Category: devotional

devotional, encouragement, holidays, midlife faith

Advent Week 4—LOVE

Bethany LaShell

I’m pretty sure Mary did not have in mind to give birth to the Savior of the world in a dirty, dusty stable miles from home, but babies come when they are ready—or in this case, when God ordained that “the days were accomplished that she should be delivered” (Luke 2:6 KJV). She obediently followed Joseph from Narareth—and the comforts of home and family—to Bethlehem to fulfill the census orders of Caesar Augustus. 

As if the journey were not arduous enough, when the time came for her to give birth, the only place for her to lie down out of the elements was in a barn. I don’t know about y’all, but I had a hard enough time giving birth in a comfortable, sanitary hospital surrounded by doctors and nurses. Yet, Mary didn’t doubt God’s love for her, knowing that this birthing plan was all in God’s hands. 

We need love now more than ever. Not only do we need it in the world around us, but we also need it within our hearts. Sure, we may know intellectually that God loves us, but how long has it been since that knowledge traveled the endless 18 inches to our hearts? Yeah, me, too.

Let’s celebrate some good news this week as we approach the end of 2020. The fourth week of advent celebrates love, and the angels’ candle commemorates the hope fulfilled in Jesus’ first coming and our continued hope in His second coming.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
    “Glory to God in the highest,
          and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Luke 2:13-14

This is good news not just for 2,000 years ago, but through the ages. We see the evidence of God’s love for us from the wooden manger to the wooden cross, to the empty tomb, to the promise of the rapture of the saints. Only a sovereign, loving, and omniscient God could have planned and executed such a plan for redemption.

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon  his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

That’s what God’s love for us looks like. Mary’s response? “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).

What does love look like for us in this season? Sometimes it’s telling someone a hard truth. Sometimes it’s keeping our opinions to ourselves. Sometimes it’s wearing a mask when we’d rather not. Sometimes it’s letting our kids grow up and make their own decisions without making a big deal. It’s always sharing the grace and peace of the real Reason for the Season.

What does love look like for you this season, friend? Let me know in the comments or drop me an email. Catch up on the rest of the series:

Read Advent Week 1: Hope

Read Advent Week 2: Peace

Read Advent Week 3: Joy

devotional, encouragement, holidays, midlife faith

Advent Week 3–Joy

Bethany LaShell

“Joy to the world, the Lord has come!” What better news has ever been declared than this—that the Savior of the world has already come? 

The shepherds were first in a long line of people who joyfully shared the good news of the coming of the Messiah. The angels, God’s glorious and special messengers, first announced to keepers of sheep that a King had been born?! I can kind of see Herod’s point about being left out of that revelation. Just sayin’.

But who better to be the first to hear about the One who came to save liars, cheaters, and the poor? 

Of course they were overjoyed! King Jesus didn’t come to trade gold and gems with other dignitaries—the overbearing Roman rulers of the time. Instead, he came to mingle with the tax collectors and outcasts in order to bring salvation to people from all walks of life.

We don’t have to be good enough to get an invitation to meet this King. We don’t have to Cash App a donation, sign up to sell essential oils, or have an award-winning TikTok channel in order to be noticed by this King. 

In fact, Scripture tells us numerous times that Jesus lowered himself to our level on purpose.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:8

That right there is enough to make me want to sing “Joy to the World” every day, not just one Sunday during December! In addition, throughout the Bible, we see example after example of other miracles God has done for His people. If you need a few reminders, check out Psalm 146.

Verse 3 of Psalm 146 reminds us not to put our trust in princes or in mortal men who cannot save us. This advent season, let us set aside the politics that so easily divide us and focus on the one, true King, the humble Messiah who will save us (from ourselves).

Instead, let us focus on our Savior with praise and joy. As the prophet Isaiah reminds us:  

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
  and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Isaiah 35:10

Heavenly Father, please give us joy that lasts beyond the moment, beyond the holiday season, into the mundane, drab days of January and beyond.

Friend, what are you joyful about this week of Advent? Hit reply to send me an email, or drop me a line on social media to let me know!

Catch up on the rest of the series:
Read Advent Week 1: Hope
Read Advent Week 2: Peace

devotional, encouragement, holidays

Advent Week 2–Peace & Preparation

Bethany LaShell

When my kids were small, their father would take them to the mall (or WalMart) to buy me a gift for Christmas and my birthday, which are two days apart. They would be so excited to wrap their gifts and place them under the tree—almost as excited as they were about shaking and squeezing all the gifts with their own names attached. 

A month, let alone a few weeks, was such a long time for little girls to wait! They would grow more excited and animated about those gifts under the tree every day until I thought they would burst from excitement! 

