a door.

…will prove to be a snare,… Proverbs 29:25

When we fear what others think of us, we become “trapped” (CEB). We do things that make us look good, rather than things that are good. We care about pleasing people, instead of pleasing the Lord.

The Hebrew word moqesh, meaning “a bait or lure,” is often used about idols  (Psalm 106:36) and false gods (Deuteronomy 7:16). We do not want to go there.

Putting too much stock in the opinions of others can definitely get us “into trouble” (EXB), because (you know this) people are never truly pleased or fully appeased. Whatever we do for them, and however well we perform, they still won’t give us what our hearts need most: love, peace, assurance, and a “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21).

People-pleasing efforts “disable” (MSG) us. They make us less hopeful, less useful, and definitely less joyful. They keep us from sharing our love for God because (truth?) we’re not walking in love—we’re walking in fear.

Paul learned this the hard way, then shared his lesson with us: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

The phrase still trying tells us Paul went that route at some point in his life, perhaps before he knew the Lord, or in the early years of his ministry. Finally, he got over himself. Got over pleasing others. Got his head on straight about what matters. And Who matters.

Following Paul’s example, we can turn away from the death trap of public opinion, and turn to the One worth trusting, worth pleasing.

….but whoever trusts in the Lord… Proverbs 29:25

In this verse, the word but gets us ready for good news: the joy of no longer fretting over, “What will people think?”

The word whoever is an open door. Walk through, beloved. This promise is for anyone who “leans on, trusts in, and puts his confidence in the Lord” (AMP).

All those things we long for from other people? The Lord can and will provide. Not applause, which builds our pride, but acceptance, which brings us peace. Not to be popular, which has little value, but to be loved, one of His richest gifts to us.

On the days when trust wanes and fears rise, see if speaking these truths aloud might restore your confidence in our trustworthy God:

“I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.’” (Psalm 91:2)

“In God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:11)

“Those who know your name trust in you,

    for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10)

…is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25

The word safe is full of images, full of memories, old and new. Holding hands with my father at the Lititz Springs Park. Hiding beneath my bedcovers with a flashlight, reading Nancy Drew. Curling up on our couch last night with my hubby and kitties, watching The Roosevelts on PBS.

Safe. Warm. Familiar.

We’ve met this Hebrew word sagab before. It’s translated “safe,” but it literally means “to be inaccessibly high.” Out of the enemy’s reach. “Protected” (HCSB) and utterly “secure” (CEB). “Lifted up” (JUB), well “above danger” (CJB).

David not only wrote the following words by the Holy Spirit’s leading, he also knew them to be true from personal experience: “The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life” (Psalm 121:7).

Lord, we believe this with our whole hearts. Can you help us demonstrate this with our whole lives? We choose to trust Your opinion, rather than letting people’s opinions define us. When others try to bring us down, we will turn to You to lift us up.

Now it’s your turn

How can we rest in God’s opinion, rather than always fearing what people will think?

Please take a moment to Post a Comment below. I read and cherish each one, and respond when I can. Your words will encourage many.

So glad you’re here today. Thanks for investing time in studying God’s Word with me!

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

P.S. Your Printable of Proverbs 29:25 awaits you, as well as colorful pins to share on Pinterest.

  

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Your 50 Favorite Proverbs: #17 Good Medicine

I still can’t believe Robin Williams is gone from this world. But I well understand, at a deeply personal level, what desperation and a sense of hopelessness can lead to.

The truth? Being happy has nothing to do with money or fame, and everything to do with the heart.

A cheerful heart is good medicine,

    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17: 22

For years, I quoted this week’s verse while watching audiences experience the healing power of laughter. To be honest, I only shared the first half of the verse. The happy bit: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (KJV). Yes, it does.

Then you voted for Proverbs 17:22 as one of your favorites, and I had to consider the second half of the verse. The serious bit: “…but a broken spirit drieth the bones” (KJV).

Have I experienced that brokenness? Yes, I have.

Perhaps you have as well. Keep reading, beloved.

A cheerful heart… Proverbs 17: 22

We’ll start with the happy part, the good news. The Hebrew word sameach means “joyful, merry.” Not necessarily LOL, just having “a glad heart” (NLV).

It’s Christmas morning, with gifts tucked under a glistening tree. It’s Mother’s Day, surrounded by children and grandchildren. It’s a graduation ceremony, with mortar boards tossed into the air. It’s happily ever after, when the bride and groom kiss.

Those moments might not make you laugh, but they’ll definitely make you smile, maybe even tear up. A warm glow fills you like a candle, burning inside the place the Hebrew language calls lebh—your “inner man.”

It’s not the physical heart beating inside your chest that makes you cheerful.

It’s a state of mental health. It’s a “joyful mind” (DRA).

In a word, it’s “happiness” (ERV).

