Category: Devotionals

Resting in Christ’s Perfect Peace

by Emily Rose MasseyAnxiety / Devotionals / Marriage / Prayer

My husband and I are each the first-born children in our families. Although there isn’t any science behind first-born personalities, psychologists have taken note of the common traits regarding those who have been born first among their siblings. 

In general, firstborn children have been found to be responsible, assertive, task-oriented, perfectionistic, and supporters of authority. With all of those leadership characteristics, a great amount of weight can be placed upon the shoulders of the individuals prone to be the rule-follower and goal chaser. This can often lead to much stress and anxiety if not constantly kept in check. When two first-borns marry each other, they can run together with fervor to achieve dreams and become very productive as a family, but the home also needs peace to reign in it most of all. And not just “problem-free” type of peace- a peace that passes all understanding regardless of what is happening. Only the Lord, Jesus Christ can offer us this kind of perfect peace.

In God’s providence, one of the reasons we named our first-born child, Isaiah, was because of a very special verse found in the book of Isaiah regarding this kind of perfect peace that my husband and I know that we need every single day. Right in the middle of a prophecy regarding the land of Judah, the prophet Isaiah uttered these beautiful words about the Lord and His peace in chapter 26:

“You keep him in perfect peace
    whose mind is stayed on you,
    because he trusts in you”

(Isaiah 26:3, ESV)

For many of us, these last few years have felt a bit unstable. We have all experienced some form of worry, stress, and anxiety from the unknown future. From viruses, suddenly losing loved ones, empty store shelves, job losses, rising home prices, and hefty grocery bills week after week- we have all needed to find a perfect peace. Our answer is found in fixing our gaze upon the Lord and anchoring our minds to His unwavering truth. No matter what is going on around us, we can find an unshakable confidence in the Lord because He is ever-faithful to us. This is why staying in the Word consistently is so important when experiencing stressful or unstable times. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17) and the more we are studying the scriptures, the stronger our trust in God becomes. The Word of God is so powerful and the more we study and meditate upon it, our foundation will be strong in Christ, and we will continually know how to look to Him any time stress and anxiety tries to overtake us. Let us always be quick to ask the Lord for His sustaining grace and help in our time of need, looking to Him always because He cares for us. No matter what is going on around us, even if it seems like everything is falling apart, we must remember that God holds the entire universe in His hands. He is completely sovereign. Nothing passes through His hands by accident. He is in total control and has a great plan regarding all of it; We can trust in Him and rest in His great, perfect peace. Let us set our mind upon Him.

Lord, thank You that You want us to set our minds upon You at all times. Thank You that there is nowhere I can go that You are not there with me. Thank You for having a hold of my life, even as I feel like everything is crumbling around me. I confess that I have let stress take a hold of my life, rather than You. I have tried to control things in my life and at the same time, I have let anxiety control my mood, my attitudes and my actions. Lord, I repent of this! Please Father, help me see what is stressful or worrisome in my life and hand it over to You. Help me actively think on Your goodness to me. I am so hopeful for my eternity with you, Lord, where the presence of sin and fear will be no more! Help me look back on all the ways You have rescued me from my fearful moments and remember where You have always been faithful to me in the midst of great trials. Help me to rest in the truth of Your goodness and power today. Thank You, Lord, for Your perfect peace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Serving Like Christ

by Emily Rose MasseyDevotionals / Discipleship / Prayer

“Ministry” is from the Greek word diakoneo, meaning “to serve.” At my church, our pastors believe that every member of God’s Church is a minister, so obviously that would mean that every believer is called to serve- serve Jesus and serve His Body. Jesus was the servant of all. In fact, He was the Servant King. Christ shares in the gospel of John of the importance of serving and following Him as He serves others.

“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him”

(John 12:26, ESV).

Jesus asks us as Christians to lay our lives down continually, denying our wants and desires, or as the Apostle Paul said to do, “die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31).

Do we know how to do that?

It is human nature to seek after what our hearts and flesh crave, but we do not have to give into that kind of nature for we have a new nature in Christ Jesus (Colossians 3:10/ 2 Corinthians 5:17/ Ephesians 4:24).

