May 16 – Selected Texts

2 Corinthians 12

7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

Job 6

4The arrows of the Almighty are in me,

my spirit drinks in their poison;

God’s terrors are marshaled against me.

Genesis 39

2The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

3When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,

21the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

22So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.

23The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Genesis 45

4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!

5And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.

6For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping.

7But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

Genesis 50

19But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

20You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Unwanted Gifts

Have you received gifts at Christmas time, or on your birthday, that you don’t need or don’t like? You’re thankful for the kind thought but the gift is not something you want, and you don’t know what to do with it.

Paul’s unwanted gift was a painful thorn to keep him from plunging into pride. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh (2 Cor. 12:7). Who gave him that thorn? The subject isn’t mentioned. The tense of the verb is passive. Something is being done to Paul. Putting verse 7 into context, it is almost certainly God who is gifting the thorn. In verses 1-6, Paul talks about visions he received from the Lord 14 years ago. God carried Paul up to heaven and it is this same God that gave Paul his thorn.

Yet it’s more complex than that. Satan is involved as we will see in the next devotional. The thorn or spear is delivered by a messenger of Satan. This messenger or angel of Satan is wounding Paul, and in the process, tormenting him. The biblical narrative about Job gives us a glimpse into a cosmic dimension in human suffering. God permits Satan to go so far, but no further. The Book of Job is a brilliant way of teaching that nothing happens outside God’s plan. God doesn’t will evil things. He always works for the good of his followers, even when they experience painful thorns, or what Job calls the arrows of the Almighty (Job 6:4).

The overarching theme of Scripture is that God is sovereign. He is in complete control of everything, the good and the bad. Nothing blindsides him. For example, the extended story about Joseph in Genesis 37-50 underlines that. It’s as if Joseph stumbles from one hurtful experience into another. Just when things seem to be going well for him, something even worse happens. Yet the recurring phrase in those chapters is that the LORD was with Joseph (Genesis 39).

Toward the end of his life, Joseph was given clarity on what was really happening when he hit trough after trough of human suffering. To his hurtful brothers, he said, You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:19, 20). He said, in effect, “This was God, not just you. I know you wanted to hurt me, and you did. But God was working everything out for our family and the good of the whole nation. He is the sovereign architect.”

Here are three things to reflect on as you wrestle with this mystery. First, if you are experiencing the blowtorch of suffering right now, resist trying to unravel why God has sovereignly allowed this to happen. Second, in the spirit of the Psalms of Lament, come to God with your questions. Lay them out before him. Be bold. Be honest. Third, if by faith you can, say to God, “I receive this as a gift from you. It wouldn’t be my choice. I don’t understand it now, but I accept it.”

Impossible? In many ways it is. Yet listen to God’s whisper: “My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in your perplexity. My strength is available, even though this gift is the last thing you ever wanted.”

Write out or verbalize a prayer in response to these unwanted gifts.

We would like to thank Gracecity Church for providing this plan.

May 15 – Selected Texts

2 Corinthians 12

1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.

3And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—

4was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.

5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.

6Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

Psalm 131

A song of ascents. Of David.

1My heart is not proud, Lord,

my eyes are not haughty;

I do not concern myself with great matters

or things too wonderful for me.

2But I have calmed and quieted myself,

I am like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child I am content.

3Israel, put your hope in the Lord

both now and forevermore.

2 Chronicles 26

15In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defenses so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.

16But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.

The Pride Factor

When Paul says, Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited I was given a thorn in my flesh, we have the first window into one of the purposes of our fleshly thorns: God is at work on our character. It reminds us that the work of God in us is more important than his work through us.

In one sense the Apostle had every reason to be prideful. He had been transported into the third heaven and heard unimaginable things. If you were graced with “visions and revelations” like Paul, would you have been dying to tell a few friends about it? Paul was reticent to say anything about it. Yet the sin behind all sins was lurking there, always ready to pounce. The gift of this thorn in Paul’s flesh was a constant reminder from God that he needed to stay away from the sin behind all sins. In every chapter of our lives, and in every aspect of our discipleship journey, pride is our strongest opponent, and humility is our dearest friend.

How prideful are you? Consider these symptoms:

• You don’t think you struggle with pride. Maybe others, not you.
• You overstate your abilities or massively understate them to receive praise.
• You feed on the praise of others and feel sick when no one comments on your performance.

Would you describe yourself as humble or prideful? It’s tricky because if you say, “Oh I’m a rather humble person,” you just lost it. Would your closest friends describe you as humble? Even that is difficult to answer as it is easier to spot pride in others than ourselves. To probe even deeper, how would God view you—prideful or humble?

