Accepting God’s Will - Martin Wiles

Kings’ daughters are among your noble women. At your right side stands the queen, wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir! 

~Psalm 45:9 NLT

Being told to submit wasn’t as easy as the process itself.

Like most children, I chafed at times under my parents’ authority. I accepted that they were always right, but as I got older, I questioned some of their rules and regulations. Dad was a preacher, but how did that relate to my being forced to go to church? And there were occasions when I was convinced my parents were wrong, yet they never apologized when I brought it up. During my period of rebellion and questioning, I tired of hearing, “As long as your feet are under my table, you’ll do as I say.” Though the hippie within me often rose up, I accepted their will until I moved out.

The Bible is filled with stories of individuals who willingly and unwillingly accepted God’s will. God told Noah to build a large boat, and he did. He told Abraham to leave his hometown, and he did. He commanded Jonah to preach to the Ninevites, but he ran. He instructed Samuel to anoint David as the next king of Israel, and he did. Now David was that king because he accepted God’s will.

That some choose to rebel against God’s will enforces what the Bible teaches. God has given us free will. He is sovereign and has decreed certain things will happen, but in some unexplainable way, we still have the freedom to make choices that take us away from his plan.

Though God allows us to refuse His will, he encourages us to accept it. His will is best. Choosing him over Satan is wise, as is choosing heaven over hell. Choosing the abundant life he offers is better than choosing the temporary pleasures of sinful activities. As his child, when we choose to depart from his will, he sends conviction along with discipline. For Jonah, it was three days inside a large fish’s stomach.

Accepting God’s will takes intentionality. Our sinful, fleshly nature prompts us to go the other way. And God’s will often takes us away from the comfortable and familiar, as it did Abraham and Moses. Yet, it’s better to be uncomfortable and anxious and be in God’s will than to remain where we are and miss his blessings.

When you discover God’s will for your life, accept it and leave the consequences to God.

Father, make your will known to me, and then give me the courage to accept it. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Life’s Best Comforter - Martin Wiles

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3 NLT

My wife and I are now the matriarch and patriarch of our family.

My youngest brother and I discussed the concept not long ago. Although our mom is still living, her Alzheimer’s keeps her from managing her affairs, leaving me as her POA to take that responsibility. And meaning that her three boys are the patriarchs of their respective family branches.

I remember the sorrow I felt when my father died, but at least I had my mother left. When she’s gone, there will be no parents left. My wife’s parents are gone, as are her two older brothers. The day has approached when our children and grandchildren must look to us, as we did to our parents. How we’ll handle the last parent dying, I’m not sure.

According to Paul, God is life’s best comforter, and he needed comforting. Since trusting Christ as his Savior, he had faced turmoil and trials. They hounded him like dogs on a rabbit’s trail. Beatings, stonings, jail time. He faced them all. Yet he found comfort in knowing that God was in control and that he was doing God’s will.

God hasn’t changed roles. As he comforted Paul, he comforts us. And not only when we lose a loved one, but also as we face daily life’s challenges. Paying attention to how God comforts us helps us be better comforters.

God’s comfort never runs out, nor does he tire of giving it. Giving comfort to others can be taxing and drain our emotions. God can handle the task, for he is all-powerful. Nothing we face is too difficult for him to know how to comfort us.

Comforting others is often inconvenient. Jesus’ ministry was filled with interruptions from others. When we choose to comfort others, we, too, will have to deal with being inconvenienced. Death, accidents, and broken relationships never happen at a convenient time.

Comforting others takes time we could use for something else, perhaps something more enjoyable. True comfort is more than shooting someone a text or email. Or posting a prayer comment on their Facebook post. It involves hands-on activities when possible.

While comforting others is time-consuming, doing so brings us comfort. God designed us to be involved in others’ lives. Doing so fulfills part of his plan for our lives. We can only fully appreciate God’s comfort when we channel it to others.

Don’t soak up God’s comfort without squeezing out some for others.

Father, use me as an instrument of comfort to those who are hurting. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Fear Not Life’s Noises - Martin Wiles

The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? Psalm 27:1 NLT

I dropped the pans on the floor. A loud scream followed.

When my son was an infant, my wife and I worried that ear infections had affected his hearing. Rather than take him to the pediatrician, we decided to perform a home test. As my wife sat at the kitchen table with him cuddled in her arms, I dropped a heavy pan. His screams reassured us that his hearing was okay.