Some people have wrong thoughts about God and service, perhaps believing their service doesn’t matter because others have it taken care of. Or perhaps they see pastors as the ones who are qualified for service and ministry, so they don’t need to join in. But we are all priests to our God (1 Peter 2:9)! When we put our hands to the plow, so to speak, in ministry, we are worshiping God. Those who are saved by Christ will eagerly and joyfully serve Christ and His people. We have been clothed in Christ’s righteousness to match Him and follow Him. What clothes are you wearing- the world’s or Christ’s? 

No matter the excuse or wrong thinking regarding ministry and service, we can ask God to help us see the importance of serving the Lord and others. The Holy Spirit empowers us to set aside our selfishness and learn how to be selfless like Jesus, preferring others above ourselves. That kind of lifestyle starts in the mind, in the way we think, as we learn to think of ourselves less and look for ways to put others first. The Lord promises that the Father will honor the one who serves Christ by serving His people. As we learn to prefer others above ourselves, the Lord fills us with His love to the overflow to reach more people for His Kingdom. Let us ask God to help us value the call to serve so we can look more like Him. 

Heavenly Father, 

You are selfless, humble, gracious, and merciful and You ask us as Your children to follow Your example. I cannot do that in my own strength. Thank You for empowering me with Your Holy Spirit and with Your grace to be able to deny my own desires and selfish ambitions. When I mess up or find myself walking pride, thank You for convicting my heart of my self-seeking nature. I need Your help to prefer others above myself. Your Word transforms my mind so that I can learn how to think less of myself and seek to serve You and Your people. I trust that You will help me see what that looks like specifically in my own life. My heart longs to be the servant You have called me to be. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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Walking in Forgiveness

by Emily Rose MasseyDevotionals / Sanctification

A few years ago, the Lord gave me a wonderful opportunity to mentor and disciple a few young women from a former church that my husband and I attended several years prior. It turned out that word started getting around that these young ladies had been associating with me, and the pastors of this church did not approve. One young lady was told that she needed to disconnect from me immediately because my husband and I were dangerous individuals…we were called “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” 

Once the shock wore off from hearing such statements said about us, I knew I was faced with two options of how to handle these accusations: allow those words to embitter me towards my former pastors or lay down my offense at the foot of the cross, forgive, and pray for them. 

In one of Jesus’ sermons in Luke 6, He gives great wisdom to those who are recipients of hurtful words and actions from others:

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28, NIV).

A few verses later, He simply states that one should do unto others that we would want done to us (Luke 6:31). As one who is a peace-keeper by nature, I typically struggle when I know someone has a problem with me. I am not one to burn bridges or cut people off. Of course, there is such thing as boundaries, but I have always tried to keep my heart free from offense; I admit, that I haven’t always been able to shake off those stings from words spoken about me. Knowing that offense will undoubtably come, I must be quick to forgive and quick to pray for those who mistreat me. It’s difficult to hold onto offense when you are purposely and intentionally praying for the person who hurt you. It doesn’t mean that we can always forget the action or words wielded against us, but it does mean that we cannot hold onto it. One of the best ways to guard our heart from bitterness is to ask God to bless those who curse us. You won’t have space in your heart for offense when you are approaching the throne of grace on behalf of that enemy. 

Unforgiveness is bondage; It is a yoke that slowly tightens around our neck and chokes the life out of us. Bitterness is like a cancer that spreads throughout your whole body and affects you completely and everything and everyone around you. We are given many opportunities every single day to take the bait to become offended and hold grudges, but it is so important that we hold onto Jesus and His powerful Word- God’s perfect truth. 

I don’t know who you may need to forgive. I don’t know how deep the pain goes, how big or small the offense may be. I don’t know how long you have carried that burden with you, but I do know that you need to forgive, and you don’t have to do it in your own strength. God has given you the Holy Spirit to help you, to heal you, to change your heart. Let’s ask Him to help us lift our enemies up to Him so that we can be free and honor God.