King David answers that question in Psalm 131. At first reading, his opening line, My heart is not proud, LORD, my eyes are not haughty sounds prideful. That is until you realize he is talking to God, not others, about his heart, his ambitions, and his projects. David was saying, “Lord you know all about me. As I write this, my heart is not proud.” What would you say to God, right at this moment? Reflect on the pride factor in your life and ministry.

How do we overcome pride? Psalm 131:2 tells us how David worked on it. He talks to himself: But I have calmed and quieted myself. It’s as if he is saying, “Soul, stop being so prideful. Calm down, Settle down.” Then he describes what happens when he does that. He becomes like a weaned child with his mother. No longer striving. No longer fussing. Just happily by his mother’s side.

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, the way God dealt with Paul’s prideful heart, was to give him a thorn in his flesh. It reminded him how weak he was. Why? It was something he couldn’t control. He couldn’t fix it. He was unable to. Paul was learning contentment by running into God’s always-adequate arms of grace.

Maybe say this prayer or verbalize your own prayer, in response to the way God is shaping your character by the irritating and painful experiences you are going through:

Most high and exalted God,

you have said that you live in a high and holy place,

but also with people who are contrite and lowly in spirit.

That’s me today.

I confess my pridefulness in the way I compare myself with others.

Thank you for uncovering my prideful heart.

I’m grateful for any reminders that you are shaping me

to be more like your Son, my humble and lowly Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

We would like to thank Gracecity Church for providing this plan.

May 14 – Selected Texts

2 Corinthians 12

7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

2 Corinthians 11

23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.

24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.

25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,

26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.

27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

John 16

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Lamentations 3

12He drew his bow

and made me the target for his arrows.

13He pierced my heart

with arrows from his quiver.

James 1

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

1 Peter 5

10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Our Painful Thorns

As we’ve seen, the Apostle Paul had a painful thorn in the flesh that wouldn’t go away. The reality is that all of us have thorns. I know I do. Sometimes these are irritating like a rosebush thorn. At other times they are debilitating, more akin to a dagger or spear. Author and pastor Timothy Keller put it this way: “Suffering is everywhere, unavoidable, and its scope often overwhelms.”

We are all in a sense, sufferers, but not all of us experience the extremity of human pain. Pain doesn’t happen in the abstract. It is personal and screams for our attention. None of us is immune, whether they involve wounds like the agony of betrayal, the tentacles of cancer, the frustration of loss, or countless other disappointments. “Pain is not the islands of our lives but the ocean;” says Dane Ortlund, “disappointments or letdown is the stage on which all of life unfolds, not an occasional blip on an otherwise comfortable and smooth life.”

Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:7 talks about a singular thorn in the flesh, but in 11:24-28, he chronicles multiple painful episodes. As I prepared to write The Point of Your Thorns, I asked friends, “What is your thorn in the flesh?” How would you have answered that? It turned out that most had multiple painful thorns, not just one.

Bible characters like Job, and Jeremiah, had numerous physical, emotional, and relational thorns. Job endured tragic family deaths, agonizing sores all over his body, and unrelenting accusations from his “friends.” The Prophet, Jeremiah, in Lamentations 3:13, describes his thorns as arrows from God’s quiver. Not one, but many.

Jesus, in John 16:33, reminded his disciples that in the world they would experience multiple troubles, but that this need not paralyze them, because he had overcome the world. That’s similar to what Jesus said to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 – my grace is overwhelmingly adequate and unfailingly available for every one of your debilitating thorns.

As you consider the pain of your thorns, reflect on three elements of Paul’s thorn in the flesh.

1. For him, it was a pain that wouldn’t go away.
2. It was suffering that reminded him how weak he was.
3. It was a pain that had the potential to drive him into God’s all-sufficient arms of grace.

How do those three elements relate to your own thorns?

May 13 – Selected Texts

2 Corinthians 12

7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

Galatians 4

13As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you,

14and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.

15Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

Galatians 6

11See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

2 Corinthians 11

12And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.

13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.

14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

15It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Numbers 33

55“ ‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live.

56And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.’ ”

2 Corinthians 11

23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.

24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.

25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,

26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.

27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

30If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

32In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.

33But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

Philippians 4

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Paul’s Painful Thorn

Before we uncover some of our own painful thorns, it’s helpful to ask, “What did the Apostle Paul mean by the expression thorn in my flesh? (2 Cor. 12:7) Numerous commentators have speculated about what this thorn might have been. This devotional makes no claim to uncover a definitive answer. I’m intrigued by the thought that Paul was being deliberately ambiguous. If he had been more specific, those of us with a different painful thorn might conclude this passage has little bearing on our lives.