Humans are born with two innate fears: falling and loud noises. I saw the second in my son; I witnessed the first in one of my grandsons. After he started walking, I noticed he hesitated when approaching a ledge or when he got too close to the edge of a chair or the couch. I didn’t have to say, “Watch out. You’ll fall.” He naturally knew something was different.

I’m sure David was frightened by many things, but he had the sense to know he shouldn’t be. God saved him from lions, bears, enemies, and a jealous king. He lit his path and provided a protective wall.

I may have been born with only two fears, but I’ve accumulated many more: fear of those who can harm me physically, fear of financial failure, fear of relationship demise, fear of not being loved, fear of emotional abuse, fear of unemployment, fear of depleted retirement savings. Yet I’m reminded of what Paul told Timothy: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).

Fears seem to come naturally in our human experience, but if we’re only created with two, they shouldn’t. As with David, experience should teach us to depend on God for salvation and protection. He has saved us from the greatest fear we could ever have: eternity apart from him in payment for our sins. But even if our lives are taken by others, our souls are secure.

We can also depend on God to guard our daily steps. We may incur sicknesses—even life-threatening diseases—but He provides ultimate protection. Since the imperishable part of us is safe in his arms, we can live without fearing the other things that assault us during our life’s journey.

Don’t live with a spirit of fear when God says, “Fear not.”

Father, I thank you for allowing me to live life free of fear. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Thinking Thoughts about God - Martin Wiles

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. Psalm23:1 NLT

I turn God into whatever I think of Him.

Dad was a tough disciplinarian—at least when I was young. I’m not sure where his ideas about discipline came from, because he didn’t follow the pattern of his parents or grandparents. Dad went by the book. Severe consequences followed broken rules. His parents were more understanding and lenient.

Dad was also a little strict in his view of God. God had rules and regulations that must be adhered to. When they weren’t, discipline followed. God was also a God of love, but he was quick to punish when someone broke his laws—not lenient or understanding.

While growing up, I noticed Dad’s view of God bled into how he conducted his household. Perhaps his idea of God explains why I had a framed set of rules hung on my bedroom wall—a list of dos and don’ts, accompanied by a set of consequences for breaking each don’t.

Dad was right in one sense. God does have rules he expects us to abide by, and when we choose to break them, consequences follow. I suppose it was the way Dad carried out the process that colored my view of God as a harsh deity instead of a loving Savior—although I’m sure Dad didn’t intend for it to happen that way.

David knew God had rules, too, but he also pictured him as his shepherd, which paints a different portrait. God disciplined him when he went astray—and he did quite a few times, but he also lovingly guided his life journey.

If I think of God as a harsh disciplinarian, sitting in heaven waiting for me to make a mistake, I might still love him, but my relationship with him will be somewhat distant, not close up and personal. On the other hand, if I see him as a grandfatherly type, I might assume he’ll let me get away with anything without consequence, which he won’t.

Jesus showed us the loving characteristics of God that the religious leaders’ rules had almost covered. But he also reminded us that God has standards he expects us to obey. When our view of God is balanced, we’ll obey him because we love him and because of what he’s done for us, not simply because we’re afraid he’ll punish us if we don’t.

Think correct thoughts about God so you will love him deeply and serve him intently.

Father, may the thoughts I think of you cause me to have an accurate picture of who you are. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Sustained by God - Anita van der Elst

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the LORD delivers them in times of trouble. The LORD protects and preserves them — they are counted among the blessed in the land — he does not give them over to the desires of their foes. The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness. Psalm 41:1-3 NIV

As I peeled apples for an apple crisp I intended to serve at my women’s small group in my home the following morning, I noticed how my hands and finger joints ached more than usual. My head felt heavy, and not long after I put the dish in the oven, everything ached, and the chills began. 

When the oven timer buzzed, my body seemed to echo the sound. I set the glass baking pan on a rack to cool, and took myself to bed. The thermometer indicated a fever, so with disappointment, I notified my small group that they all needed to stay far away the next day.  

An unpleasant few days followed, as the virus ran its course. The ensuing weakness, fatigue, and residual cough continued weeks longer, curtailing several activities and events I’d looked forward to. At least I was in good company, as my husband quickly followed suit with all the same symptoms.

With thankful hearts, we accepted our daughter-in-law’s offer to bring us groceries while we convalesced, including a surprise treat of M&M’s. Kids aren’t the only ones who enjoy those colorful, sweet candies. May God bless her in her regard for us in our weakness.

How reassuring to read the biblical announcement that God sustained His loved ones even on their sickbed and restored them. As I read this passage in my recovery time, I realized He delivered, protected, and preserved my husband and me through the challenge of illness.