Father,

I come to You today first and foremost with a grateful heart that You would lavish Your mercy and love upon me, someone who has sinned against You, oh, Holy and righteous Creator God! Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus, who stood in my place to die a death that I deserved so that I could be forgiven, justified, and restored back to You to now be called Your child. If I am holding onto unforgiveness against someone who has hurt me or gravely sinned against me, I repent and forgive that person immediately. I have no right to harbor unforgiveness against anyone, and as Your child, You call me to forgive others because I have been forgiven by You. I choose to obey You, no matter how difficult it may be for me. I trust Your Spirit will empower me to forgive and love others how You have forgiven and love me. Help me heal from the wounds that may have been caused by the hands of others. I pray for their heart that they would walk in repentance and walk in forgiveness and know and trust You like I do. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Yoked with Christ

by Emily Rose MasseyDevotionals / Discipleship

For most of my life, I was what many would call a “control freak.” The burden of trying to control all aspects of my life, including unexpected life events that wrecked my meticulous and detailed plans or even ending my day with an unfinished task list, became too overwhelming for me that I lived in a constant state of worry and panic. For me, it was just a matter of time before that lifestyle became such a heavy burden upon my shoulders that I could no longer carry; We are not designed to control everything, friends- that’s God’s job. 

One day, Jesus’ words in Matthew 11 beckoned me to come to Him and give Him all of the heaviness I was trying to carry on my own.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV).

I must admit, when I first read His words to “take up [His] yoke” to find rest, I was hesitant. How would taking upon a yoke around my neck bring me rest? I pictured an ox plowing a field with a wooden yoke around its head, and the image didn’t bring about thoughts of peace and rest, but more exhaustion. I saw a yoke as bondage. But that is the beauty of Jesus’ words and the beauty of the Kingdom of God that operates differently than the world’s system. Where I initially saw bondage by surrendering my control, God was revealing to me that His yoke is actually a tool He uses to help us move forward in the destiny that He has for our lives. 

Intersecting Faith and Life: 

When we yoke ourselves together with Jesus, He carries the load upon His shoulders and His peace and rest comes into our lives. His grace carries us while we walk along side of Him, connected to Him, trusting His ways over our own. 

Over time, God has taught me to run to Him first and trust Him with every single detail of my life- true rest is found in Christ. The Word of God is so powerful and the more we study and meditate upon it, our foundation will be strong in Christ, and we will continually know how to look to Him any time stress and anxiety tries to overtake us. Let us always be quick to ask the Lord for His sustaining grace and help in our time of need, looking to Him always because He cares for us. When the cares of this life try to overwhelm you and bring stress and anxiety, instead of taking matters into your own hands, we must remember to come to Him every day for rest and peace. Thankfully, His peace surpasses all understanding and is unlike anything else this world can offer us. 

Further Reading:

Proverbs 3:5-6

Psalm 121:1-2

John 15

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Teach Us to Number Our Days| Using Our Time Wisely

by Emily Rose MasseyDevotionals / Discipleship

A couple weeks ago, a dear sister from my church reached out to me and asked me if I knew of someone who could disciple her or if I happened to have time to walk alongside of her. Since I recognized the rarity of such a request, I wholeheartedly embraced the opportunity to walk with my sister as we grew closer to Christ together through His Word. We decided to focus on a study of the attributes of God. Each week will be a new attribute. Week one was on the aseity of God, which simply means the self-existence and eternality of God. God had no beginning, and He has no end; He is eternal and all source of life comes from Him. 

Conversely, we as humans know nothing of life without time from the moment we are born. Eternity is so incredibly foreign to us as we experience the constraints and consequences of time here on earth. Although God exists outside of time, He is the creator and cause of it and has a purpose for it. The Lord won’t keep eternity from us forever but longs for us to have it too in Christ. One day we will get to taste unending days that ever-increase with beauty and joy with Him, but until then, we must see time as a gift from God and learn how to use it wisely all for His glory. 