Each day, more gifts would appear under the tree, building the anticipation even more. More Christmas cookies, more Christmas carols, and more Christmas parties fueled their frenzy.

Our custom used to be that we would each pick one small gift to open on Christmas Eve before heading off to bed. One year, my younger girl was so anxious for me to open the gift she had picked out for me that she asked if I would please open “the umbrella-shaped gift”!  

As with children (young and old!) at Christmas time, we, too, anxiously await the second return of Christ to bring us peace, right all the wrongs, and deliver us from the cares of this present world. 

For he delivers the needy when he calls,
    the poor and him who has no helper.

Psalm 72:12

Even though the Israelites were longing for the promised Messiah, the Bethlehem of 2,000 years ago was not prepared for Jesus’ birth. 

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,    
from ancient days.

Micah 5:2

We’re looking for a Savior just as much as the Israelites were over 2,000 years ago. So how can we prepare for Jesus’ peace during Advent? We can do good things for those around us. We can love and care for those within our sphere of influence. And we can pray to be transformed more to His likeness.

But just like the flurry of preparations that take place during December, we also must prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. Lord, help us remember to prepare our hearts for your coming. Soften our hearts. Give us open hearts to receive the King.

Friend, what do you need to do to prepare your heart for the coming King this Advent season?

Read Advent Week 1, Hope.

devotional, encouragement, holidays

Advent Week 1–HOPE

Bethany LaShell
Advent

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Hope has lost the original weight of its meaning. Now we say things like, “I hope it doesn’t rain again this weekend.” But in biblical times, hope held a much deeper significance. It means “joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation.” 

Many prophets foretold the coming, or advent, of the Messiah, and the Israelites pinned their hopes—their confident expectation for salvation—on the long-awaited Messiah. Isaiah 40 foretells the coming of a Messiah who will comfort His people and establish justice. The Messiah will display the power of light over darkness and the triumph of good over evil.

In this hope, the Israelites anticipated a time of amazing worship, and we can likewise worship Jesus while looking forward to His second coming (see Psalm 122).

When the Messiah arrived as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem, many were shocked and did not believe that He could save Israel from their hardships—the oppression of the Romans (as Moses saved the Israelites from the oppression of the Egyptians thousands of years earlier, see Exodus 1-14). 

For those looking for salvation from our current conditions (and who isn’t?) of pandemics, politics, and prejudice, our salvation might not look like what we think it should—just like the Jews of 2,000 years ago were sure the Messiah would arrive as a great and mighty King, not a tiny baby in a tiny town.

Today, we put our hope in the baby in the manger and our future hope in the second coming of the Messiah to save us from the oppressors of our current world.

While we don’t know the day or the hour, we do know that He will come to save us from the impending tribulation as foretold throughout the Scriptures “to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28).

The Jews of Jesus’ day were hoping for salvation from the Romans. We Christians today are hoping that Jesus will bring judgment to right all the wrongs. Justice will prevail—if only at the final judgment.  

We need to remember not to overlook the ordinary miracles and seemingly small moments of joy. In those things we will find our hope is truly a “steadfast anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19).

What are you hoping for this Advent season? Please share with me, so I can pray with you!

devotional, encouragement, midlife faith

The Patterns of Prayer

Bethany LaShell

It’s easy to realize we need to pray more, but how often do you find yourself kneeling beside your bed, hands folded … and nothing comes out of your mouth? Or do you just spout off items like you’re reading a grocery list? We’ve heard that we can just talk to God like we’re talking with a friend, but that can seem irreverent. Is there a special formula?

The good news is that there’s no special formula you have to use for God to hear your prayers. But here are a few patterns you can use to help you begin.

The A.C.T.S. of Prayer

·         Adoration  – Put praise before victory: “When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever” (2 Chronicles 20:21).
·         Confession – Repent from letting fear rule our minds. “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).
·         Thanksgiving – Give thanks in all things: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
·         Supplication (requests) – Notice that making our requests should be last when we come before God in prayer. If we start with our laundry list, often we’re tempted to stop there. But when we first adore God for who He is, confess our sins to open the communication lines between us, give thanks for what God has already done in our lives, and THEN bring our requests before Him, we’ll find that our wants are more aligned with His will. James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask.”

Here’s an example of how to use the A.C.T.S. acronym to help you pray:

Heavenly Father, You are omniscient. You know what my future holds. I confess that I am letting worry overrule the knowledge of your faithfulness in this trying situation. Thank You for delivering me from fear and always providing for me. I ask that You calm my anxious mind and make a way for me to be able to make it through this week.