Depend on God when you experience illness. Then, look for ways to bless others who are ill. 

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Learning to Be Satisfied - Martin Wiles

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:16 NLT

One chose to stay on the farm; the other chose city life. One was satisfied; the other, well...

When my mom was a junior in high school, she chose to leave her family farm and marry my dad. Her new life would take her away from her country upbringing and plant her in cities and rural areas for the remainder of her life. Mom’s sister, however, married a Navy man and chose to build their home next to her parents and remain on the family farm—a place she stayed until her death.

My grandparents’ old homeplace was sold for a negligible amount—and it seemed the same would happen to my aunt’s home. But her oldest son stepped in and decided he and his wife would make it their retirement home. All the hunting, fishing, and golf he could stand would surround him. Sadly, he died soon thereafter from a heart attack, and the home passed into a stranger’s hands.

I always envied my cousins, growing up with open land all around them. Hunting, fishing, romping through the woods. Having pets wasn’t a problem. Leash laws didn’t exist. Being able to raise chickens, cows, hogs, and anything else they wanted without having to wonder where they’d put them or if the smell would offend the neighbors. They lived a carefree, down-to-earth lifestyle.

Because Mom and Dad chose city and small-town life, I had to endure it as well. Although it has its conveniences, I still miss the open land and the perks of country living.

I’ve also been known to envy those God is using, wishing he’d use me the same way. Paul reminded the early believers that the church was like a body. Each part has a specific function, and they fit together perfectly. When one piece is out of whack, the entire body is affected.

Curbing my jealousy is an ongoing lesson God must teach me. Instead of envying what he does in other believers’ lives, we must learn to enjoy what he does in ours, as well as rejoice in what he does in others’ lives. We’re not in competition but in cahoots with other believers. Our job is not to fuss and fight but to work together to accomplish God’s work in this world. He gives us unique opportunities and personalities. Even when we share the same gift as another person, we will use it differently.

Rather than envying someone else’s gift, use yours to fulfill God’s plan for you.

Father, thank you for giving me unique gifts and opportunities. Help me to use them faithfully in your service.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How to Trust God When You Can’t See the Way Forward - Martin Wiles

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT

Just trust God, and everything will work out for the good.

The Porters were college friends with whom we had a common bond: we were both from South Carolina. They also had two children who were close in age to our two. One of which was our daughter’s “boyfriend.”

As so often happens, we lost track of them after graduation. Several years later, I received devastating news: their daughter had been killed. She was riding a bicycle, which was a little too large for her, rolled into the path of an oncoming truck, was struck, and died from the impact. Our family was stunned … and heartbroken. When I called to express my sympathies, the mom, with a broken voice, said, “We’re just trusting God to get us through this.”

I’ve heard enough religious platitudes in my lifetime to fill a small book. Some of them biblical, some not. Some well-timed, some ill-timed. But telling someone to trust God and that everything will work out for the good is true. But how, when, and where we say it, we must carefully consider.

Everything that comes into our lives won’t be good. I’ve experienced enough regretful things to fill a book. And actually, they have. Several, in fact. Having good things happen consistently wouldn’t necessarily make me trust God more. When things go well all the time, I tend to trust myself rather than God. Bad things turn my focus on him. Some turn a bitter focus, but others, me included, turn a longing focus. A longing to know why and how I should respond.

As I look back on the unfortunate things I’ve experienced, I also see how God brought good from them. The lessons I learned from correctly responding are innumerable. My trust in God rose, as did my faith. Since the consequences of bad events tend to hang around, sometimes for years, I’ve been able to continually see God bringing good things from bad circumstances.

God is a good God who wants us to experience good things—even if they have to come through unpleasant circumstances.

Trust God to manufacture good out of the bad times in your life.

Father, I have faith that you will turn the bad in my life into good that will spur me on to spiritual growth and bring glory to your name.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Being God’s Man - Martin Wiles

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith. Hebrews 11:7 NLT

Everybody has a father story, and they run the gamut. But being God’s man isn’t as easy as just saying I am.

I grew up in a traditional family. My father was present, supportive, and loving. Many families aren’t as fortunate. Some fathers drink to excess, abuse or run around on their wives, spend the family’s money on addictions, or simply aren’t present.

Noah certainly wasn’t a perfect man or father, but he was good enough that the Bible holds him up as worthy of emulation. In a time when everyone was going the wrong way, Noah went the right way. In a time when water came up from the ground, Noah believed God when he said it would soon come from the sky for forty days and nights.