I am reminded of a verse in Psalm 90, which is a prayer written by Moses. Moses asks the Lord:

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom”

(Psalm 90:12, ESV)

Understanding that God is sovereign over all things, including your life, means that you realize that you cannot exceed your lifespan by a single moment. Wisdom is knowing that time here on earth is fleeting, and we do not know what tomorrow brings, so we should not take a single breath for granted. Wise Christ followers are mindful that wasting time limits our fruitfulness and effectiveness for God’s Kingdom. Distracted disciples don’t further the Kingdom of God, so we must learn how to prioritize our time rightly for God’s glory. The Lord has given us work to do and that is to see the gospel spread to the nations and raise up more disciples. Ultimately, numbering our days should be a thrill and a joy. We should wake up everyday longing to not only spend time with the Lord, but to move forward with His mission to give Him glory through all that we say and do.

What has become a distraction for you recently that may be getting in your way of being productive for Christ? Are you giving more of your time to worldly, temporal pursuits? Do you find yourself making excuses and giving into laziness when it comes to prioritizing your time to put God first in your life? Often where we spend most of our time is a big indicator of what/who has your heart and devotion. Let us ask the Lord to help us be cognizant of how we are spending our time and how we can wisely prioritize the gift of time. One day we will be free from the bounds of time where we will get to spend forever with the Lord, but until that day, let us give God our best with the time we have here on this earth. 

Let’s pray:

Father God,

Help me to see time, not as a thief, but as a gift from You. Although You exist outside of time, You have caused time to exist and have a purpose for me to fulfill while I am here on this earth. I ask that You would help me overcome the temptation to waste my time or give into laziness. Like Moses prayed, teach me to number my days that I may use them wisely and for Your glory. I want to make every moment full of God-honoring choices that point those around me to You that they may come into a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to untangle from worldly pursuits that are not fruitful and give my all to your Kingdom work and purposes. My life is in Your hands, and I am grateful for every breath that comes from You as it is another opportunity to praise You. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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Guarding Your Mouth

by Emily Rose MasseyDevotionals / Discipleship / Sanctification

As Christ followers, our speech should reflect Him and His ways and be seasoned with grace, humility, and love. If we confess our faith in Christ, there should be evidence of our changed speech as well as our changed life and behavior. When people meet us, they should hear and see something different than the rest of the world who does not follow the Lord. 

I admit, I struggle with taming my tongue, especially if I am caught up in my emotions and/or sleep deprived or hungry. My flesh wants to rule, and one way that happens in my life is how I am wielding my words. 

If there was one verse from the Bible that I should have tattooed under my eyelids, it would be from Psalm 141:

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3, NKJV).

This has become a constant prayer for me, especially as I am seeing how my speech is influencing my children. Children are little sponges, and they pick up on everything we say and do. My oldest is becoming a master of sarcasm thanks to me. I see my sinful speech tendencies in my children, and I don’t want these habits to form into consistent behavior. Out of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34), so our words are a reflection of what is going on in our heart. We should take pause when we see ungodly speech become consistent in our life, repent, and ask God to help us guard our mouth and choose our words wisely or know when to be silent. 

Even in disagreements, we should continue to speak with a heart of love for others and not use profanity or offensive remarks that would hurt or cause pain. We should also be careful to not grumble or complain or speak ungraciously about someone, but to use our tongue to proclaim our thankfulness unto the Lord as well as speak good and edifying things of others. Taming the tongue is something we must grow in each day as the Lord sanctifies us. The good news is that we are never left on our own to walk in that type of self-control regarding our words. It is not something we can do apart from the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. The temptation to use our tongue for our own benefit and reputation is strong but let us be quick to ask the Lord for His help daily as we continue to grow in the likeness of Him, especially in our speech.

Dear Lord,

I repent for using my tongue to puff myself up above others, complain about my circumstances, or hurt others with painful words that cut deep to the heart. I need Your help to control my tongue in times of strife or disagreement with others. I want my words to glorify You and share Your truth and gospel. I pray that my actions would also reflect my speech. I long for my walk with You to match my profession of faith. Help me to guard my mouth and to choose my words wisely or know when it’s best not to say anything at all. When my flesh wants to rule, I trust that You provide a way out every time I am tempted to use my words in a foolish way. Thank You for continually working in me and through me, so that I may look more and more like Jesus in word and deed. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Connected to the Vine

by Emily Rose MasseyAnxiety / Devotionals / Prayer

Anxiety (and depression) has been plaguing my life on and off since I was a child, and it is still something that I wrestle with to this day. I used to think that my struggle with anxiety and depression made me a very weak Christian that lacked faith in God. But that, my dear friends, is absolutely not true. 