…is good medicine,… Proverbs 17: 22

Like an invisible vitamin, cheerfulness “works healing” (AMP) in your body. You begin to realize “you feel good” (CEV). Invigorated. Stronger. In “good health” (GNV).

The “curative balm” (VOICE) that happiness provides isn’t your imagination working overtime. It’s the Lord working full time. It’s the Great Physician providing gehah—in Hebrew, “a healing, a cure.”

The benefits of being joyful are countless. Your blood pressure goes down, your ability to fight infection goes up, and the face you present to the world has fewer frown lines.

…but…  Proverbs  17: 22

This little word is the hinge on which many proverbs turn. When bad news comes first, the word but gives us hope that good news will follow.

In this verse?

But tells us there is a great deal more to the story.

…a crushed spirit… Proverbs 17: 22

Can you feel the weight of it, pressing on her shoulders? on yours?

When our spirit is crushed, our eyes give us away. Even if we’re smiling, people can see the pain and sadness inside. There’s a lack of sparkle, a dullness in our gaze.

Despite our best efforts, “sorrow” (ERV) can’t be hidden. “Depression” (GW) can’t be ignored. A “broken spirit” (ASV) can’t be easily mended with a word or two.

“Lighten up!” “Snap out of it!” “C’mon, get happy!”

These are not helpful comments for someone with “a downcast spirit” (LEB). If a loved one—if you, dear friend—feel “gloomy all the time” (GNT), it will take more than a funny story, a humorous cartoon, or a clever one-liner to bring back your joy.

If laughter alone had the power to save us, Robin Williams would still be alive.

…dries up the bones. Proverbs 17: 22

In Hebrew, yabesh means “withered.” Yes. That’s it. Withered.

Depression “is a disease” (ERV) that “dries you up” (NIRV). It “drains your strength” (EXB), until “you hurt all over” (CEV) and are left “bone-tired” (MSG).

Depression is a “slow death” (GNT).

September 10th was World Suicide Prevention Day. In an open letter to Robin Williams, psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow describes what depression looks and feels like, and what can and should be done for someone who is suffering, often in silence.

Please note, he does use one expletive (even with a *star*, the word is obvious), but in every other way Dr. Ablow’s letter is spot on and well worth reading.

I especially applaud his closing thoughts: “It is not too late for the millions suffering with major depression. No, it is never too late when the enemy relies entirely on deception to do its dark work.”

We know that enemy. He has a name. The adversary, the father of lies, the enemy of our souls “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Depression is one of his favorite weapons, perhaps because it’s often wrapped in fear and shame. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 121 million people worldwide have some form of depression.

Depression is physical, mental, emotional, biological, spiritual, and chemical.

Depression is real.

Is there any hope?

Yes. Depression is treatable. If you or someone you love suffers from depression…

You are not alone.
Depression is not your fault.
Your loving Savior can help you take back your life.
He may use counselors or physicians or medicines to do so.

Oh, my. This post took a more serious turn than I expected. I wasn’t planning on telling you that I was diagnosed in April with clinical depression. Or that I’m on medication now.

Your ever-joyful Lizzie, who has loved Jesus for three decades? Yes.

Why even mention it? Because I love you. If my admission gives you the courage to seek professional help, then praise God.

I will leave any additional advice to those who are qualified, but may I just say this? There is zero shame in taking an antidepressant. It’s not a crutch for weak people. And it doesn’t mean you don’t trust God.

If your body needs more serotonin, then swallow your pride and swallow the pill your doctor prescribes for you. Don’t let the fear of “What will people think?” keep you from getting the help you need.

When our minds and bodies are no longer fighting against us, then joy has a chance to settle into our bones and begin the healing process.

True joy is knowing God, and being known by Him. True joy is surrendering to His will and letting Him use every means at His disposal to rescue us from darkness and bring us into the light.

He has rescued me. He has rescued many.

Job, who suffered great losses, wrote with confidence, “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy” (Job 8:21).

David, who regularly poured out his fears and sorrows, nonetheless told the Lord, “You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).

Jesus, even knowing the cross waited for Him, assured his followers, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).

That’s my prayer for you today, beloved: complete joy and freedom in Christ.

Now it’s your turn

Has God whispered something you needed to hear in this week’s study?

I hope you’ll Post a Comment below, if only to let people know they are not alone. What matters far more is that you share the truth with your family, with your doctor, and above all, with the Lord, who wants His people well and whole.

Please know, I sensed His leading as I wrote this post, and am trusting Him to use everything for the good of those who love Him. As I’ve often said, it doesn’t matter what you think of me. It only matters what you think of Jesus.

Your grateful sister, Liz

@LizCurtisHiggs #50Proverbs

P.S. As always, your Printable of Proverbs 17:22 awaits you, as well as two new pins to share on Pinterest. God bless you, today and always.