Whatever this thorn was, it was extremely painful to Paul. Thorn is the Greek word skolops meaning “what is pointed,” such as a spear or fishing hook, or rosebush thorn. If he had to cry out to God to remove it on three separate occasions, it must have been substantial, not a minor irritation.

Paul said the thorn was in his flesh, which might mean embedded in his body. Some speculate that he had a recurring sickness like Malta fever or epilepsy. Others, that he had serious eye problems. In Galatians 4:13-15 he talks about his illness, and that the believers in those churches would have torn out their eyes and given Paul theirs. He even refers to writing with very large letters in chapter 6:11. I used to dismiss the theory of Paul’s thorn being failing eyesight until I lost most of my sight in my left eye due to glaucoma. The possibility of going blind would be more like a javelin to me than a mere splinter.

If you have a recurring illness, to what extent is it an unbearable thorn in your life?

Another possibility is that Paul was referring to painful people in his life. Even in our day, when we use the phrase “pain in the neck,” we are usually talking about annoying people, not arthritis in the neck! In 2 Corinthians 11:12-15, Paul refers to a group of false apostles as Satan’s servants. They were his opponents who belittled him and were teaching another gospel (Galatians 1:6,7). The idea that this thorn refers to difficult people harmonizes with Numbers 33:55-56 which talks about painful folk who are like barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides.

Might Paul have been referring to extreme anxiety? In 2 Corinthians 11:23-33 he gives a catalogue of traumatic experiences: beaten to a pulp, shipwrecked three times, pummeled with rocks, and on the run for his life. He certainly was a prime candidate for traumatic stress disorder. Yet in Philippians 4:6 his clarion call is to stop being anxious about anything.

Whether Paul’s thorn was relational, emotional, or physical, one thing we can be certain of is that God’s grace, his unmerited strength, was no mere trickle in his life, it was abundant and always available.

• If you have a recurring illness, to what extent is it an unbearable thorn in your life?
• In what ways are you experiencing relational pain that feels more like a dagger than a rosebush thorn?
• To what extent are you paralyzed by intense anxiety? Why?

Take this as an opportunity to write or express a prayer that relates to Paul’s thorn in his flesh and yours.

We would like to thank Gracecity Church for providing this plan.

May 12 – 2 Corinthians 12; 1 Corinthians 15; Psalm 23

2 Corinthians 12:7-9

7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

1 Corinthians 15:9-10

9For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Abundant Grace

As we meditate on the pain and purpose of the thorn in the flesh that the Apostle Paul was given, a good place to start is the more than adequate grace of God. It’s a good and wise starting point because focusing on the pain of our thorns can be overwhelming. We might be like Peter on Lake Galilee, sinking because he focused on the waves, not on the Master of the waves.

Pause for a moment today and reflect on God’s all-sufficient grace from 2 Corinthians 12:9.

My grace: it is God’s undeserved strength that was available to Paul and is poured into us by the Holy Spirit.

is sufficient: God’s grace is lavish. There is an abundant supply, a never-ending store, an overflowing measure. God is not saying to you today, “My grace will help you to scrape through.” He’s underlining that his grace is more than enough for every challenge you face.

John 1:16 captures the endless supply of this grace: Out of his [Christ’s] fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. When we stand at the edge of the ocean of God’s grace, wave upon wave of his blessings come splashing onto our shores. They are endless.

That’s what Psalm 23 so beautifully describes—a life in which we lack for nothing that really matters. He says: The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Because the LORD is his shepherd the psalmist receives: more than sufficient surroundings (green pastures and quiet waters); more than adequate healing for his broken soul (he restores my soul); more than enough protection and in the process, elimination of fear (even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me); more than generous, banquet-like provisions (you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies); and this abundant grace, divine goodness, and endless love pursue him to the end of his days and into eternity (surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever).

Before we plumb the pain of our thorns in the flesh in the rest of this devotional, accept the timeless reassurance of these words. My grace is sufficient for you…God’s grace is individualized. It was for Paul; it is for you.

• Consider writing or verbalising a prayer as your response to this abundant grace.
• Or use this prayer:

Heavenly Father, please pour your more than adequate grace into me today.

Lord Jesus, I long for more and more of the waves of your completely sufficient grace.