Because sin exists in the world, so does sickness and brokenness and no one is exempt from any of it. Although we have been redeemed and our eternal salvation is secure in Christ, as believers, we still are subject to suffering in this fallen world that we live in. God may not cause pain, mental illness, disease, or traumatic experiences, but in His great sovereignty, He does allow it.  

For me, there came a point in time where I stopped rebuking the devil for all the anxiety and depression I was experiencing and shifted my focus on God Almighty, the only One who could help me through my pain and give me wisdom on what was going on with my body. Through it all, whether the anxiety was caused by overwhelming thoughts that I chose to fearfully dwell upon or a hormonal imbalance occurring in my body, God has always remained faithful and near to me in the midst of my suffering. My faith in Him has not waivered, even if my emotions and thoughts did. 

Although prayer may not conquer every moment of panic or worry, it is my lifeline to stay connected to the source of peace and life, to abide in the Vine (John 15) so I don’t dry up. I also remember to arm myself with the truth of God’s Word that helps me renew my mind day by day and strengthens my faith and gives me hope. We need to stay connected to Jesus, for just as verse 5 in John 15 tells us, apart from Christ, we can do nothing:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5, ESV).

Intersecting Faith and Life:

We will all experience some type of suffering and face “winter” seasons in our lives. Difficult seasons in life can actually be a time of growth and maturity in the Lord. In the natural, trees’ roots actually grow down deeper into the earth in the wintertime. Your suffering can actually be what allows your roots in the Lord to grow deeper. Instead of yielding ourselves to complete defeat and despair when we are suffering, we need to allow our roots in Jesus to grow deeper and deeper. During these dark times, the enemy wants you to dry up and rot- physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, and will even tempt you to run to other things or people to take away your pain, but we must use those times of trial to draw closer to the Lord and drink deep of His goodness and faithfulness. Remember, we must remain connected to our life-source, Jesus, the Vine. He alone sustains us through every time of difficulty. No other thing or person will be able to bring you true life, peace, and wholeness, friend. 

Staying connected to other believers is also extremely important to our spiritual health as well, especially when we are in the midst of a trial or storm. Their root systems in God can get “nutrients” to us and their spiritual fruit can “feed” us when we are struggling to hang onto the Vine. If we isolate ourselves during these times and are not taking in the proper nutrients from God’s Word, we become very vulnerable to the enemy’s lies and fear tactics. Isolation is the breeding ground for hopelessness, doubt, and fear. Don’t allow shame or embarrassment keep you from reaching out for help when you are struggling to find hope. Call, text, or visit a friend and open up about what you are going through. What a beautiful picture of what the Body of Christ is supposed to do when a brother or sister is discouraged and walking through a valley!  

Remember, Jesus knows first-hand the depths of pain and suffering here on earth, but the good news is that because of His life given as a sacrifice for our sin, we will one day be with Him for eternity, and He will finally put an end to all suffering and sorrow. Abide in Him and hold onto the hope that He brings, dear friend, mountain high or valley low. 

 Further Reading:

Luke 13:6-9

 2 Peter 1:2-18

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Knit Together: Speaking the Truth in Love

by Emily Rose MasseyDevotionals / Discipleship

In a recent research survey, 61% of people ages 18-25 reported miserable loneliness in our post-pandemic world and felt as if no one cared for them. No matter if you are single or married, experiencing isolation and loneliness can often lead to depression that can be crippling. People in the world are looking to belong. In Christ, as His followers, we have the answer.

The Church is a family, and we should seek out those who are isolated because they may be truly suffering. We enlarge our heart and become vulnerable with each other, by God’s grace, to enjoy meaningful and fruitful friendships that are soul-quality and one-souled, knit closely together with one another. Do you struggle with being vulnerable with others? What is causing you to hold back with being transparent and open with someone? Perhaps you have been hurt in previous relationships- rejection or betrayal may have wounded your soul and you are scared to become vulnerable with others again. We must trust that Christ will heal that hurt and will bring you into healthy Christian friendships for His glory. 