(The ACTS of Prayer courtesy of my friend and coworker Billie Jo.)

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Matthew 6:9-13

Within this familiar prayer are all the elements we need to approach God confidently and release all the blessings He wants to give us. We start with recognizing God in proper reverence, but also identifying our relationship with Him. We move on to reverencing His holiness. Prayer is about changing our hearts and attitudes to prepare for God’s perfect plans for our lives. We can then concede that we trust His character and His knowledge of the future. Resting in God’s plans instead of striving for our own will bring the peace that we crave.

After we pray these things, then we are ready to request what we need – for ourselves and our loved ones. We must also make sure to request forgiveness for our sins and ensure that we aren’t withholding forgiveness from others. We need to learn to embrace God’s grace and to extend grace to others. By requesting deliverance from temptation and the evil one, we’re asking God to protect us from all harm, something that often worries us. After dwelling on earthly things, finish by refocusing on heavenly things.

Pray the Psalms

So many times in Scripture we read about David being afraid and exhausted, and he expressed his fears and disappointments with great depth and feeling. To make these prayers your own, just add in your name or your loved one’s name.

Here are some helpful Psalms to pray through when you’re anxious and worried:

·         Psalms 3 and 10 – prayer for deliverance from enemies and tough situations.
·         Psalm 17 – prayer vindication when you’ve been wronged.
·         Psalm 23 – prayer for comfort when you’re exhausted and distressed.
·         Psalm 57 – prayer for God’s favor and mercy.
·         Psalm 61 and 91 – prayer for protection in dangerous situations.
·         Psalm 121 – prayer help and guidance when you don’t know what to do.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:8

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

Psalm 107:6

The Name of Jesus

Just say the name of Jesus. When you can’t form the words to say anything more, just speak the name of Jesus. He is enough. At the name of Jesus, darkness fades and demons flee! Amen!

When fear steals your words, the Holy Spirit will pray for you: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26 ESV).

Powerful Prayers

Pray for others as God brings them to mind; you can even set a reminder to pray on your phone. Pray for others as soon as they ask for prayer. That’s the best, most important thing we can do for others who find themselves overwhelmed by fear.

If you journal your prayer requests, prayers, and answers (with dates), your faith will increase as you can look back and see God’s answers.

I hope these ideas help you turn your words into powerful prayers for yourself and others in times of fear. Keep praying and keep believing. God will answer your prayers!

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

1 John 5:14-15 ESV
devotional, encouragement, healing

The Purpose of Prayer

Bethany LaShell

We know that prayer is an edict, an expression, and an exchange, now let’s look at what it accomplishes.

Prayer transports us into the presence of God. What we need more than anything else – more than money, a new job, or healing – is God Himself. If I have Jesus, I have all I need for peace, joy, and rest. Remember that old song “Give Me Jesus”? Let that be our song and prayer today.

Prayer takes our eyes off ourselves and puts them on Jesus – the one who will calm our storms. Remember when the disciples and Jesus were in a boat crossing to the other side of the lake and a storm kicked up? While the disciples were panicking, Jesus was sleeping. But when they woke Him up, all He had to do was command the wind and the sea, “Peace, be still! And the wind ceased and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).

Notice that Jesus didn’t magically transport them away from the storm. Nor did He leave them alone in the storm. He simply spoke, and the storm stopped. Now, Jesus might not speak to the storms you’re facing, but He will speak to you, “Peace, be still!” And in His presence, you will find that your soul can be calm even amid chaos.

As Paul reminds us, the peace of God will calm our minds when we submit our requests to God through prayer:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

In the Old Testament as well, the prophet Isaiah points out, “You [God] will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You” (26:3).

When we learn how to rest in God’s presence, our minds will be transformed from a muddled mess to a certainty of peace:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Come to God expectantly. What did you receive? Let me know in the comments!

devotional, midlife faith

The Power of Prayer

Bethany LaShell
Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels.com

How often have we heard (or said), “I’ll pray; I’m sorry I can’t do more”? Here’s the thing, though, prayer is the single most important thing we can do to combat worry – in our own lives and the lives of others.

Prayer is foundational to the Christian life, yet many people don’t know its true purpose and often feel like they don’t know how to pray. It’s not like sharing your troubles with a friend over a cup of tea.

First, prayer is a privilege as well as a command: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12 ESV).

Second, prayer, in its very essence, is communicating with our loving, Heavenly Father. It’s fellowship with the God of the universe. He is waiting for us to approach Him: “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). It’s meant to be a two-way conversation, so we need to make sure to listen to God’s response through meditating on Scripture.