So what does it take to be a good father? From the life of Noah, we can build an acronym for FATHER.

F-aithful

Noah was faithful to God, his family, and others. His faithfulness to God is what saved him from the flood. He wanted his family on board with him, and he also warned others of God’s impending judgment.

A-vailable

Among the world’s population, Noah was available when God told him about the flood and when he gave him directions to prepare for it. Noah was available to anyone who wanted to hear about what he was doing and why.

Jesus was continually available to others, too, and, as his followers, we must represent his interests.

T-houghtful

Thoughtfulness involves being helpful, trusting, considerate, and mindful of others. Noah must have thought of the thousands who were ignoring what he was telling them about the upcoming flood. He paid close attention to the details when building the ark. Failing to do so could have resulted in his family’s demise.

H-ardened

Noah was solid and dependable. Fathers should be the foundation of the family. God holds them accountable as spiritual leaders.

E-ffective

We all want to see results. Noah did. Animals came. The ark came together and withstood the flood. God preserved him and his family. Noah put his faith into practice and used effective fatherly methods. The foundation my father laid also led me in the right direction.

R-esponsible

Noah demonstrated his responsibility by obeying God, caring for his family, tending to the animals, and warning others about God’s judgment. A responsible father fulfills his obligations and duties in life. He cares for those to whom he has been given responsibility.

God can give the strength needed to be a good father. Depend on him.

Father, transform me into the father and husband you want me to be.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Parental No-Nos - Martin Wiles

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 NLT

Parenting isn’t for parents; it’s for the kids—meaning we must battle some parental no-nos.

Being a firstborn or only child isn’t always easy. I’m the oldest of three boys. The next appeared nine years later, and the third two years later. By the time my middle brother arrived, I could help care for him, relieving Mom and Dad of some of the stress.

As soon as I was old enough, my parents taught me to wash the dishes, fold the laundry, take out the trash, pick up my room, and cut the grass. When I was sixteen, Dad thought I needed to establish good credit. So, off to the furniture store we went, where I purchased a solid oak bedroom suite and charged it. This was one of many of Dad’s infamous ways to teach me responsibility, which I now appreciate.

Since I grew up in the 1960s and 70s, the haircut rule frustrated me. By this time, my father was a full-time preacher. Church folks tended to have expectations of the pastor’s children—one being that they would not be hippies. While Dad gave me a little leeway, it wasn’t as much as I wanted. He said two inches below the ear; I wanted four inches below the shoulder. Of course, he won out by giving me the infamous saying, “As long as your feet are under my table, you will do what I say.”

Eighteen was my benchmark. Long before it arrived, I made plans to move out as soon as I celebrated that birthday. And I did. The responsibility my parents taught me through various miserable exercises, however, made me what they hoped for: responsible. I found a job and a house to rent and faced the world.

By the time my two kids came along, I had mulled over some of my parents’ techniques—deciding which to keep, which to modify, and which to toss out with the bathwater. Looking back on my childhood, I concluded that much of what my parents did might have been for them, not me.

Don’t Live Your Failed Expectations Through Your Children

I don’t know what my dad’s childhood dreams were, but Mom’s dream was to become a concert pianist. With one quick word, “Yes,” her dream died, and at least one of Dad’s materialized: to marry her. She became a full-time secretary and soon a full-time preacher’s wife. Since she had been playing the piano since she was a child, she wanted a son who could play it as well. Men made better piano players, she thought. She tried her best, but I wasn’t interested.

I look back with regret on several things I didn’t do that my parents wanted. Nevertheless, when my two children came along, I approached things a little differently. Instead of making demands on them—that they play ball, run track, or get involved in gymnastics—my wife and I let them choose. Living out my childhood and teenage neglects through them wouldn’t soothe my regret.

Don’t Repeat Poor Parenting Techniques

Doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results defines insanity. Dad and Mom believed in spankings for insolent behavior, along with various other restrictions. Back then, they didn’t have to worry about teachers at school or a random stranger in the store calling the Department of Social Services. Their disciplinary methods would now lack political correctness.

I had quite a few years to consider my parents’ techniques before my two children came along. Some I held to; others I revamped or buried. I also thought about the theme of responsibility that ran so heavily through my childhood. To a degree, it seemed to interfere with my childhood.

For the most part, I found that my parents’ parenting methods were effective and honorable. I kept those. The few I thought lacked effectiveness, I tossed. I didn’t have to repeat the process.