To be able to build intimate Christian friendship, we must also learn how to go beyond surface level conversations and move into heart-to-heart type of conversations. It’s easy in our society to be self-isolated and guarded in the name of privacy. Sadly, consumerism in our culture has infiltrated our relationships too. If friendships don’t enhance value in our life, we see them as disposable and easily replaceable, or even ditch friendships altogether. As members of the Body of Christ and brothers and sisters in the family of God, He has called us to be joined together as Ephesians 4 tells us: 

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (15-16, ESV).

Intersecting Faith and Life: 

To be able to speak the truth in love to one another, we must cultivate trust in our friendships. True Christian friendships are rare and costly because they require a lot of work, selfless commitment, and intentional engagement. Our self-centered heart or past hurt can get in the way and can lead us to isolate and choose selfishness over investing in meaningful Christian friendships. We must press past these temptations to build up walls around our heart or seek only things that satisfy self. The foundation of good friendships must begin with Christ (vertical then horizontal) to be able to sustain loyal, sacrificial, intentional, caring, and committed relationships. We must also remember that friendship with the things of this world is to make one an enemy of God (James 4:4) and will keep you from growing in love- love for Christ and love for others. What worldly pursuits have become a stumbling block to your friendship with Jesus that may be keeping you from getting to know Him in a deeper way? Remember, the nearness of God is our good (Psalm 73:28). The more we grow in our relationship with Christ, the more we will grow in our friendships as well. The Lord wants us to flourish in both areas. To flourish in Christ means we must become fluent in friendship. Jesus is the ultimate friend and wants to have a friendship with us so that we can participate with His mission, which is discipleship. The consistent pattern in our life should be to draw near to Him to then draw near to others and grow in Christ together- for our good and for His glory.

Further Reading:

  • Colossians 3:12-13
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:11
  • Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
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Empowered to Love Your Spouse

by Emily Rose MasseyDevotionals / Marriage1 Comment on Empowered to Love Your Spouse

December 5, 2009. It may have only been a little over thirteen years ago that my husband and I said our “I do’s,” but that special day sure does feel like a lifetime ago. Time tends to do that to us, doesn’t it?

Perhaps, this feeling isn’t the fact that physical time has gone by and that we have grown another year older. Perhaps, it is because with time comes change – for better and for worse. I know my husband and I have each changed since December 5, 2009, especially after we both became parents! Oh my, did we experience changes in our marriage once that happened! Often, in marriage, the changes may happen slowly or small enough that we don’t notice it right away, but when it comes to the person we have vowed to spend the rest of our life with, it is difficult to ignore when you finally realize that time has shaped you each in unique ways and it is starting to cause a lot of friction between the two of you.

Problems and arguments arise and increase. We may get on each other’s nerves a lot. Instead of talking it out calmly and sharing our hearts with one another, we build walls around our heart to keep the other person out. We may want to spend time with someone who understands us better. Sometimes all of this friction and struggle may cause us to want to throw in the towel. When things get hard in relationships, calling it quits seems like the easy thing to do, right? After all, this isn’t the person you first married. So many people who are wrestling with this, feel stuck, and don’t know what to do or where to turn. The D-word may even have come up a time or two.

But I can say emphatically, divorce is not the answer! You can experience personal changes in your lives individually and still stand the test of time and grow stronger together! This might sound impossible. And honestly, in our own broken and weak human strength, it is. But take heart! There is hope for your marriage because Matthew 19:26 tells us that with God, all things are possible! Even if you were not a Christian when you got married but found Christ later on (or if you stumbled upon this website and are not a Christian at all), know that you cannot love your spouse and stay committed to them without God’s help. Without God’s love shed abroad in our hearts by the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are incapable of loving another person unconditionally. We are able to love our spouse because God first loved us.

“We love because He first loved us” ( 1 John 4:19, NIV).

There is no step-by-step guide to have a successful and thriving marriage, but there are things we can implement to help strengthen it. Thankfully, when we make a commitment to put God first within the marriage, He gives us grace and wisdom for the journey together. The Holy Spirit truly does empower us to show the love of God even to the most unlovable.