Third, prayer is giving our troubles to our Creator and the perfect Lover of our Soul, so we don’t have to carry their weight: “Cast[ing] all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” 1 Peter 5:7 ESV). The idea here of “casting” is throwing or placing upon, so we’re giving up the responsibility for our problems. Hallelujah!

Prayer is an exchange. We leave our burdens, worries, and sin in the hands of God. We come away with oil of joy and the garment of praise.

F.B. Meyer

Jesus invites us to exchange our burdens for His:   Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Sometimes it seems as if our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, and we wonder whether prayer really works. The resounding answer is yes! “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). The answer may not be what we want or when we want it, but God always hears and answers our prayers: “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us” (1 John 5:14 ESV).

devotional, encouragement, holidays, midlife faith

Jesus Is Follow Worthy

Bethany LaShell

When parents first discover they’re expecting a child, they start dreaming about names for their baby. Maybe a boy name and a girl name—just in case. Maybe the baby will be named after a family member—like the long line of Elizabeths and Jims in my own family. Maybe it’s a twist on a new-fangled name that your family won’t even be able to spell or pronounce.

Instead of spending nine months choosing a name for your baby, imagine being told by an angel not only what to name your baby, but that your baby would also be your Savior! 

That’s exactly what happened to Mary in Luke 1: 

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High (vs. 31-32 NIV). 

The name Jesus literally means Jehovah (God) is salvation, Savior. It’s the Greek New Testament equivalent of Yeshua and Joshua (in the Old Testament). Messiah means anointed one, the king from the Davidic line.

So who is this Jesus, the Messiah? Isaiah foretold the Messiah’s birth 700 years before the angel visited Mary to announce that her baby’s name would be Jesus. Isaiah also expounded on other job titles that the Jesus would carry:

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

When Mary and Joseph named their baby Jesus and laid Him in a lowly manger trough, they were also giving Him these other names. Let’s take a look at them to see how these aspects of Jesus’ character makes Him follow-worthy.

First of all, He’s our Wonderful Counselor. He never gives out a sketchy piece of advice; He always has our best interests in mind, and He never misses a turn on the GPS. Who better to follow than the One who is “wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom” (Isaiah 28:29 NIV)?

Second, He is our Mighty God. He’s not just a human infant who grew up to minister to people for a few years and then died. No, He died to forgive our sins—yours and mine—and then rose again on the third day. We follow Jesus because He is the living, almighty God. No one else can hold a candle to our “great and awesome God” (Deuteronomy 7:21 NIV).

Third, He is our Everlasting Father. He has compassion toward us as our loving Father. He is our provider and protector—forever. Jesus told His disciples that He and the Father are one in John 14:9-10, so there should be no question about Jesus’ divinity. Who better to follow than our Father God who has been and will be forever and ever? 

Lastly, He is our Prince of Peace. When we let our minds dwell on God and trust in His ways, He “will keep [us] in perfect peace” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV). He came to bring wholeness and rest to our world-weary souls: “I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security” (Jeremiah 33:6 NIV). 

Why follow Jesus? Because He’s the only One who truly lives up to His name as our Savior! He’s our redeemer, deliverer, and Messiah.

Pray and Reflect on the following Scriptures this week:
Luke 1:30-33
Isaiah 9:1-7
Isaiah 11:1-3
Micah 5:1-5

Think about It:

  1. How can you see Jesus as your Wonderful Counselor this week?
  2. How can you revere Jesus as your Mighty God today?
  3. How can you trace God’s hand as your Everlasting Father through this past year?
  4. Will you invite Jesus to be your Prince of Peace in this chaotic season?

**This article also appears on the Beyond Sunday Blog.**

change, devotional, encouragement, lessons learned, midlife faith

Walk the Talk

Bethany LaShell
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

“Sure, I’d love to help!” Not really, but I don’t want to sound rude.

“Yes, I have plenty of time to work on that last-minute project!” I’m going to have to work overtime now because I’m swamped. Ugh.

“I’m so sorry I hurt your feelings.” Why are you so thin skinned? 

“I’m sorry you’re going through a hard time.” Suck it up, buttercup, like the rest of us.

How often do we say things we don’t really mean? It’s easy to give lip service to many people and many things without meaning it. 

But in Romans 10, Paul makes clear that we cannot just give lip service to God. We’ve got to believe with our hearts. We’ve got to put hands and feet on our words.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:9-10 ESV

So, what does it actually look like to not only say it, but also to believe it? It looks a lot like evangelizing those around us. Not all Christians are called to go overseas as missionaries, but we are all called to tell those around us about the Gospel. Here’s what the apostle Paul has to say about those who spread the Good News of Jesus Christ: 

As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Romans 10:15 ESV

Truly believing looks a lot like the Christians in the book of James, who are to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. We need to bridle our tongues and not show partiality as we do good works (James 2-3).