Holy Spirit, I confess my weakness, my inadequacy, and as I experience painful thorns, I ask you to infuse me with the strength I need, not just to scrape through,

but to rejoice in my weaknesses.

Blessed Holy Trinity, I worship you.

Amen.

We would like to thank Gracecity Church for providing this plan.

May 11 – Proverbs 22; Matthew 26

Proverbs 22:28

28Do not move an ancient boundary stone

set up by your ancestors.

Matthew 26:33

33Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

Matthew 26:69-70

69Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

70But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

Boundaries and gut feelings

“Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors.” (Proverbs 22:28, NIV)

I could have made some very different choices in my music career. I could’ve signed very lucrative record contracts. But I have set limits for myself, limits that you could simply call “gut feelings.”

These gut feelings didn’t just appear. They have developed through my personal relationship with Jesus, my daily communion with Him. Through this time spent together, I’ve come to know in my heart that He wants the best for me, so I’ve often turned down tempting offers because I felt a boundary inside.

Keeping boundaries isn’t always easy. Simon Peter had also set a boundary for himself: “Peter replied, ‘Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.'” (Matthew 26:33, NIV) But when Jesus was on trial and Peter’s worst apprehensions became reality, he shifted his boundary and denied knowing Jesus. (see Matthew 26:69-70) How terrible. How disappointing. It must have torn Peter apart. Thankfully, he reset that boundary.

Have you consciously set limits for yourself? Especially in your areas of weakness, it is very important that you set boundaries before you’re in danger of crossing them.

Do you find it difficult not to complain when others speak negatively? Then decide ahead of time that when they do, you’ll get up and leave.

Perhaps you watch too many Netflix series and don’t get to bed early enough? Then set limits on your screen time.

Does it feel like love is waning in your marriage? Then remember your promise of “till death do us part,” and hold fast to that boundary.

Godly boundaries protect you from hurting yourself and others.

Yes, setting boundaries can be difficult! But through your personal relationship with Jesus, your communion with Him, it’s absolutely possible. 🙂 And do you know what? He wants to help you honor Him and yourself and keep those boundaries!

I encourage you to prayerfully ask the Lord today: which boundaries should you set, and which ones do you perhaps need to put back into place?

You are a miracle!

We would like to thank Jesus.net for providing this plan.

May 10 – Mark 8

Mark 8:36-37

36What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

37Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

What if you said “no”?

The withdrawal of 24-year-old artistic gymnast Simone Biles from the all-around team final at last year’s Tokyo Olympics caused quite a stir. Perhaps you followed some of the news coverage of her decision. During an interview, Simone explained her mental struggle by saying, “Since I have no idea where I am in the air, I also have NO idea how I’m going to land. Or what I’m going to land on. Head/hands/feet/back…”

Because of these concerns, she set a boundary, a limit, to protect herself and her teammates, too. We’re not talking about an easy decision here—at the end of the day, Olympic medals were at stake. She had spent a lifetime training for this moment.

After all was said and done, what did you think of her decision? I personally am very happy this young gymnast received so much encouragement from all sides for her courageous choice. She herself said, “I didn’t expect this.”

Maybe there’s also something in your life that you should say “no” to, something you should back away from. Perhaps it doesn’t even belong in your life anymore, but you’re afraid of what others might say if you set a boundary.

“‘And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?'” (Mark 8:36-37, NLT)

Like Simone Biles, perhaps right now you’re feeling uncontrolled somewhere up in the air, unsure of how or where you’ll land. If so, then it’s high time to set a boundary! I encourage you to take an important step back today. Consider the potential your decision has to impact you and those around you in a positive way.

YOU are worth it! 🙂

You are a miracle!

We would like to thank Jesus.net for providing this plan.

May 9 – Psalm 27

Psalm 27:14

14Wait for the Lord;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the Lord.

Have you allowed yourself to process?

Oh, how excited I was to finally get the smartphone I’d wanted for so long! I quickly prepared everything to transfer the data from my old phone to the new one, but then when the process started, it didn’t go nearly as fast as I’d expected. For what felt like an eternity, all I saw on my screen was “transfer in progress.” I asked myself, “Is this right? Isn’t something else supposed to be happening here?” I also briefly considered whether or not I should abort the process. When I asked a friend, he said, “That’s absolutely normal. There’s a lot happening in the background, and it takes time.”

Then it clicked for me. How often does a significant event happen in our lives—a wonderful evening, a tragic incident, or a nostalgic reunion—and we just move on without fully processing it? Without taking the time to properly “transfer” it into our hearts? In Judaism, for example, after someone passes away, the bereaved sits on the floor or a low chair for the first seven days. Seven days! Time is set aside to process what has happened.