Intersecting Faith and Life:

One way we can be empowered to love our spouse is to study the Word of God regularly both individually and together. The Bible is full of truths about God, who is Love Himself (1 John 4:8). The more we dive into His Word, our selfish minds are renewed to think like He does and love like He does, extending the same grace and mercy we have received from Him to others. The Word transforms us from the inside out, all for the better, and we begin to see the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23) develop and mature in our life, which we need to fully love others.  In addition to studying scripture together, you can pray together and pray for each other. God is the only One who can change someone’s heart and life. Don’t just pray for God to change your spouse but pray and ask God to help you love your spouse in the midst of the difficulties and obstacles. Your circumstances may not change right away, but you will be surprised at how God changes you in the middle of those circumstances and you begin to see your spouse how God sees them – with eyes of mercy and grace. Be quick to forgive and quick to apologize to your spouse. Because we have been forgiven through the Cross of Jesus Christ, we must forgive others. We have received such great mercy, therefore, we must extend that same mercy to our spouse, even if they have wronged us or offended us. 

Obviously, there are so many other ways we can ensure our marriage has a solid foundation that not even time can shake it or destroy it. Just like how our individual lives must be founded upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, most importantly, our marriages must have that same foundation. Jesus is our example of how to love one another, selflessly and unconditionally. May the Lord continue to empower us with His grace to do just that. 

Further Reading:

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10

Matthew 19:4–6

Ephesians 5:22–27

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Resting in God’s Grace

by Emily Rose MasseyDevotionals / Grace / Sanctification

I have always been a list maker and fueled by accomplishment. At some point, being successful and driven became the meaning behind every breath I took; I found purpose in my performance and productivity. I loved the high from “the hustle” and having my schedule full to the brim. I spent years upon year upon years crowding the margins of my existence with: Dance class, gymnastics, cheerleading, running track, Student Council, Marching Band, Pep Band, Concert Band, Art Club, Peers Group, musicals & plays, auditions, performances, church choir practice, tutoring, youth ministry, college and career ministry, worship team rehearsals, Bible studies, prayer meetings, church leadership meetings, drama practices, event planning committees, speaking engagements…

… just to name a few.

This vicious cycle of constant hustle was all I knew for well over 20 years of my life. I still wrestle with the temptation to find my worth in my productivity and seeking my happiness when everything is “perfect.” That is an exhausting way to live and if you are not careful, this mentality will creep into your spiritual life and soon you will be trying to work to earn God’s favor and love. 

But as Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, we know that we cannot earn our salvation because it is a gift from God:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV).

And just as God is sovereign in salvation, He is also sovereign in our sanctification. He is the one who oversees us mature on our walk with Him. The same grace that saved us is the very same grace that keeps us and molds us into the image of Christ, day by day. From the moment of your conversion, you became God’s work-in-progress, and the greatest news of all is that He doesn’t grow weary, stressed, or exhausted with you. He will complete the work He began in us (Philippians 1:6).

Intersecting Faith and Life:

Your inconsistencies and failures are not going to change. Your disobedience, your lack in trust… none of that is going to change the work nor thwart God’s plan in your life. God starts it, God finishes it. We simply need to lean on His strength and grace and ask for wisdom to walk in obedience. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, and He will help you walk in God’s will. You don’t have to muster up your “faith muscles” to see that happen. You simply need to trust that God’s plan with your life will be accomplished, not because there is anything good in you, but because of His goodness and faithfulness! 

Do you struggle with trying to earn God’s love? When you fail and sin, do you hide from God or try to fix it yourself by “trying to do better?” Beloved, you do not have to run away from God. He sees it all and knows that you are going to undoubtedly mess up. That is why He sent His Son Jesus to earth to live the perfect life for you; to fulfill the law completely for you. His death on the cross paid for your punishment of the curse of the law that you will never be able to uphold. Come boldly to the throne of grace today and receive new mercies that Christ died for you to have. Lean on His strength and grace today and see the work that He started in you continue until His glorious return or when you meet Him face to face. Trust that He is working and yield to it. 

Further Reading:

Romans 5:20-21

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

2 Thessalonians 2:13

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