Don’t Neglect Parenting Techniques That Teach

I think Mom and Dad designed a few of their disciplinary measures to relieve their stress or prove a point. After all, when I questioned some of them, I got the standard no-brainer answer: “Because I said so.”  

Discipline entails teaching. I wasn’t sure all my parents’ techniques did that—at least, positively. Nor did all their attempts to teach me responsibility.

Teaching my children to be who God created them to be was more important than repeating my parents’ parenting methods. After all, this parenting thing was supposed to be about them, not me or their mother.

No one ever said parenting was easy, but parenting isn’t about the parent. It’s about teaching children to be responsible citizens who will make a positive impact on their world. Remember, parenting isn’t for parents.

 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Series: Oh, the Things We Say: Fear the Lord - Martin Wiles

You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him. Deuteronomy10:20 NLT

Being around something or someone I’m scared of is not my favorite thing to do. Nor was my favorite thing being told to fear the Lord.

I have real and perceived fears. My fear was real when bears entered a fellow camper’s campsite and devoured their food—twice. My son and I were camped in a three-sided shelter a mere fifty feet away. The same bears could have easily walked into our shelter and devoured us.

As a child, my fear of the dark could have been real or imagined. Although Dad was fond of saying there was nothing in the dark that wasn’t there in the light, I never believed him. Some dangers are present at night that are not present during the day. But I did imagine some of my fears associated with darkness.

Early in life, Dad taught me to fear the Lord. At the same time, he wanted me to love the Lord. I don’t typically love or choose to be around those I fear. If I fear them, I perceive that some danger hangs around them. Loving and fearing God seemed like an ironic situation, and I was unsure of how to do both.

The command combines fear, worship, and association. If we usually avoid what we fear, but God wants us to worship and associate with him, fear must have another definition. And it does. Fear can involve being afraid of something or someone. Defined in such a manner, we would avoid that person or thing. Fear can also mean to reverence. And this is the definition God has in mind when he tells us to fear him.

When we reverence God, we stand in awe of him. In one sense, we should fear him. He has life and death power over our existence. With the utterance of one command, our hearts would stop and our breath cease. He is sovereign over people and the universe.

Although fear can involve fright, God wants us to love and revere him. So great was his desire for fellowship with people that he allowed his Son to die for our sins on Calvary. We should stand in awe of Him, but we also consider him as our Savior and friend. He has accepted us into his family and invited us to come into his presence as often as we like.

Let your fear of God lead you to him, not away.

Father, I love you for who you are and for what you’ve done on my behalf. 

I invite you to try my book A Whisper in the Woods: Quiet Escapes in a Noisy World. No one escapes life's hurts, but quiet places help us regain our perspective. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Getting the Big Head - Martin Wiles

Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. Numbers 20:11 NLT

Henry was a close friend of my father’s, but they were different. Dad was quiet and reserved; Henry was outgoing and comical. Dad held post-graduate degrees; Henry never made it out of college. Dad held no position in his state denomination, while Henry had moved up in the ranks. Dad was a relatively unknown pastor. Henry was known by most and had served for many years as the parliamentarian for his denomination on the state level. But Henry never got the big head. Regardless of how important the people were whom he hobnobbed with, he remained the same old Henry. He must have known that getting a big head can push us away from God and others.

Moses forgot how to be humble. God had chosen him to lead the Israelites from Egyptian slavery to the Promised Land. He also gave him the power to perform miracles. One was striking a rock with his staff. When he did, water gushed out for the thirsty people. But on this occasion, God told him to merely speak to the rock. Moses, full of himself and angry at stubborn people, hit the rock instead. God doesn’t appreciate orneriness and politely informed Moses he had forfeited his chance to lead the captives into the Promised Land.

The Bible doesn’t use the word big head, but it does use the word pride—and they’re identical. When pride infiltrates our lives, life becomes about us. Initially, Moses wanted nothing to do with the assignment of freeing the captives, but as time moved on, he thought more of himself than he should.

Pride leads us to distrust God, causing us to make poor decisions. No inherent power resided in Moses’ staff. Trust in God made the staff work—along with anything else God told him to use. Many of my poor decisions have been selfish and made in a moment when I failed to let God guide me.

God has a way of shrinking our heads when they get too big. He shrunk Moses’ by taking away the privilege of living in the Promised Land. He’s used various methods on me as well. But God isn’t in the head-shrinking business because He’s mean. He simply wants us to trust in him instead of in ourselves.

When your head gets too big, let God remind you about who you are without Him.

Father, remind me daily that I am nothing without you. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.