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

James 2:18 ESV

Sincere belief also looks a lot like the fruit of the Spirit. A dead plant does not produce flowers. A dead tree does not produce fruit. Likewise, someone who has not received the new life that is a result of salvation may try to sound like a Christian but will not have the heart of a believer. Our walk should match our talk.

So when our walk matches our talk, we can truly sing, like the old chorus, How beautiful the hands … and feet of the body of Christ. We then become like a radiant bride, waiting for our Savior, the bridegroom.

It’s not always easy, but we have been given—by the bridegroom Himself—all the help we need to match our hearts with our mouths.

Scriptures for Reflection:

  • Romans 10 (get the whole context)
  • Galatians 5:22-23
  • Colossians 3:1-4
  • James 2:14-24

Questions for Reflection:

  1. Have you ever said something you didn’t mean? What was the result?
  2. Who can you talk to about the Gospel this week?
  3. How can you cultivate the fruit of the Spirit this week? Choose one to focus on.
  4. How can you tangibly help someone in need this week?

**This article also appears on the Beyond Sunday Blog.**

about me, devotional, encouragement, healing, lessons learned, midlife faith, When a Woman Finds Her Voice

Embrace the Grace

Bethany LaShell

Growing up in church, I thought all pastors’ families were supposed to be perfect. At least, that was what was to be portrayed. They were always smiling, always serving, always hospitable, and the children were always obedient (insert adult eye roll). 

And I don’t know how I acquired the false idea that some sins were worse than others, but somehow in my legalistic private school education, the list of sins started with short skirts and ended with girls who got kicked out for, well, you know what.

But somewhere between collecting demerits for too-big earrings and my second divorce—as the pastor’s daughter, no less—I figured out that short skirts aren’t a mortal sin—and neither is divorce, or speeding, or yelling at your kids occasionally, or having a ring around the bathtub. 

During that journey, though, Satan had a field day, making my sense of shame and guilt bow my chin to my chest. 

The devil suggests to people that they cannot change; God will not help them. They are helpless slaves to sin and its consequences. Romans 6 says instead, “No, you are free.” Romans 7 says, “The Law can neither save nor sanctify you.” Romans 8 says, “The Holy Spirit does enable you to walk in a manner pleasing to God, so you can be a conqueror.”

After we are freed from the bondage of slavery to sin, nothing can separate us from God’s love for us (Romans 8:37–39). God’s love is not conditional; He doesn’t look at the length of our skirts to determine the height or depth of His love for us.

A few years ago, my dad (the aforementioned pastor) noticed that I always seemed to be carrying around a sense of shame and heaviness for my current life situation (being divorced is no picnic, in case you were wondering). He reassured me that he did not see me through the lens of a divorced woman, or a woman who’d been fired from a job, or a woman who could never live up to some other imaginary standards. He just saw me as his beloved daughter. Period.

I feel the same way about my daughter. She is living far, far from God although she professed His name for many years when she was young. However, my love for my daughter is not based on whether she goes to church or plays DnD on Sundays.

So, how do we get from hanging our heads in shame because we were formerly slaves to living like the beloved children of the King of kings that we are?

We must learn to reframe the shame! First we face it, then we grace it. Remember, the opinions of others don’t matter. We will always be too much or not enough for some people, and that’s ok. Through the grace of God and Christ’s suffering, we are accepted the way we are!

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1 ESV

Boom. Mic drop. That’s the whole sermon, right there. 

Romans 8:15 tells us that we have not been delivered from slavery to fall back into fear! We are to embrace the grace we’ve been given; otherwise, we’re throwing God’s gift back in His face. 

While feelings are, indeed, powerful, they are not what’s real. They may indicate that we’ve got some emotional baggage to unload, but they should not dictate our actions and our thoughts. We might just need to spend some time aligning our emotions with God’s truths. 

So, go live like the conqueror you are! Use your freedom to point others to Jesus. 

Read and Reflect:
Romans 8—read the whole context for this week’s message
Ephesians 2:8–9
Colossians 2:6–23

Think and Pray

  1. Are you stuck in a cycle of shame and guilt from which you need to be set free?
  2. Why is it often more difficult to receive grace for yourself than it is to extend grace to others?
  3. How do your feelings get in the way of your acting like a child of the King?
  4. What would it mean for you to actually live like a beloved child of the King of kings instead of a servant in the dungeon?

**This article also appears on the Beyond Sunday Blog.**