If you take time like this when it’s needed, you will ultimately gain time.

I encourage you to consider when you last took the time to process something significant that happened in your life. Only you can set this kind of boundary, and it’s very important! In moments like these, please don’t cancel the transfer process, even if you feel like nothing is happening. Allow yourself to stay in God’s presence while the process is underway:

“Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart…” (Psalm 27:14,)

Meanwhile, as you trust Him, God will help you fully process what you’ve experienced and rightly settle it in your heart. You’ll then be able to go on with strength and courage!

The miracle often happens in the background, as you wait on the Lord! 🙂

You are a miracle!

We would like to thank Jesus.net for providing this plan.

May 8 – Psalm 34; Matthew 6

Psalm 34:10

10The lions may grow weak and hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Matthew 6:33

33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

I “should” be…

“I should be going over the flow of my evening performance right now. A few people are urgently waiting for me to respond to their emails, so I should respond. I should also make that quick call to my insurance company…” Should, should, should…

But instead, I was sitting backstage and had opened the Bible to be with the Lord and ask Him what He was up to. At that moment, my eyes fell upon the following verse:

“…those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” (Psalm 34:10, NIV)

Reading this verse touched me very much because honestly, there was so much to do! In particular, I wanted to plan more details for my upcoming performance. But I also knew that the evening could only be a blessing if I didn’t overlook what was most important: seeking the Lord.

Take a moment to allow this verse to really sink in: “…those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” What “good” might you be missing right now?

That afternoon, I personally was missing a full night’s sleep; good ideas for the evening’s performance; and helpful feedback for solving the problems waiting for me at home.

But what does this verse say again? What are we to do so that we lack no good thing? Yes, “seek the Lord.” It almost sounds too simple to be true! Yet it is true. Have you already planned time in your daily life to seek the Lord, or are you still caught in neverending “should”s?

Today, before tackling all your other responsibilities, I encourage you to say “I choose to seek You, Lord, first!” Set a boundary so your “should”s don’t crowd out your time with the Lord. When you do, you will see your everyday life in a totally different light!

I can reassure you of this: it is absolutely worth it. That evening of my concert, I didn’t go on stage with a perfectly thought-out plan, but I did go on stage with my mind and heart close to Him. I was then able to love and minister to others much more effectively! 🙂

I pray this promise resonates in your heart today: as you seek first His Kingdom, all the rest will be added unto you as well! (see Matthew 6:33)

You are a miracle!

We would like to thank Jesus.net for providing this plan.

May 7 – Mark 6

Mark 6

32So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

34When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

35By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late.

36Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

37But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

38 “How many loaves do you have?”he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

39Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.

40So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

41Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.

42They all ate and were satisfied,

43and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.

44The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

45Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.

48He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them,

49but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out,

50because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

51Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,

52for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

How is your work-life balance?

When you lie in bed at night, where does your mind go? Do the thoughts that have been subconsciously stressing you out all day start to emerge? I know this feeling all too well, so I’d like to share a Bible story with you today that has really helped me.

Yesterday, we talked about Jesus telling His disciples to take a break in the midst of their busyness: “So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” (Mark 6:32, NIV)

Shortly afterwards, Jesus fed 5,000 men plus many women and children that were with them (see Mark 6:34-44), and His disciples helped distribute and clean up. After this “job,” Jesus again instructed His disciples to take a break: He sent them ahead by boat so they could rest while He dismissed the crowds. (see Mark 6:45)

If anyone taught proper work-life balance, it was Jesus!

Jesus then saw His disciples struggling on the stormy sea, fighting the headwind, and could’ve thought to Himself, “I wanted them to do nothing for once. Why are they fighting My battles?” But in His love, He chose to walk to them—on the water—and climbed into their boat. The storm immediately subsided. (see Mark 6:48-51)

Jesus knew a storm was coming. He had also told them He would follow! Near the end of this chapter, His Word tells us that “Their minds were closed, and they could not understand the true meaning of the loaves of bread.” (Mark 6:52, CEV)

God tells us to rest so that we can be refreshed. So when you lie in bed at night, you don’t have to worry about tomorrow…He already knows about your storms.

Remember, God can arrange everything without you worrying about anything.

Trust Him. 🙂 Let’s pray together…“I let go, Jesus. I choose to rest and let You fight this battle for me. Thank You for Your help. In Your powerful name, amen.”

You are a miracle!

We would like to thank Jesus.net for providing this plan.